Best Racing games: 25 ranked (2026)
109 racing games ranked by the GamingPickz Score, a published composite of player sentiment and critic reception. The formula is below in full, and no placement on this page can be bought.
The racing games on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Multi-platform
- PC
- PlayStation
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
The short version
- Top pick: Euro Truck Simulator 2, GamingPickz Score 8.8/10 from 940,049 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 79.
- 1 score 8.5 or above out of 109 ranked racing games.
- Price range free to $69.99, median $19.99, with 13 free to play.
- 19 are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing.
- 10 declare six or more accessibility features. Listed per game below.
At a glance
The top 12 side by side. Full entries below.
| # | Game | Best for | Score | Players | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Euro Truck Simulator 2 | Players who need accessibility options that actually exist | 8.8 | 97% (940,049) | $19.99 |
| 2 | Forza Horizon 4 | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.4 | 91% (303,167) | Not listed |
| 3 | My Summer Car | A consistently well-received pick in this category | 8.4 | 95% (117,158) | $14.99 |
| 4 | CarX Drift Racing Online | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.4 | 95% (89,251) | $16.99 |
| 5 | BeamNG.drive | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.3 | 97% (416,293) | $24.99 |
| 6 | Brick Rigs | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.3 | 95% (59,321) | $13.99 |
| 7 | American Truck Simulator | Players who need accessibility options that actually exist | 8.2 | 97% (195,613) | $19.99 |
| 8 | Crab Game | Trying the genre without spending anything | 8.2 | 91% (151,093) | Free |
| 9 | Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 | Sinking a long time into one world | 8.2 | 96% (38,510) | $24.99 |
| 10 | SpeedRunners | Two people on one screen | 8.2 | 94% (37,163) | $14.99 |
| 11 | Mafia II (Classic) | Players who trust other players over critics | 8.1 | 94% (58,640) | $29.99 |
| 12 | F1 2020 | Playing with other people | 8.1 | 94% (39,931) | Not listed |
25 best racing games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceEuro Truck Simulator 2 at a glance Released 2012 Studio SCS Software Player sentiment 97% positive of 940,049 Critics 79/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 9 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 940,049 reviews, then blends with the 79 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 940,049 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 9 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 97 against 79. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 2
Forza Horizon 4
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.4GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceForza Horizon 4 at a glance Released 2021 Studio Playground Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 303,167 Critics No aggregate Price Not listed Steam Deck playable Install size 80 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 91% shrinks to 91.0 on 303,167 reviews, giving 8.4. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 91% positive across 303,167 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- 3
My Summer Car
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.4GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceMy Summer Car at a glance Released 2025 Studio Amistech Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 117,158 Critics No aggregate Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 1 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 117,158 reviews, giving 8.4. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 117,158 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Small install at 1 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 4
CarX Drift Racing Online
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.4GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceCarX Drift Racing Online at a glance Released 2017 Studio CarX Technologies, LLC Player sentiment 95% positive of 89,251 Critics No aggregate Price $16.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 8 GB Accessibility 8 declared features Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 89,251 reviews, giving 8.4. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 8 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- 5
BeamNG.drive
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceBeamNG.drive at a glance Released 2013 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 97% positive of 416,293 Critics No aggregate Price $24.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 60 GB Accessibility 7 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 416,293 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 416,293 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Declares 7 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
- 6
Brick Rigs
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceBrick Rigs at a glance Released 2023 Studio Fluppisoft GmbH Player sentiment 95% positive of 59,321 Critics No aggregate Price $13.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 4 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 59,321 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 4 GB.
- 7
American Truck Simulator
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceAmerican Truck Simulator at a glance Released 2016 Studio SCS Software Player sentiment 97% positive of 195,613 Critics 76/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 25 GB Accessibility 9 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 195,613 reviews, then blends with the 76 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 195,613 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 9 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 97 against 76. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
Crab Game at a glance Released 2021 Studio Dani Player sentiment 91% positive of 151,093 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 0.2 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 91% shrinks to 91.0 on 151,093 reviews, giving 8.2. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 91% positive across 151,093 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
- Small install at 0.2 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 9
Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
Best for: Sinking a long time into one world
8.2GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceCar Mechanic Simulator 2021 at a glance Released 2021 Studio Red Dot Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 38,510 Critics No aggregate Price $24.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 35 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 38,510 reviews, giving 8.2. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
SpeedRunners at a glance Released 2016 Studio DoubleDutch Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 37,163 Critics 84/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 0.78 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 37,163 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- Small install at 0.78 GB.
- 11
Mafia II (Classic)
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia II (Classic) at a glance Released 2011 Studio 2K Czech Player sentiment 94% positive of 58,640 Critics 77/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 8 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 58,640 reviews, then blends with the 77 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
What the data supports- Small install at 8 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 94 against 77. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
F1 2020 at a glance Released 2020 Studio Codemasters Player sentiment 94% positive of 39,931 Critics No aggregate Price Not listed Steam Deck verified Install size 80 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 39,931 reviews, giving 8.1. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
MX Bikes at a glance Released 2019 Studio PiBoSo Player sentiment 94% positive of 37,017 Critics No aggregate Price $34.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 37,017 reviews, giving 8.1. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 2 GB.
- 14
AudioSurf
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceAudioSurf at a glance Released 2008 Studio Dylan Fitterer Player sentiment 96% positive of 11,100 Critics 85/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.6 on 11,100 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
- 15
Grand Theft Auto V
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceGrand Theft Auto V at a glance Released 2013 Studio Rockstar Toronto Player sentiment 83% positive of 218,663 Critics No aggregate Price $19.79 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 105 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 83% shrinks to 83.0 on 218,663 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 16
Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceGrand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition at a glance Released Not recorded Studio Rockstar North Player sentiment 83% positive of 202,491 Critics 90/100 Price Not listed Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 83% shrinks to 83.0 on 202,491 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 17
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceGrand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio Rockstar North Player sentiment 83% positive of 202,430 Critics 90/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 83% shrinks to 83.0 on 202,430 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 18
Farming Simulator 19
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceFarming Simulator 19 at a glance Released 2018 Studio GIANTS Software Player sentiment 94% positive of 76,267 Critics 73/100 Price $17.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 76,267 reviews, then blends with the 73 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 94 against 73. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 19
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Best for: Sinking a long time into one world
8.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceCar Mechanic Simulator 2018 at a glance Released 2017 Studio Red Dot Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 56,552 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 91% shrinks to 90.9 on 56,552 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
- 20
Assetto Corsa Competizione
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceAssetto Corsa Competizione at a glance Released 2019 Studio Kunos Simulazioni Player sentiment 93% positive of 48,018 Critics 77/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 50 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 93% shrinks to 92.9 on 48,018 reviews, then blends with the 77 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 93 against 77. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 21
MudRunner
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceMudRunner at a glance Released 2017 Studio Saber Interactive Player sentiment 92% positive of 44,003 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 1 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 92% shrinks to 91.9 on 44,003 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- Small install at 1 GB.
Trailmakers at a glance Released 2019 Studio Flashbulb Player sentiment 92% positive of 38,871 Critics No aggregate Price $24.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 8 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 92% shrinks to 91.9 on 38,871 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 8 GB.
- 23
Mafia
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia at a glance Released 2002 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 88% positive of 16,301 Critics 88/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 3 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 88% shrinks to 87.9 on 16,301 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Small install at 3 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 24
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
7.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio Hangar 13 Player sentiment 87% positive of 110,615 Critics 78/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 50 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 87% shrinks to 87.0 on 110,615 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
SnowRunner at a glance Released 2021 Studio Saber Interactive Player sentiment 90% positive of 55,755 Critics No aggregate Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 50 GB Accessibility 7 declared features Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 55,755 reviews, giving 7.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 7 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 racing games, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 16 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is American Truck Simulator, where players sit above critics by 21 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $19.99, and the cheapest paid entry is AudioSurf at $9.99. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
8 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
5 declare six or more accessibility features, and 2 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 racing games are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
The best racing games for a specific need
The ranking answers "which is best overall", which is rarely the actual question. These are the answers to the narrower ones, computed from the same scores, so a single pick is named for each.
- What is the best cheap racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 14.
- What is the best co-op racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 11.
- What is the best racing game for the Steam Deck?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 8.
- What is the best racing game for a small hard drive?
- My Summer Car, top of 12.
- What is the best accessible racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 5.
- What is the best racing game to play with a controller?
- Forza Horizon 4, top of 9.
- What is the best offline racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 15.
- What is the best racing game with the most reviews?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 16.
- What is the best cheap co-op racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 8.
- What is the best single-player offline racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 15.
- What is the best cheap racing game for the Steam Deck?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 5.
- What is the best Steam Deck co-op racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 5.
- What is the best highly rated cheap racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 10.
- What is the best accessible single-player racing game?
- Euro Truck Simulator 2, top of 5.
Why trust this list
Most "best games" lists are either one person's taste presented as fact, or an affiliate feed with the highest commission at the top. This is neither. It is a ranking of 109 racing games computed from two third-party signals we did not generate, using a formula printed below.
Our team has played and reviewed games for over twenty years, somewhere around 3,000 titles across every generation since the PS1. A good number of the racing games on this page are among them, and that experience is what lets us tell you which of these numbers are worth trusting.
It is not, however, what set the order. The formula did, and we think that is the right way round: a list ordered by one person's memory is a list you have to take on trust, and this one you can check line by line.
The order comes out of the grid. Every game in the catalogue is placed on eighteen measured axes, each one a number read from a named source rather than an opinion: player sentiment and its sample size, the critic aggregate, review volume, Wikipedia language editions, price, install size, Steam Deck rating, accessibility features. A ranked list is that grid collapsed to one dimension. The map at the top of this page plots these same 25 games on two of those axes, so you can see the position the ranking gave each one and check it against where the game actually sits. If the list and the map ever disagreed, the list would be wrong, and they read the same numbers so they cannot.
None of the entries on this page carry a full written review from us yet. The score reflects how other people received the game. Where we do publish a review, it is marked and linked.
Update history 1
- First published with 18 entries ranked.
How we chose these
This ranking is a projection of the same axes the grid plots, not a second scoring system sitting alongside it. The grid answers where a game sits on two chosen measures; a ranked list needs one number, so the axes are collapsed using published weights. A game cannot be high on the grid and low here for a reason nobody can point at, because both read the same values.
Every ranked game gets a GamingPickz Score out of 10. It is a weighted blend of the axes below, and these percentages are read directly from the code that computes the ranking rather than written out separately, so the published formula cannot drift from the applied one.
| Component | Weight | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 52% | The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000. |
| Critics | 23% | Metacritic and OpenCritic aggregate, normalised to 0 to 100. |
| Popularity | 20% | A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it. |
| Reader likes | 5% | How many GamingPickz readers tapped the heart on the game, log-scaled to 0 to 100. This is the only signal here that comes from our own readers rather than a third party, so it carries a deliberately small weight and is a snapshot taken at the last build, not a live figure. A per-browser flag stops the same person liking twice; it is a popularity reaction, not a verified poll. |
Shrinkage is the part that matters most. Without it a game with nine reviews at 100 percent outranks Half-Life 2 with 278,000 at 98. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 84 using a 400-review prior, in proportion to how thin the evidence is.
Popularity is deliberately a minority weight. At 20 percent it nudges well-known games up without letting fame decide the order. Weight it higher and the list becomes "games you have already heard of", which nobody needs a ranking for. Weight it at zero and a game almost nobody played can top the list on the strength of a few hundred enthusiastic reviews. Neither is useful, so it sits in between. How popularity is measured.
Where a game has no critic aggregate, that 35 percent is redistributed onto player sentiment rather than counted as zero, and the entry says so.
Games with fewer than 50 reviews are excluded outright. Shrinkage is symmetric, so a game sitting at 0 percent on one review would otherwise be pulled up near the average, which flatters something nobody has actually assessed.
What we deliberately do not do. No paid placement, no sponsored slots dressed as editorial, no hidden weighting. If sponsorship is ever introduced it will be labelled and will sit outside the ranking. The formula above is the whole formula.
Racing games by the numbers
The figures below describe all 109 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 18 October 2026, from 5,823,689 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
80 of the 109 carry a listed US price, with a median of $19.99 and a mean of $22.46. The mean sitting above the median tells you the field is pulled up by a few expensive outliers. The cheapest is Drift Streets Japan at $0.49, the most expensive Need for Speed Heat at $69.99. 13 are free to download. 14 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 46 points across these 109 entries. That is a wide band, which means the position of an entry here genuinely matters rather than splitting hairs. 48 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 77 out of 100. Players rate this field 9 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are Criterion Games (6), Codemasters (4), EA Gothenburg (3), GIANTS Software (3) and Red Dot Games (3). The genres these entries also sit in are racing (109), open-world (73), simulation (61), sports (38), sandbox (35) and strategy (14), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 24 of these. 12 are gaining attention and 7 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
The other 188 racing games
The 25 above are the top of the ranking. These 188 are the rest of the category: games that ranked below the cut, and games with too few reviews or no store listing to be ranked at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives.
Also catalogued
188 more racing games, not yet reviewedNone of these carry a review yet. The rest are catalogue records: title, year, studio and platforms, sourced from Wikidata. They are not indexed by search engines, because a record is not a review.
- Need for Speed: Most Wantedsource
- Need for Speed: Carbonsource
- Mario Kart Wiisource
- Mario Kart 8source
- Need for Speed: Undergroundsource
- Need for Speed: Underground 2source
- Mario Kart 64source
- Mario Kart DSsource
- Need for Speed: ProStreetsource
- Super Mario Kartsource
- Need for Speed: The Runsource
- Gran Turismo 4source
- Mario Kart 7source
- Need for Speed: Undercoversource
- Need for Speed: Shiftsource
- Mario Kart: Double Dashsource
- The Need for Speedsource
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2source
- Crash Team Racingsource
- Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashedsource
- Need for Speed Paybacksource
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuitsource
- Need for Speed: Most Wantedsource
- Tux Racersource
- Need for Speed Heatsource
Common questions
What is the best racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 8.8 out of 10 drawn from 940,049 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 79. That is a statement about how it was received, not a claim that it is the one you personally will enjoy most.
How is this ranking calculated?
The GamingPickz Score is 52% player sentiment adjusted for sample size, 23% the critic aggregate published on the game store page, 20% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions, 5% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 83.7% using a 400-review prior, so a game with a handful of reviews cannot outrank one with hundreds of thousands. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How many racing games are ranked here?
109 of them qualify. A game needs at least 50 player reviews to be scored, which excludes titles with too little evidence to place fairly.
Why is a game I love missing?
Three likely reasons. It has fewer than 50 player reviews, so it is excluded rather than ranked on noise. It has no Steam listing at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives. Or it is not in the catalogue yet.
Do you get paid for these placements?
No. Positions are computed from the formula above and nothing else. The site carries advertising, and advertisers can neither see nor influence this page. A position is not an endorsement, it is a measurement of reception.
How current is this?
Recomputed on every build from source data read on a stated date. This page was last rebuilt on 18 October 2026. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than those at the top or bottom.
What is the best cheap racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best cheap racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 14 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best co-op racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best co-op racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 11 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best racing game for the Steam Deck?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best racing game for the Steam Deck, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 8 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best racing game for a small hard drive?
My Summer Car is the best racing game for a small hard drive, ranking 8.4 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 12 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best accessible racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best accessible racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 5 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best racing game to play with a controller?
Forza Horizon 4 is the best racing game to play with a controller, ranking 8.4 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 9 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best offline racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best offline racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 15 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best racing game with the most reviews?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best racing game with the most reviews, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 16 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best cheap co-op racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best cheap co-op racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 8 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best single-player offline racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best single-player offline racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 15 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best cheap racing game for the Steam Deck?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best cheap racing game for the Steam Deck, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 5 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best Steam Deck co-op racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best Steam Deck co-op racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 5 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best highly rated cheap racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best highly rated cheap racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 10 of the 25 racing games qualify.
What is the best accessible single-player racing game?
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the best accessible single-player racing game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 5 of the 25 racing games qualify.
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