12 Old School Retro Racing Games That Are Still Worth Playing

The racing genre has come to define many eras of gaming, from the top-down pixelated efforts of yore to the photorealistic system-sellers that adorn modern consoles. The good news is that many of these games have stood the test of time, and are worth digging out and playing again (as long as you can find them).

12

Need for Speed Underground 2

Need for Speed Underground 2 might just be the most-requested racing remaster of all time. It feels like a remaster that EA simply doesn’t want to touch, likely due to the game’s liberal use of licensed properties including a suitably mid-2000s soundtrack featuring Queens of the Stone Age, Snoop Dogg, and a particularly memorable Spiderbait cover of Black Betty.

This was the first open-world Need for Speed racer, set in the fictionalized city of Bayview (a mash-up of Los Angeles and San Francisco). It featured satisfying arcade handling, even more car customization than the original, and 31 vehicles (with US and EU-specific versions). The best way to play NFSU2 is using a PS2 emulator, which looks great when you jack up the native rendering resolution. The original Underground is also worth revisiting, especially if you love circuit-based events.

Need for Speed: Underground 2

Released

November 9, 2004

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Electronic Arts

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Engine

EAGL

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Franchise

Need for Speed

11

Ridge Racer

The original Ridge Racer first appeared in arcades in 1993 before making the leap to PlayStation a year later (even later than that in the US and EU). The game went toe-to-toe with SEGA’s best at the time, and its PlayStation version ensured that Sony had an answer to Daytona USA and SEGA Rally. Since the whole game could be loaded into RAM, you could even switch out the disc and play a CD as you raced.

Ridge Racer became defined by its rigid physics, tremendous sense of speed, and pounding soundtrack. The franchise went on to become a mainstay of future console generations, and though things have dropped off in recent years, you can now enjoy the original on modern consoles with improved performance and visuals thanks to Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER on Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER

Systems

Released

June 5, 2025

ESRB

Everyone 10+ // Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

Hamster Corporation, Namco

Publisher(s)

Hamster Corporation

Number of Players

Single-player

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10

F-Zero

F-Zero is one of those rare Nintendo franchises that are just begging to be brought back from the dead. This high-speed futuristic racing game first appeared on the SNES in 1990 (and a year later in the US), and is notable for its use of pseudo-3D graphics, excellent soundtrack, and sense of speed.

Though it has a bit of a learning curve, learning to balance the immense power of your hover car’s boosts with the tight turns is great fun. It’s also really easy to play thanks to the Nintendo Classics collection for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Online battle royale revival F-Zero 99 is still alive and allows you to race against 98 opponents in a bid to be the last racer standing. Play it before it’s gone for good.

F-Zero

Systems

Released

August 23, 1991

ESRB

t

Developer(s)

Nintendo EAD

Engine

game engine

• 

9

Wipeout 2097

Wipeout was developed by Psygnosis and released in 1995 as a PlayStation launch title (before later being released on DOS, Windows, and the Sega Saturn). It was the first game to include licensed electronic music from the likes of Orbital, Leftfield, and The Chemical Brothers. Like F-Zero, it’s a high-speed anti-gravity racing game set in the distant future.

While the first game broke ground, the follow-up (known as Wipeout XL in the US) is arguably the more playable title. It’s much faster and more aggressive, features better handling and controls, and still has a thumping soundtrack that features the likes of The Prodigy and The Future Sound of London. If you’re looking for an accessible modern version, give Wipeout Omega Collection a shot (PS4, PS5), which remasters later titles Wipeout HD and Wipeout 2048.

Wipeout Omega Collection

Systems

Released

June 6, 2017

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Game Experience May Change During Online Play

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

• 

• 

8

Gran Turismo 4

Gran Turismo 4 was the third best-selling game on the PlayStation 2, which should speak volumes about just how good it is. Having launched in 2004 (in Japan, at least), the game featured 51 tracks, 721 cars, a legendary physics model, and some of the best visuals on any game of the PS2 era. Even now, this version is surprisingly playable, with plenty of content to keep you busy for months.

So what if I told you there’s a mod for GT4 that’s been years in the making, and it makes the game even better? The Gran Turismo 4 Spec II Mod overhauls the gameplay, presentation, and clunky menu system for modern audiences. You’ll need an emulator, PS2 BIOS files, and an NTSC copy of the Gran Turismo 4 Online Beta to try this out for yourself. Coupled with your emulator’s ability to upscale and apply other visual modifications like anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering, you can get GT4 looking and playing better than ever.

Gran Turismo 4

Systems

Released

December 28, 2004

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Polyphony Digital

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

Franchise

Gran Turismo

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• 

7

Burnout 3: Takedown

Criterion Games earned its reputation with the now-legendary Burnout franchise. This is an arcade racer that ditches realism and licensing in favor of breakneck speed and explosive crashes. The 2004 release Burnout 3: Takedown is arguably the series’ finest hour, releasing for PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox console to universal praise.

The game’s subtitle refers to the introduction of takedowns, in which the goal is to eliminate opponents by ramming them until they wipe out. Crash Mode, in which the goal is to cause as much damage as possible within a set piece scenario, returns but with the addition of an “aftertouch” feature that makes for more impressive and explosive accidents.

Prequel Burnout 2: Point of Impact and sequel Burnout: Paradise are also worth playing, but the latter lacks Crash Mode and the former can feel a bit rusty.

Burnout 3: Takedown

Systems

Released

September 7, 2004

ESRB

T For Teen // Mild Language, Mild Violence

Developer(s)

Criterion Games

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Engine

RenderWare

• 

• 

6

Virtua Racer

Virtua Racer was a revolutionary racing game for its time. Released in 1992 into arcades, the game featured blocky 3D graphics and is often credited for popularizing the visual style in the years that followed. In it, you race an open-wheel racer that looks suspiciously like a Formula One car through beginner, intermediate, and expert tracks. Hit the checkpoints to add more time, and reach the end in first place to win.

While you might think the game hasn’t aged that gracefully, I’d implore you to give it another shot. You can do so relatively easily thanks to the SEGA AGES Virtua Racer port that’s now available on Nintendo Switch. At $7.99 full price, it’s a game that’s great for short bursts (and it’s often on sale for far less). For my money, this is one of SEGA’s most playable vintage racers and even beats out Daytona USA.

5

Crazy Taxi

While Crazy Taxi might not be a racing game in the strictest sense, you will be doing a lot of racing around as you rush between fares to extend your time and earn the best possible rank. The game first appeared in arcades in 1999, with a Dreamcast release following a year later. Versions were made available for most generations up until the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, including a dodgy Steam release that lacked the original soundtrack.

The home release is notable for its inclusion of another course via the “Original” mode menu option, and the ability to choose between arcade rules (where fares earn you time) or timed runs. I’ve been playing a lot of the Dreamcast version on my Steam Deck recently, and the game really holds up well with its loud visuals, iconic soundtrack by The Offspring, and a nostalgic early-2000s vibe.

Crazy Taxi

Released

February 12, 1999

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Language, Mild Violence

Developer(s)

HitMaker

Publisher(s)

Sega

Franchise

Crazy Taxi

4

Forza Motorsport 2

You probably won’t find Forza Motorsport 2 on many “best racing games” lists, and I’ll be the first to concede that this one is a bit of a personal favorite. Released in 2007, the game built on what Turn 10 achieved with the original Forza (having recently left Project Gotham Racing behind), and I still count it as one of my favorite simcade racing games (and not just because I got it in two-pack with Viva Piñata on the other disc).

FM2 excels for me because I love the idea of taking grandma’s old VW Golf, slapping some upgrades on it, coming up with an outrageous paint job, and then racing it against similarly ordinary cars in the Sunday leagues. Sure, there are much faster Super GT cars and Le Mans exhibition races, but the satisfaction of _FM2_—and something the series has lost, in my opinion—is the simplicity of racing road cars around very fast tracks. The sense of progress is steady and oh-so-satisfying.

This is an Xbox 360 game, with no modern version available (but you should find plenty of cheap copies in thrift stores and online marketplaces). It also doesn’t work on the Series X|S consoles, so it’s a good reason to buy an old Xbox 360.

Forza Motorsport 2

Systems

Released

May 24, 2007

ESRB

E For Everyone

Developer(s)

Turn 10 Studios

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer

Franchise

Forza

Number of Players

1

3

Rock N Roll Racing

Released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Rock N Roll racing is a beloved racing game played from an isometric perspective from Silicon & Synapse (which later rebranded to Blizzard Entertainment). As the name might suggest, the game blended music and racing, with cheap versions of recognizable tunes like Highway Star by Deep Purple, Paranoid by Black Sabbath and Breaking the Law by Judas Priest.

The game highlights the stark differences between home consoles and arcades in the early 90s, as SEGA and Namco transitioned to full 3D. Despite its humble appearance, the game has earned a cult following, and it’s also relatively easy to play on modern consoles since the release of the Blizzard Arcade Collection on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch (with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S compatibility).

Blizzard Arcade Collection

Released

February 20, 2021

ESRB

teen

Developer(s)

Blizzard

Publisher(s)

Blizzard

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