10 Best Racing Games on PS Plus

Racing games have been around since the dawn of gaming, and the genre has evolved, so there’s something for everyone.

Whether you want to relive real racing moments or fly in hoverships, you’re spoiled for choice if you know where to look.

There are plenty of gems in the Racing genre, and here are our picks for the best.

10 Split Second

Blink, And You’ll Miss It

Split Second is an anomaly as it oddly slipped under the radar when it was released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Split Second is an arcade combat racing game, complete with powerups and weapons. Racing feels tight and responsive, but the real eye-opener is the destruction.

Environmental hazards play a massive role in Split Second, and it’s a treat to see courses transform in real-time.

Sadly, we never got a sequel, but Split Second remains a furiously addictive arcade racer.

9 Assetto Corsa Competizione

A Purebred Sim Racer

Assetto Corsa is arguably the authority in console Simulation Racing games. We trade destruction and wild drifting for a more grounded experience and realism.

That realism comes in the form of one of the most impressive vehicle lineups on the market and a ridiculous amount of customization options.

Real-world tracks also make an appearance, including iconic circuits like Silverstone and the Nürburgring.

Assetto Corsa Competizione is also one of the prettiest games on this list and is incredibly immersive if you own a steering wheel.

This is THE title for you petrol heads out there, and you’ll love every second of it.

8 Wipeout Omega Collection

Classic Anti-grav Racing

Wipeout games have been around since the original PlayStation, and the Omega Collection is one of the best ways to enjoy the series.

Set in the not-so-distant future, racing has evolved, and pilots use ships instead of cars.

Racing is fast and intense, with many gravity-defying tracks to race on. Plenty of modes are on offer, including Zone Mode, where you try to survive as long as possible as your speed forever increases.

There’s a generous assortment of weapons to spice up races and plenty of teams and ships to enjoy.

The Omega Collection includes Wipeout HD and Wipeout 2048, and while they aren’t new, the series still holds its own.

7 Moto GP 23

Two Wheels Is More Than Enough

Moto GP 23 is a thrilling motorcycle game that closely follows the actual Moto GP racing circuit.

Motorbike racing feels entirely different from driving a car, and Moto GP allows you to get pretty granular with customization.

There’s a superb selection of accurate tracks and bikes to choose from, and the title offers a refreshing change from your regular 4-wheeled racing games.

Recent Moto GP titles are known for their savage difficulty. There’s a sharp learning curve if this is your introduction to the series, so expect to slide across the tarmac a few times.

6 Need For Speed: Unbound

A Solid Street Racer

Unbound is the latest installment in an endless list of Need For Speed games. The title plays similarly to Heat, with an open-world city to explore.

The visuals are gorgeous, and there are multiple event types to enjoy.

There is also an overarching story, and while it’s cliché and cheesy, it is pretty fun. If you want the same vibes you would find in the older Fast and Furious movies, you will love what’s on offer here.

The stylish cel-shaded flares are a divisive design choice. Even if you’re not a fan, I urge you to try the title, as it’s a superb street racer.

5 Wreckfest

Chaos and Destruction

Plenty of racing games are afraid of getting their hands dirty. If you’re drawn to the genre by carnage and destruction, Wreckfest is, hands down, the game for you.

Wreckfest is a gritty racing game where totaling your opponents is the ultimate goal. Cars feel rough and weighty, and there are plenty of events alongside the racing, which feels more like a contact sport.

Car damage and destruction are second to none, and you’ve never seen a vehicle reduced to a smoking heap in such detail.

Games focusing on crashes and bangs are a rarity these days, but Wreckfest proves there’s still plenty in the tank for the genre.

4 Trackmania Turbo

The Possibilities Are Endless

Trackmania Turbo is a highly competitive racing game with a near-limitless skill ceiling.

Every track has a dedicated leaderboard, and competition for those perfect times is fierce. Online battles are the main focus in Trackmania, but you only ever race against ghosts, and it’s incredibly addictive learning a circuit and climbing the ranks.

The track selection is second to none (it’s in the title, after all) and ranges from simple ovals to gravity-defying twisted coils of tarmac.

If you want a competitive racer without worrying about micro settings and tuning, Trackmania Turbo is the best of the bunch.

3 Redout 2

More Than Just A Wipeout Clone

The Wipeout Omega Collection is great, but the titles it includes are over a decade old.

If you’re after a new futuristic racer, you can’t do better than Redout 2.

Redout 2 is a stunning anti-grav racer with gorgeous visuals and physics-defying courses.

The focus is purely on high-octane racing in Redout. You won’t find any weapons to level the playing field and your reflexes are in for a workout.

While the inspiration is obvious, Redout feels unique to play and nails the feeling of breaking the sound barrier.

We haven’t had a new Wipeout game for many years, but with games like Redfall 2 at the helm, perhaps we don’t need to.

2 Ridge Racer Type 4

One Of The Best PS1 Racers

Ridge Racer is another series that’s been around for a while but arguably peaked on the original PlayStation with Type 4.

The title puts on a masterclass in street racing. Drifting feels incredible, and the game feels satisfyingly grounded compared to titles where you earn “magic nitro” for skidding around corners.

Type 4 has a fun, cheesy story mode where you race for different teams with unique tales to share.

The graphics are fantastic by PS1 standards, and the electronic soundtrack is the icing on the cake. The Gran Turismo games tend to steal the limelight on the PlayStation, but Ridge Racer Type 4 is easily one of the best racing games on the system.

1 Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

The Series At Its Best

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is arguably the greatest game in the franchise.

The title feels like two separate games rolled into one. On the one hand, you have intense races where the police try to ram you off the road. On the other, there are events where you play as law enforcement trying to take down the racers.

Each gameplay style has its own progression system complete with car unlocks and unique events.

Hot Pursuit is classic arcade-style racing at its finest. There’s no-nonsense, no awkward open world holding everything together; it’s just pure racing all the way to the finish line.