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“So what racing game should I play next?” If you’ve ever asked yourself that, you’ve probably also stared at the sheer number of options and groaned. “Racing game” covers a ridiculous amount of ground, from pro-grade simulators that model every bit of tire slip to party games where crashing is half the fun. Pick wrong and you end up with one of two classic regrets: “It was so hard I shelved it immediately” or “It was so easy I got bored.”
For this article, the SpotGeeks editorial team scored 10 racing games on four axes (Realism, Thrills, Accessibility, and Value), each out of 100, and ranked them head-to-head. Whether you’re a hardcore sim racer or just want pure adrenaline, your game is on this list.
Scores are based on primary sources like Metacritic, official Steam pages, and publisher announcements, combined with our own hands-on play impressions (information current as of May 2026). As you read, keep one question in mind: “Which of these actually fits the way I play?”
The ranking runs by total score, but the right game for you changes a lot depending on whether you care more about realism or thrills. Start with the full comparison table to figure out which axis matters most to you.
*Prices in this article are converted from Japanese yen at ¥153 = US$1 (September 2026 rate).
Score Comparison: The 10 Best Racing Games, Rated by SpotGeeks
We scored each game out of 100 in four categories. “Realism” covers physics and simulation accuracy, “Thrills” covers pacing and how good it feels to play, and “Accessibility” measures how easy it is for newcomers to get into. Don’t just look at the total. The smart move is to pick based on the axis you care about most.
| Title | Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Horizon 5 | 75 | 95 | 92 | 82 | 344 |
| Gran Turismo 7 | 88 | 84 | 85 | 72 | 329 |
| Forza Motorsport 2023 | 85 | 80 | 82 | 72 | 319 |
| Assetto Corsa Competizione | 97 | 80 | 45 | 85 | 307 |
| DiRT Rally 2.0 | 93 | 82 | 40 | 82 | 297 |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 15 | 92 | 98 | 88 | 293 |
| Burnout Paradise Remastered | 30 | 85 | 87 | 90 | 292 |
| Need for Speed Unbound | 55 | 88 | 80 | 68 | 291 |
| F1 24 | 85 | 73 | 58 | 65 | 281 |
| iRacing | 100 | 70 | 28 | 52 | 250 |
iRacing takes the realism crown with a perfect 100, but its accessibility score of 28 is by far the lowest on the list, making it strictly for veterans. The game that balanced thrills and accessibility well enough to take first place is Forza Horizon 5 (344 points). Take a minute with the table and ask yourself which axis you really care about.
The Hotly Anticipated Newcomer
Scheduled for release on May 18, 2026, Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racer and the first entry in the series set in Japan. It’s developed by Playground Games. Tokyo and a mix of Japanese cities and countryside make up its massive map, and with more than 550 real-world cars, it lets you soak up the very essence of JDM culture.
| Developer | Playground Games |
| Release Date | May 18, 2026 (planned) |
| Platforms | Windows PC (64-bit) |
| Price | Standard Edition: $64 / Deluxe Edition: $92 / Premium Edition: $110 (all tax included) |
| Number of Cars | 550+ |
| Setting | Japan (open world including Tokyo, rural areas, and urban areas) |
The Forza Horizon series has taken us to Mexico, the UK, and Australia, and now it’s finally Japan’s turn. A focus on JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) car culture is going to be irresistible for fans of that scene. On top of customizable garages and a home ownership system, the game includes “CoLab,” a player-driven course creation feature (an expanded take on the previous game’s EventLab), so there’s plenty of fun in building content together with other players.
Recommended specs call for the equivalent of an RTX 3060 Ti and an i5-12400F or Ryzen 5 5600X or better, and an SSD is required. There are no user reviews yet, so some things remain unknown, but given the series’ track record and Playground Games’ technical chops, expectations are sky-high. This is one to keep your eye on ahead of its May 18, 2026 launch.
No. 10: iRacing | A Perfect 100 for Realism, the Ultimate Sim Where Pros Hone Their Craft
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 70 | 28 | 52 | 250 |
iRacing is a subscription-based online racing simulator for PC, and it exists on a completely different plane: in esports circles, it’s even used as a training tool for professional drivers. The simple fact that real racing pros, F1 drivers included, practice on it tells you everything about its realism. Its Steam reviews sit at “Very Positive,” and PC Gamer called it “the best racing game of all time.”
Everything from tire heat to aerodynamics to shifting track grip is modeled in painstaking detail, and the handling is on another level entirely. That said, a monthly subscription plus paid add-on content isn’t exactly beginner-friendly, and the PC requirements are steep. That accessibility score of 28 says it all. This one is strictly for diehards willing to sacrifice everything at the altar of realism. The low value score comes from the add-on system where tracks and cars are sold individually; if you get serious about it, spending several hundred dollars a year isn’t unusual.
No. 9: F1 24 | The Official Sim Where You Race With Real F1 Teams and Drivers
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 73 | 58 | 65 | 281 |
EA Sports F1 24 is the official F1 game, letting you race real circuits with real drivers like Verstappen and Leclerc. It’s available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, priced at about $65 for the Standard Edition and $85 for the Champions Edition (tax included, as of May 2026). The Driver Career mode got a major overhaul, making it even more fun to build up a racer of your very own.
Its Metacritic score is 72, on the modest side for the series. Reviews called out a lack of traction in slow corners and handling that feels a bit off, so it may not click with anyone who isn’t already an F1 fan. But if you have a clear goal, like “I want to race Monaco” or “I want to feel what it’s like to drive like Verstappen,” nothing else can replace it. The controls have a high barrier to entry and it’s not ideal for beginners, but if you’re an F1 fan, grab it without a second thought.
No. 8: Need for Speed Unbound | A Flashy Racer Tearing Through a Stylish City at Night
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 88 | 80 | 68 | 291 |
Need for Speed Unbound is a street racer released in 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The Standard Edition runs $63 and the Palace Edition $70 (tax included, PS5 version, as of May 2026). Its biggest calling card is a one-of-a-kind visual style that mixes anime-style effects with photorealistic graphics, and the graffiti effects that burst out when you drift are a treat to watch.
Realism is a modest 55, but it earned an 88 for thrills. Between the police chases through nighttime streets, the deep car customization, and the stylish presentation, it’s a very polished “looks-great-on-camera” racing game. Recent Steam reviews over the last 30 days are split at 60% positive, but the graphics and the adrenaline rush are generally well received. It’s the pick for anyone whose philosophy is “as long as I look cool driving, I’m happy.”
No. 7: Burnout Paradise Remastered | The Crash-Happy Classic Makes Its Triumphant Return
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 85 | 87 | 90 | 292 |
Burnout Paradise Remastered is a remaster of the legendary 2008 original. It arrived on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2018, with a Switch version following later. It’s frequently 75–80% off during Steam sales, and its value score of 90 is the highest on this list. If you’re hunting for a racing game that delivers big fun on a small budget, my advice is simple: buy this one first.
Realism is a low 30, but that’s exactly what makes it great. The way it turns crashes into gorgeous slow-motion spectacles is something no other game has quite matched. The freedom to take off in any direction you like across the open world of Paradise City still feels fresh today. Its accessibility score of 87 reflects the pure joy of a game you can play on instinct without overthinking. Its overall Steam rating of 64% is on the low side, largely because the game shows its age, but if you’re in it for single-player, it’s a masterpiece you’ll have no trouble enjoying.
#6: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 98 for Accessibility — the Ultimate Party Racer That Pulls Everyone In
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 92 | 98 | 88 | 293 |
A realism score of 15 — don’t let that number bum you out. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe doesn’t chase realism even a little, but in exchange, every single design decision is tuned for one goal: fun for absolutely anyone. A 98 for accessibility and a 92 for thrill put it in a league of its own on this list.
It’s been on Switch since 2017, and the version with all 96 courses, including every DLC track, goes for about $37 (Amazon Japan, as of May 2026). Online multiplayer for up to 12 players, local multiplayer on top of that, and the flexibility to work just as well for families as for a group of friends — no other racing game can match that. GameSpot gave it a strong 9/10. “I want to get a friend who’s never played a racing game to join in.” “I want something the whole family can play.” In situations like those, nothing beats Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
#5: DiRT Rally 2.0 | A Hardcore Rally Sim Masterpiece — and Winning Feels Incredible
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | 82 | 40 | 82 | 297 |
DiRT Rally 2.0 is a rally simulator that launched in 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It’s a heavy hitter that earned strong praise from critics — 8.5/10 from IGN and 87% from PC Gamer — and its realism score of 93 is the third highest here, behind only iRacing and ACC. The physics, which recreate everything from tarmac and gravel to mud and snow, are stunning. The penalty system is merciless: run off the course or make contact, and damage piles up while your repair time stays limited. Some folks have even called it “Dark Souls-level difficult.”
An accessibility score of 40 tells you this one clearly isn’t for beginners. But that difficulty feeds directly into its thrill score of 82 — the more you fail, the better you get, and the better you get, the better it feels. The rush of clearing a brutal stage without a single mistake is unmatched by anything else on this list. During Steam sales, it’s often 30% or more off its usual $39 to $52, so a value score of 82 isn’t bad at all.
#4: Assetto Corsa Competizione | The Cutting Edge of GT Racing Realism — 92% Positive on Steam
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | 80 | 45 | 85 | 307 |
Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC for short) is the official GT World Challenge simulator, developed by Kunos Simulazioni. PC (Steam) is its main home, but it’s also on PS4 and Xbox One. On Steam, it sits at 93% positive for reviews from the past 30 days and 92% positive overall — outstanding even among sims (as of May 2026). Built on Unreal Engine 4, its visuals are some of the best you’ll find in any racing game.
Its realism score of 97 is second only to iRacing. Thanks to a refined tire model and aerodynamics simulation, GT cars behave with startling authenticity. Accessibility is low at 45, and the game is designed with a steering wheel in mind rather than a controller. Still, it sometimes drops as much as 75% off during sales, and that value score of 85 is hard to ignore. If you want to get into serious sim racing on the cheap, this is your top candidate.
#3: Forza Motorsport (2023) | A Perfect Balance of Realism and Fun — a Metacritic 85 Heavyweight
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 80 | 82 | 72 | 319 |
Forza Motorsport (released October 2023) is a closed-circuit racing game for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. The Standard Edition runs $63, the Deluxe Edition $78, and the Premium Edition $85 (tax included, as of May 2026). It’s earned consistently high marks: 84 on Metacritic for PC, 85 for Xbox Series X|S, and an 8.3 average from Famitsu. With more than 500 real-world cars and real-time ray-traced graphics, it looks absolutely stunning.
It packs realistic damage modeling and aerodynamics simulation, yet its RPG-style car progression system keeps things approachable for newcomers. As its 85 for realism and 82 for accessibility show, it’s designed to hit the sweet spot right between sim and arcade. The catch is that it’s exclusive to Xbox and PC, but if you’re a Game Pass subscriber, you can play it at no extra cost — a huge plus.
#2: Gran Turismo 7 | The King of Driving Sims — Feel the Realism Through the PS5’s DualSense
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 84 | 85 | 72 | 329 |
Gran Turismo 7 is a racing simulator released in March 2022 for PS4 and PS5. It lists at $71 (tax included), but during sales it can drop to around $31 (as of May 2026). Its Metacritic critic score is a lofty 87, and as the culmination of a series with more than 25 years of history, its polish is beyond question.
On PS5, the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers relay your tires’ grip right to your fingertips. The trigger stiffens as you brake, and the feel in your hands shifts when the road surface changes — a sensation no other platform can replicate. The moment I actually got my hands on it, I let out an involuntary “whoa.” That’s how immersive it is. It lands at #2 because it strikes a rare balance: a realism score of 88 that rivals hardcore sims, paired with an 85 for accessibility that lets beginners jump right in.
#1: Forza Horizon 5 | 95 for Thrill, 92 for Accessibility — the Undisputed No. 1 Masterpiece
| Realism | Thrill | Accessibility | Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 95 | 92 | 82 | 344 |
Forza Horizon 5 takes the overall top spot, hands down. The Xbox and PC versions launched in November 2021, and the long-awaited PS5 version arrived on April 29, 2025, so now players on every platform can join in. The PS5 Standard Edition carries a suggested retail price of $55 (before tax), and on the PlayStation Store it’s racked up an impressive 4.08/5 rating from 55,009 reviews (as of May 2026).
The setting is a sprawling open-world Mexico. Deserts, jungles, cities, coastlines, and volcanoes are all packed into a single map, and there’s a real joy of exploration in knowing a different view is waiting wherever you go. That overwhelming freedom is the biggest reason for its thrill score of 95. Instead of running laps on set courses, you just take off in whatever direction you like and stumble onto whatever race you want — a design that completely upends what a racing game can be.
Its accessibility score of 92 deserves a shout-out too. Thanks to granular difficulty settings and a robust suite of driving assists, even people who’ve barely touched a racing game can have fun from the get-go. At the same time, there’s plenty of time-attack and serious race-series content for veterans, with enough to keep you hooked well past the 100-hour mark. If someone told me, “Just pick one,” I’d point them to Forza Horizon 5 without hesitation — and that’s the SpotGeeks editorial team’s final verdict.
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Wrap-Up | Pick Your Style! Our Top 10 Racing Game Rankings
Sort this ranking by scoring category, and here’s how it breaks down.
| What Matters Most | Recommended Games |
|---|---|
| Realism above all | iRacing (100) / Assetto Corsa Competizione (97) |
| Thrill above all | Forza Horizon 5 (95) / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (92) |
| Beginners and newcomers | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (98) / Gran Turismo 7 (85) |
| Value above all | Burnout Paradise Remastered (90) / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (88) |
| Best all-rounder, if you only pick one | Forza Horizon 5 (344) / Gran Turismo 7 (329) |
If you can only pick one game, grab Forza Horizon 5 right now. Thrill, accessibility, sheer volume, graphics — it excels across the board, and it’s that rare title that works for everyone from total beginners to seasoned veterans. Gran Turismo 7’s DualSense experience on PS5 is one of a kind, and I especially recommend it to anyone on a Sony console. And if you’re after a true simulator, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the most realistic choice when it comes to balancing value and quality.
With racing games, everything comes down to deciding up front whether you want realism or thrills. If you’re dipping your toes into hardcore sims, Assetto Corsa Competizione offers the best bang for your buck, while for overall satisfaction, Forza Horizon 5 is about as close to the right answer as it gets for every kind of player. Gran Turismo 7’s DualSense experience on PS5 delivers immersion unlike anything else on this list, and if you own a Sony console, it’s a game you owe it to yourself to try at least once.
The hands gripping your wheel already know which game they’re craving — you’ve got your answer.
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Snicker Kitamura
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