The beauty of the racing genre is that it can be so many different things to different players. If you want to kick back and enjoy some laps around a circuit, you can play anything from the highly successfully Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to the gorgeous Forza Horizon 5, and enjoy a wealth of options in-between. If you crave something more grounded and challenging, there are numerous options for technical simulation racing that each have a degrees of approachability to let you find the right fit.
Racing games have also transcended the simple nature of doing laps around a track. Games like Forza Horizon and The Crew Motorfest have given players the ability to explore massive open worlds, enjoying races of all varieties on the streets that pierce that gorgeous landscapes. Modern hardware has also afforded a level of technical artistry that brings you even closer to the real thing, with highly accurate tracks and vehicles presented in incredible detail in games like Gran Turismo 7, Forza Motorsport, and more.
With so many options to choose from, it can be a little daunting to sort through which rise to the top as some of the best racing games to enjoy in 2024. We've selected what we think of the best of the best, in no particular order, spanning over a decade of releases that goes to show that a fantastic racing game rarely ages poorly.
![Forza Horizon 5 Forza Horizon 5](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320585-forzahorizon5.jpg)
Forza Horizon 5
- Developer: Playground Games
- Release Date: November 1, 2021
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
![Forza Motorsport (2023) Forza Motorsport (2023)](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320586-forzamotorsport.jpg)
Forza Motorsport (2023)
- Developer: Turn 10 Studios
- Release Date: October 10, 2023
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC
![Gran Turismo 7 Gran Turismo 7](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320587-granturismo7.jpeg)
Gran Turismo 7
- Developer: Polyphony Digital
- Release Date: March 4, 2022
- Platforms: PS5, PS4
![F1 23 F1 23](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320588-f123.jpg)
F1 23
- Developer: Codemasters
- Release Date: April 28, 2023
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
![Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Mario Kart 8 Deluxe](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320589-mariokart8.jpg)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Developer: Nintendo
- Release Date: April 28, 2017
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
![Wipeout Omega Collection Wipeout Omega Collection](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320590-wipeout.jpg)
Wipeout Omega Collection
- Developer: XDev
- Release Date: June 6, 2017
- Platforms: PS4
![Trackmania Trackmania](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320591-trackmania.jpg)
Trackmania
- Developer: Nadeo
- Release Date: July 1, 2020
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
![The Crew Motorfest The Crew Motorfest](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320594-thecrew.jpg)
The Crew Motorfest
- Developer: Ivory Tower
- Release Date: September 11, 2023
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
![Horizon Chase 2 Horizon Chase 2](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320596-horizonchase2.jpg)
Horizon Chase 2
- Developer: Aquiris Game Studio
- Release Date: August 29, 2022
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
![Hotshot Racing Hotshot Racing](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320597-hotshotracing.jpg)
Hotshot Racing
- Developer: Lucky Mountain Games, Sumo Digital
- Release Date: September 10, 2020
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
![Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320598-nfshotpursuit.jpg)
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
- Developer: Stellar Entertainment
- Release Date: November 6, 2020
- Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC
![Burnout Paradise Remastered Burnout Paradise Remastered](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320599-burnoutparadise.jpg)
Burnout Paradise Remastered
- Developer: Criterion, Stellar Entertainment
- Release Date: March 16, 2018; June 19, 2020 (Nintendo Switch)
- Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC
![Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Collection Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Collection](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320600-sonicallstars.jpg)
Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Collection
- Developer: Sumo Digital
- Release Date: November 16, 2012
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii U
![Assetto Corsa Competizione Assetto Corsa Competizione](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320601-assettocorsia.jpg)
Assetto Corsa Competizione
- Developer: KUNOS-Simulazioni Srl
- Release Date: September 12, 2018
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
![iRacing iRacing](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320602-iracing.jpg)
iRacing
- Developer: iRacing
- Release Date: August 26, 2009
- Platforms: PC
![Project Cars 2 Project Cars 2](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320603-projectcars2.jpg)
Project Cars 2
- Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
- Release Date: September 21, 2017
- Platforms
S4, Xbox One, PC
![Art of Rally Art of Rally](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1601/16018044/4320604-artofrally.jpg)
Art of Rally
- Developer: Funselektor Labs Inc.
- Release Date: September 23, 2020
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch PC