Need an adrenaline fix? Burn some rubber in these cool car games!
What’s a race without cool, sexy cars?
Sadly, a majority of such cars cost more than you’ll ever make in a lifetime. So, once again, we have video games to thank for giving us a glimpse of what it’s like to race in these majestic, curvaceous beauties.
Here are 10 Cool Car Games That You Must Play in 2015 – racing games that’ll not only give you that much-needed dose of adrenaline, but also let you drive the coolest cars in the world.
10. Forza Motorsport 5
A stunning beauty
Imagine a game that comes with 200 cars from more than 50 manufacturers, and 17 race courses based on real circuits ranging from Circuit de la Sarthe to Yas Marina. Yes, Forza Motorsport 5 gives you all that, plus even more cars and tracks available for download every month. Welcome to racing game heaven.
The critically acclaimed racing franchise returns with its signature authenticity, with virtual cars that boast handling and performance that are as close to their real-world counterparts as possible in a game. Forza Motorsport 5 is also the first in the series to include open-wheel vehicles, such as Formula One cars and the Dallara DW12 IndyCar.
For those who enjoy tinkering around with their toys, Forza Motorsport 5 allows you to extensively mod and customize your car. With the engine upgrade system, you can tune up over 10 parameters, from the fuel system to its flywheel. You can also tweak the aerodynamics, drivetrain, aspiration swap, and more.
Last but not least, the game has a variety of stunning automobiles for you to play with, such as the Maserati GranTurismo S, Volkswagen Corrado VR6, Ferrari LaFerrari, and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8. Oh, what a great time to be a car racing video game fan.
Definitely one of the best cool car games on this list!
The future is here, and it's looking mighty fine!
Exotica
9. Driver: San Francisco
Sure, cool car games are exciting, but sometimes they can feel a little mundane. So why not infuse them with a little science fiction/fantasy?
Driver: San Franciso has everything you love about the racing genre, as well as one, incredible detail: you can teleport between cars.
Because you’re basically an X-Man with the power to “shift,” your momentum is never interrupted by pesky activities such as removing your seatbelt, opening the car door, and running across the tarmac to hijack another vehicle.
As for the cars you get to drive? Do Cadillacs, Lamborghinis, DeLoreans, Dodges and Fords do it for you?
I wouldn't mind teleporting into that!
Countryside cruise
8. Grid 2
Like Autosport, Grid 2 is an arcade racer that borrows a page or two from its more complex cousin, the racing simulator. It’s also one of the best car racing games in existence.
Ever wanted to race through the streets of Chicago? How about the sun-baked metropolis of Dubai? Grid 2 boasts tracks from real world cities and locations. It also includes a huge roster of cars covering four decades of racing history; and a horde of thrilling challenges sure to test your skill.
And for those who enjoy time travel, the series’ unique Flashback feature returns in Grid 2. This lets you rewind time in case you get your beautiful ride scratched in a fender-bender. Because who would want any damage to beautiful cars such as the Honda S2000, Nissan 240SX, Subaru BRZ, and Volvo S60 BTCS?
All these factors earn Grid 2 a spot on our cool car games list!
Drifting in style
Breaking the sound barrier
7. Need for Speed: Rivals
The iconic Need for Speed series returns in Rivals, boasting high octane races, breakneck police chases, a huge variety of events, seamless transition between single player and multiplayer, and more.
The game boasts two storylines and career modes. As a Racer, you assume the role of the street racer Zephyr, whose reckless exploits earn him a spot on the police’s hit list. As a Cop, you’re a police officer tasked with infiltrating underground street racing circuits by posing as a street racer named F-8. Both campaigns eventually lock Zephyr and F-8 in an adrenaline-filled, high-speed battle for the mastery of the wheel and the road.
Racers get cars such as the BMW M3 GTS and Pagani Huayra, while the police use the likes of the Aston Martin Vanquish and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to chase high-speed hoodlums with.
Of all Need for Speed games, Rivals also has the best customization options (though it still pales in comparison to car modification opportunities offered by other titles on this list). Available performance upgrades improve acceleration, top velocity, control, durability, and strength. And of course, you can change the cars’ colors and even add decals.
It’s one of those games you’ll likely continue to play for months on end, and one of the best cool car games!
A fiery exterior
Cop cars are rarely this hot!
6. Blur
Through the fire
Blur is fast, furious arcade racer with challenging A.I. opponents and tricky tracks. But what truly makes this game special? Mario Kart-style power-ups!
That driver ahead of you a road hog? Blast him away with a homing missile! That car behind you too close for comfort? See how he likes dodging explosive mines! You’ve got power-ups that repair your car, shove your competitors aside with a fancy Force push, give you a surge of speed, and more. Oh, the mayhem.
As for the sweet, sweet cars you can race, there’s everything from Dodge Vipers to Lotus Exiges. Some of the special cars were even designed by developer Bizarre Creations! Car customization is a little on the conservative side, giving you the ability to tweak their colors and performance.
Cool car games don’t get crazier than Blur!
Zap!
5. Gran Turismo 6
Gorgeous in red
1,200 cars in one game? Ridiculous!
It sounds like an exaggeration, an outright lie, but it’s true. Gran Turismo 6 boasts a jaw-dropping 1,200 cars, from historic vintage cars to modern supercars. This list includes but is not limited to the Buick GNX ’87, Daihatsu OFC-1 ’07, Lexus LFA ’10, and SRT Viper GTS ’02. It also features 40 locations, divided into 107 layouts. And to add to its already impressive authenticity, Gran Turismo 6 also boasts variable daytime and weather, realistic car handling and performance, and more.
The car customization options are not as mind-boggling, but they get the job done. Aside from changing the paint, you can also modify a car’s suspension, tires, wheel size, weight, aerodynamics, and more. How much customization you can do also depends on the car – some cars are extremely upgradeable, while others, not so much.
With its hefty compendium of vehicles to drive and realistic, responsive car racing, Gran Turismo 6 demonstrates why the series has always been at the top of cool car games lists for over a decade.
The fastest things on wheels
Not Mario Kart
4. Shift 2: Unleashed
Shift 2: Unleashed has everything all you authenticity junkies need, from wonderfully detailed cars to realistic crash physics.
It even has real professional drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. guiding you in the career mode, so that you can perfect that drift in preparation for the FIA GT3 series and FIA GT1 Championship.
With its sheer focus on action, this game doesn’t have much in the car customization department (although you’re allowed to modify the colors of your ride). However, with over 140 licensed cars – including the Acura NSX, Jaguar XKR, McLaren F1, and Mazda RX-8 – you’ll never want for variety. And, while it features fictitious race courses, it also boasts more than 40 real-world racing circuits, ranging from Bathurst to Suzuka.
Definitely a cool car game to add to your list!
Some like their cars a little rounder!
Looking sharp!
3. Project CARS
Flashing that sexy smile
The excellent Project CARS distances itself from other simulators by giving players the freedom to select from a multitude of different motorsports – even go-karting! And best of all, all vehicles and tracks are made available to players from the get-go!
74 vehicles are yours to race, including curvy Italian sports cars, dinky karts, and exotic supercars. All of them can be modified, with concepts such as tuning, cooling and break pressure, differential, gearing and engine, dampers, suspension, aerodynamics, tires and breaks, chassis, and more represented in-game. Sure, it can be a little overwhelming at first – but that's what it means when a game gives you everything!
Aside from these perfectly modeled cars and realistic physics, also adding to the realism are changes in weather and lighting.
Cars... or spaceships?
Cute, but powerful!
2. Assetto Corsa
A bevy of beauties!
You can thank Italian video game developer Kunos Simulazioni for giving us Assetto Corsa – one of the most authentic car racing simulators in the digital motorsport genre.
It’s hard to ignore the game’s superior attention to detail, made most evident in the faithfully reproduced car models and race courses. But Assetto Corsa’s realism is more than skin deep; the developer also injects profound realism into its vehicle dynamics and physics. So what do we get? A game that gives players the near-perfect feeling that you’re in the driver’s seat of a real sports car.
But that’s not all. Assetto Corsa also comes with a customization tool that allows players to significantly modify their cars and tracks. Accurate recreations of real-world circuits were made possible thanks to laser scan technology. As for the cars you’re given to drive? Count Tatuus, Mercedes, Abarth, and McLaren among them.
Hands down one of the best cool car games in existence.
Neck and neck!
Speed lines
1. Dirt 3
Leaving them in the dust
Get down and dirty with one of the best cool car games on the planet: Dirt 3.
The game’s main mode has players participating in various events to gain reputations points. These, in turn, attract sponsors who will provide you with new cars. Alternatively, if you’re into impressing the crowd with special tricks, there’s the obstacle course mode. And if neither of those float your boat, then dive into the party modes, which involve everything from zombie cars to smashing cardboard robots.
Dirt 3’s impressive roster of rally cars includes the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, Peugeot 207, Toyota Tacoma Special, RMR Hyundai Genesis PM580, and Renault 5. The only downside to Dirt 3 is its meager car modification options, which kind of makes sense, given that these cars are gifts to your from sponsors.
No cold will freeze this engine!
Cruisin' in the rain
Honorable Mentions
Love arcade-style racers but wish they had more simulator-like depth? Grid Autosport sits a comfortable spot in between. It comes with an eclectic variety of automobiles, from the contemporary (Stock Car Brasil, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG) to the classic (Ford GT40); as well as various tracks are based on real-world circuits such as Brands Hatch, the Yas Marina Circuit, and the Circuit of the Americas. Lastly, excellent A.I. and detailed damage models help make the experience more authentic. Cool car games would benefit from emulating the awesomeness of Grid Autosport!
Then there’s The Crew, a game that combines MMORPG and car racing in one exquisite blend. Like other MMOs, the game gives you hundreds of quests. The rewards for their completion include upgrades you can use to augment your car’s power, tweak its performance, or customize its appearance. And when feeling competitive, you can join the Faction Wars, which lets you race with other players. The Crew also ships with a variety of stunning automobiles for you to play with, such as the Maserati GranTurismo S, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ferrari LaFerrari, and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8.
So, racing fans… what are you favorite cool car games? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments section below!
