The Best Racing Games of All Time

The 8 best Racing games

12 votes

Kirby Air Riders

Nintendo Switch 2

Racing Multiplayer

Survey scores · avg 3.7/5

Story2.0

Gameplay4.6

Graphics3.9

Music4.2

Character4.0

The original Kirby Air Ride was as underappreciated in its time as the GameCube it was hosted on, but its unique single-stick control laid the foundation for its return on contemporary platforms. Just as in the remake, the GameCube original features flying, easy-to-pick-up play mechanics, and a fantastic sense of speed marinated in the cutesy style of the Kirby games.

Survey voice

かねやん
The ice stage called "Corda" was really nice, both in BGM and graphics.
Show original (日本語)
「コルダ」という氷のステージがBGM・グラフィック共に綺麗ですごく良かった

あいだ / 30代 / 男性
Compulsory education. Law. Ordinance. Concept.
Show original (日本語)
義務教育　法律　条例　概念

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9 votes

Mario Kart Wii

Nintendo Wii

Racing Multiplayer

Survey scores · avg 3.4/5

Story1.7

Gameplay4.6

Graphics3.8

Music3.8

Character3.9

Mario Kart Wii is a thrilling racing game that utilizes the Wii Remote or the Wii Wheel for physical steering and mid-air tricks. It delivers an incredibly fun multiplayer experience for friends and family, featuring four-player local split-screen and twelve-player online matches across modes like VS Race, Balloon Battle, and Coin Runners. Alongside a mix of new circuits and classic tracks like Rainbow Road, the game upgraded the franchise by introducing playable Mii characters, destructive items like the Mega Mushroom, and motorcycles capable of performing wheelies for extra speed.

Survey voice

クリスチャン
Whereas Nintendo games historically have had inferior online capabilities, I played this on wifi in 2008 or 2009 with no issues.

Than / 20s / Male
Really fun coop game. Played with my sister multiple times.

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8 votes

Crash Team Racing

PlayStation (PS1)

Racing

Survey scores · avg 3.9/5

Story2.4

Gameplay4.6

Graphics4.3

Music4.3

Character4.3

Crash Team Racing rode off Mario Kart's popularity as a party-type Racing game and took off in popularity. Its adventure mode enables solo play, keeping players engaged even when playing with friends isn't possible.There is a high skill ceiling with the game's drifting and boost system, rewarding good players for mastering high level mechanics. CTR is highly recommended for fans of the Crash Bandicoot IP and for players who love party-type games.

Survey voice

Piolo / 30s / Male
This game has a low skill floor and an incredibly high skill ceiling. It's just fun to play alone to get better at the tracks or with friends and family. My most memorable moment was when my cousin dunked me on Sewer Speedway and I learned about the many hidden shortcuts.

Stu / 30s / Male
Similar to above, I just liked racing with the different characters. Getting through the story and beating the bosses was really hard when I was younger.

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6 votes

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Nintendo Switch

Racing Multiplayer

Survey scores · avg 4.1/5

Story2.3

Gameplay5.0

Graphics4.5

Music4.5

Character4.5

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive Mario Kart experience that combines a polished look with beautiful biomes, crossover characters, and more exciting modes to try out with family and friends. With more racers and vehicles, come up with the best combination to secure every win past the finish line. Race around iconic tracks, defy gravity, and drift underwater to win the cup!

Survey voice

Aiko / 20s / Female
Mario Kart 8 is pretty much the only game I always play on the Switch, only because it's fun to play with my siblings. I love the various options to customize your vehicle, and it's kinda funny to me how there's a meta to this.

ゆーせー / 30代 / 男性
Among the Mario Kart games, I got hooked enough to keep grinding online rank on 7 and 8DX for ages. 8DX was the most fun...
Show original (日本語)
マリオカートの中では7と8DXでずっとレートに潜り続けるくらいハマりました。8DXが一番おもしろかった…

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5 votes

Mario Kart World

Nintendo Switch 2

Racing Multiplayer

Survey scores · avg 4.0/5

Story2.2

Gameplay4.8

Graphics4.8

Music4.2

Character4.4

Cruise across the land in Mario Kart World, which blends the scale and scope of massive open-world maps with the high-speed propulsiveness of classic Mario Kart racing gameplay. All of the game's courses are situated as parts of this open world, and exploring them in free roam is a joy. Traditional Grand Prix tours and single races now feature up to 24 players battling for first place across interconnected race courses, with mini qualifiers linking the "main" races of each tour, communicating the notion of a single unified world to race through. Many classic gadgets and power-ups return as well, making the game a capable successor to Mario Kart 8.

Survey voice

Kei / 30s / Female
I admit I don't really know a lot about Mario Kart World's story but what makes it special are the moments I share with my loved ones while playing the game. I remember playing Mario Kart a lot when I was struggling with the side effects of my new medication at the time. It helped me relax as I managed my symptoms.

I was moved to witness just how far racing games have evolved since Super Mario Kart on the SNES.
Show original (日本語)
SFCのマリオカートから、ここまでレーシングゲームが進化したことを目の当たりにする感動を覚えました。

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5 votes

Mario Kart 64

Nintendo 64

Racing Multiplayer

Survey scores · avg 3.9/5

Story1.6

Gameplay4.8

Graphics4.6

Music4.4

Character4.6

Mario Kart 64 is the 2nd installement in the Mario Kart franchise and was released on the Nintendo 64. The game featured 16 race tracks all with their own obstacles and gimmicks. It also featured quite a few game modes, like Time Trails to even Versus Modes.

Survey voice

だーます
I don't know how much I played it at friends' houses. Honestly I still play it occasionally now. When it comes to the Wario Circuit and Rainbow Road shortcuts, leave it to me. I won't forgive the guy who hits you with the Lightning right before the jump ramp.
Show original (日本語)
友達の家でどれだけやったかわからない。なんなら今でもたまにやる。ワリオサーキットとレインボーロードのショートカットなら任せてください。ジャンプ台の直前でサンダー打ってくるやつ許さない。

P-san
Gathering with friends and relatives and playing all day. Practicing the Wario Stadium shortcut endlessly, taking on Mario Circuit time trials, way too much of my precious childhood time was stolen.
Show original (日本語)
友達や親戚で集まって一日中遊んでた。ワリオスタジアムのショートカットをひたすら練習したり、マリオサーキットのタイムトライアルに挑戦したり、子供の頃の貴重な時間を奪われすぎた。

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3 votes

Gran Turismo

PlayStation (PS1)

Racing

Survey scores · avg 4.3/5

Story3.3

Gameplay4.7

Graphics5.0

Music4.3

Character4.0

True to its moniker "The Real Driving Simulator", Gran Turismo offers a driving experience that is as pure as it gets on the original Playstation. For car fans, Gran Turismo is a treasure trove that features 11 different race tracks, and up to 140 car models ranging from iconic classics to niche tuner cars. The game's development and release coincided with the "golden rennaisance" of car culture in the 90s, and it effortlessly epitomized the rawness and purity of car tuning and car racing.

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1 votes

F-Zero GX

Nintendo GameCube

Racing

Survey scores · avg 4.2/5

For F-Zero GX, speed is the absolute law. This classic racing game is unforgiving, forcing you to compete at top speed while avoiding other racers and barely keeping yourself on the track. As merciless as it can be, the game's absurd pace is dopamine-inducing and keeps you glued to your seat, inviting you to try and try until you've lapped all your competitors on every track.

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Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Nintendo Wii PlayStation (PS1)Nintendo 64 Nintendo GameCube

FAQ

How were these best Racing games chosen?

From a survey of 241 players. Games are ranked by mention count, then average score, with votes combined across platforms.

What is the top Racing game?

Kirby Air Riders ranks #1 with 12 votes.

How to find the best Racing games

The best Racing games according to 241 surveyed players — ranked by votes with average score as the tie-breaker, with platform links and curated player comments.

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The Best Racing Games of All Time

The 8 best Racing games

Kirby Air Riders

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Mario Kart Wii

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Crash Team Racing

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

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Mario Kart World

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Mario Kart 64

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Gran Turismo

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F-Zero GX

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