If you love speed, there’s never been a better time to be a racing fan. Today’s best racers span a spectrum—from sim-accurate physics with laser-scanned tracks to pick-up-and-play arcades that put fun first. The challenge isn’t finding a racer; it’s choosing the one that matches your taste, time, and hardware. This top five brings together the strongest options across styles. Whether you want an open-world driving playground, tightly regulated GT racing, seriously competitive online leagues, or family-friendly couch chaos, these games deliver hundreds of hours of high-octane entertainment. Buckle up—here are the five racing games that most deserve a permanent spot in your library.
1) Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 is the genre’s definitive open-world crowd-pleaser. Set in a vibrant, varied take on Mexico, it blends high-fidelity cars and world design with approachable physics and constant things to do. You can drift volcano slopes, sprint along beaches, tear through jungle trails, and cruise through colonial towns—often within a single play session. The game’s Festival Playlist, seasonal events, and weekly challenges ensure there’s always fresh motivation to return, while user-generated routes and custom rulesets keep the experience surprising.
The handling model lands in that sweet spot: friendly with assists on, rewarding and surprisingly nuanced with assists off. Photo mode, livery editors, and Blueprint tools make it as much a creative sandbox as a racer. The flip side is that hardcore sim purists may find the physics too forgiving and progression too generous. But as a joyous celebration of driving—solo or with friends—Horizon 5 is unmatched.
- Best for: Open-world exploration, casual-to-advanced skill levels, social play.
- Watch out for: Sim purists may crave more realism; loot-like unlock cadence isn’t for everyone.
2) Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 is a love letter to car culture wrapped in a meticulous track racer. It marries a polished driving model with a curated progression system, inviting you to discover iconic cars through “Menu Books” and manufacturer histories. The physics hit an elegant balance: technical enough to make your line, braking points, and tire choice matter, yet readable and consistent, making improvement feel tangible. With dynamic weather, day-night transitions on select tracks, and excellent DualSense feedback on PS5, immersion is top-tier.
Sport Mode’s licensed online structure encourages clean racing via driver and safety ratings, while single-player offers license tests, missions, and a robust collection loop. Some players will wish for more aggressive AI and a looser economy; others will embrace GT’s measured pace and museum-like reverence. If you want a console-first sim with impeccable presentation and a thriving community, GT7 is the benchmark.
- Best for: Track discipline, car collecting, clean online racing on console.
- Watch out for: Conservative AI at times; progression and economy can feel slow early on.
3) iRacing
iRacing is the gold standard for organized online competition. It’s a subscription-based platform rather than a traditional game, and it treats motorsport like a sport: licenses, safety ratings, scheduled races, stewarding tools, and official series across road, oval, dirt, and more. The physics and tire models demand discipline—mastering car control, racecraft, and incident avoidance is mandatory if you want to climb the ladder. The result is some of the cleanest, most structured online racing you can find, with stakes that make every lap count.
The model isn’t for everyone: costs can stack up with tracks and cars, and casual players may prefer drop-in fun elsewhere. But if you crave competitive integrity, deep telemetry, pro-grade setups, and the feel of participating in a living motorsport ecosystem, iRacing delivers like nothing else. It’s as close to a real-world racing club as sim racing gets.
- Best for: Serious online competition, league racing, long-term skill development.
- Watch out for: Ongoing costs; unforgiving learning curve; time commitment to race on schedule.
4) Assetto Corsa Competizione
Built as the official GT World Challenge game, Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) focuses on GT3 and GT4 racing with laser-scanned tracks and a physics model tuned for endurance-style events. The driving feel is superb—weight transfer, aero balance, and tire behavior communicate clearly through a wheel, and even gamepad play is solid once you tweak settings. Day-night cycles and weather add strategic layers, from tire compounds to pit strategy and stint management.
While ACC is narrower in scope than sandbox racers, that focus is its strength. Multiplayer is robust with driver and safety ratings, and single-player championships scratch the competitive itch. Modding is limited compared to the original Assetto Corsa, and the car roster centers on GT machinery, so variety seekers may look elsewhere. But for those who want pure, grounded GT racing that rewards consistency and precision, ACC is sublime.
- Best for: GT3/GT4 purists, endurance racing, cockpit or wheel users.
- Watch out for: Narrow car class focus; less appealing if you crave open-wheel, rally, or road cars.
5) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
No list of the best racing games is complete without a karting classic. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe distills racing to its most social, accessible form: intuitive controls, iconic tracks, and items that can flip the script in the final corner. It’s the perfect couch multiplayer game, equally at home at parties and family nights, but it also rewards mastery with drifting, coin management, and optimal line choices. The expanded track selection and character roster mean there’s always a new combo to try.
Purists might balk at item randomness and rubber-banding, but that’s precisely the charm: tight races and dramatic finishes that keep everyone engaged. Online lobbies are active, time trials support serious competition, and the presentation is timeless. If your goal is maximum smiles per minute, MK8 Deluxe is peerless.
- Best for: Local multiplayer, family play, quick sessions with big fun.
- Watch out for: Item RNG can frustrate competitive-minded racers seeking pure pace battles.
How to choose your perfect racer
Ask yourself three questions. One: Do you want open-world exploration or closed-circuit discipline? Two: Are you chasing realism and competition, or easygoing fun with friends? Three: What gear do you own—gamepad, wheel, console, or PC? If you lean toward relaxed driving and variety, start with Forza Horizon 5. For structured sim racing on console, pick Gran Turismo 7. If your dream is licensed, league-style competition, iRacing awaits. For laser-focused GT action and sublime physics, go ACC. And for the ultimate social racer at any skill level, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe never misses.
From laid-back cruising to white-knuckle sim battles, these five games capture why virtual racing endures: the thrill of speed, the joy of improvement, and the shared stories that happen when the lights go out and the grid surges forward. Start your engines.