From the classic arcade environments of the 1980s to the robust realistic experiences offered by today’s high-tech consoles, racing games have enjoyed great popularity among video game enthusiasts throughout the years. If you’ve been searching for your next racing fix, look no further than these brand-new offerings set to appear on the scene in 2016.
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex
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Distributed by Microsoft Studios, this pared-down free version of the sixth game in the Forza Motorsport series hit Windows 10 on May 6. Featuring 60 cars and 20 tracks, the Apex release is significantly smaller than its counterpart on Xbox One, but it still has a great deal to offer to racing enthusiasts. Experience crisp graphics that include realistic weather conditions, multiple racing modes, and the chance to build skills as you race the latest and greatest vehicles.
Next Car Game: Wreckfest
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Bugbear Entertainment last updated racing fans on its development of Wreckfest in June of 2015, and the release date has since been pushed out to 2017. When the game appears on Windows platforms, it will feature “soft-body damage modeling,” a unique characteristic of gameplay in which any damage that occurs affects how your vehicle handles. Wreckfest gives players a chance to participate in track races and demolition derbies where aggressive driving techniques, not racing expertise, is what propels you to victory.
Gran Turismo Sport
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The thirteenth game in the Gran Turismo series will be released specifically for PlayStation 4 sometime during 2016. A standalone game developed and released by Polyphony Digital and Sony Interactive Entertainment, the Sport edition includes Campaign, Sports and Arcade modes with both online and offline gameplay options. Grow your racing career over time as you enjoy improved graphics and a more realistic racing experience that make this game immersive, attractive and fun.
Drift Stage
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The gameplay of Drift Stage echoes the environments of old-school arcade games like Outrun and Daytona USA. Drift Stage is set to be released by Super Systems Softworks on May 24th, the game features a combination of pixel art and 3D modeling to put a modern twist on the classic racing style. Players will be able to access the game on Steam or experience its multiple racing modes on any PC operating system. Participate in regular races, run time trials, become a champion in Career mode, or simply race on for as long as you can in a checkpoint-style competition. The ability to customize both cars and tracks and to participate in multiplayer races enhances the gaming experience.
Project CARS 2
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This sequel to Projects Cars by Slightly Mad Studios is still in the funding stages. From the sound of its features, it will be well worth the wait for its tentative 2017 release date. Developed for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Project Cars 2 includes over 200 tracks with different terrain and weather conditions and a similar number of cars to choose from. Select your career track and pick your favorite motorsport to get started. Participate in “Online Track Days” with other racing aficionados for even more racing fun.
Valentino Rossi: The Game
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On June 17, you can experience Valentino Rossi’s career like never before. With realistic riding and driving conditions through races and rallies, Valentino Rossi: The Game showcases the best that Grand Prix racing has to offer. Milestone, the Italian company behind the game, is billing it as a follow-up to their MotoGP series. In addition to highlights from Rossi’s career, players on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are treated to their choice of the best in motorcycles, racers, teams and tracks from the 2016 season.
Speed Elixir
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Electro Phantom Games is set to give players the unique experience of “open world” racing starting in December 2016. Designed for those who like fast driving, Speed Elixir features over 15 different game modes and a completely open racing environment with different terrain types and textures. Gameplay is based on the Need for Speed series and resembles an arcade racing environment. Try out time trials, “hot pursuits” and more with the option to seamlessly switch between single and multiplayer modes for an uninterrupted gaming experience.
Power Drive 2000
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If you’re a fan of the futuristic worlds portrayed in 1980s Sci-Fi epics, Power Drive 2000 is for you. Set for release on PC and PlayStation 4 platforms on May 31, this “far out” experience from Megacom Games includes six different modes for you to experiment with. Try Race, Outrun, Gauntlet and more as you listen to a Synthwave soundtrack. Share the experience with other gamers through the online multiplayer mode, and keep an ear out for the voice of your car. You never know what it might say.
Assetto Corsa
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In collaboration with Kunos Simulazioni, 505 Games released the first Assetto Corsa game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Europe in April 2016. As a player, you have your pick of over 100 of the best racing cars in the world to try out on more than 20 different track configurations. Customize your car with a precise tune-up to make it race just the way you want it to, and choose personalized driver attributes for the perfect gaming experience.
Formula Fusion
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Billed as an “anti-gravity” racing game, this 2016 release puts you behind the wheel of a futuristic flying vehicle that you can upgrade and customize to improve performance. Race against the AI on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, or jump into multiplayer mode to experience space-age environments that zip by at top speeds.
These ten games are just a few of the highlights in the wide range of exciting racing experiences coming to PC and consoles throughout 2016. Whether you prefer simulations of driving some of the world’s best cars on real tracks or want to experience the future of racing with a sci-fi twist, you’ll find something that grabs your interest.
Which of these games appeals to you most? Is there one in particular that you’re just itching to play?