Most Popular Car Games of All Time

Gran Turismo 4

GT4 was the best-selling game in 2005 and was praised for its surreal driving dynamics that included realistic elements like exhaust sounds, track maps, and a very well-thought-out campaign mode. Many fans and critics regard the GT4 to be the best in the series and Top Gear Presenter Jeremy Clarkson even went ahead and drove an actual NSX in real life and an NSX-R in the game to compare the lap times.

The series is incredibly popular among fans due to dynamic weather elements, actual crash damage, and a vast selection of licensed race cars. Based on the release cycles expect the 8th Installment of the Gran Turismo to land somewhere in 2025-2026

Asseto Corsa

If GT4 is good at simulation, Asseto Corsa has mastered it. The players appreciate the strictly profession racing vibes of Asseto Corsa and its extremely realistic physics engine. The game has a steep learning curve which fends off casual racers but that is the reason why it's so popular in the sim racing community.

The studio behind the game, Kunos Simulazioni, has got some real experience with race cars as they also built Ferrari Virtual Academy, another great sim racing game. Asseto Corsa also has a precise layout of some of the most popular circuits like Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Nürburgring Nordschleife, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, and Silverstone Circuit. 

A new installment titled Asseto Corsa EVO will drop soon, with much more improved graphics and physics.

Forza Horizon 5

The Forza may not be as unforgiving as the above two titles on the list but is 10x more fun for novice racers. Currently on its fifth title the Horizon series is due for a major update which may arrive sometime in 2025. The game features countless cars and some of the most stunning landscapes in the industry. 

Its multiplayer mode is pretty popular as the Forza Horizon 5 hit 18 million in just 3 months after its launch. The FH5 was set in Mexico and had immense customization opportunities that included, custom body kits and engine swaps.

Recently, an update also added sign language for disabled players, proving FH is more than just a game. 

Need For Speed Most Wanted 

Blue on Silver M3 GTR, super Intense cop chases, cheesy but memorable characters, and a solid story, the Most Wanted ticked all the boxes and became the best seller of its era. Throw in an iconic OST that still garners millions of views every year and you have got an absolute legend of a video game that begs for a remaster. 

One thing that makes Most Wanted stand out amongst NFS’ countless other iterations is its replayability even after you finish the campaign. Its popularity led to a movie of the same name and there are rumors about a possible new entry in 2025. 

Asphalt 8

With over 1 billion downloads across platforms, Asphalt has cemented itself as one of the most popular mobile games ever made. Its small footprint, stunning visuals, and easy learning curve made it a hit from Asphalt 8 onwards. 

There are plenty of cars from makers like Ferrari, SSC, Koenigsegg, and Mosler that can be tuned to reach unimaginable speeds. 

I had a Tuatara and after modding the hell out of it reached 489 kmph! The game wasn't fair sometimes tho. Look at the screenshot above I took years ago.

Another big USP of the Asphalt series is its incredible tracks which range from exotic places like Patagonia to Dubai. 

Dirt Rally 

Developed by Codemasters, Dirt Rally stands out due to its beautiful Nordic rally tracks and features some of the most Iconic rally cars from manufacturers like Lancia, Audi, and Porsche.

The game is known for its implementation of real-world problems a rally driver usually faces like flat tires and overheating engines. 

 "at times, Dirt Rally excels. The sound design in particular is excellent, as is the wide variety of cars on offer. The audio in Dirt Rally really does deserve special mention. Not only is it some of the best we’ve heard in a racing game, but it also serves a real purpose, with the co-driver almost perfectly matching his pace notes up with a stage"- EVO

F1

First published in 2000, F1 is one of the most sought-after titles when it comes to AAA gaming. It has been published every year since 2000 and incorporates elements from actual F1 races like, DRS, Pit Stop, Team Radio, Strategy, etc. Recently, EA began publishing it every year with the latest one being called F1 24, which received mixed reviews. 

Mario Kart

180 million +, yep that is how many Mario Kart copies have been sold since its inception. Mario Kart features plenty of characters from Nintendo's other gaming franchises and has held Guinness World Records for the longest-running game franchise and as one of the oldest racing games in existence. 

The Mario Kart is based around Go-Kart racing and features up to 12 characters that race together using slipstreaming, and turbos and can hinder each other using banana peels.

Wreckfest 

By far one of the most impressive Demolition Derby games ever made. The game is perfect for releasing some of those pent-up emotions thanks to its insanely good wreckage dynamics due to “soft-body damage modeling”. The game took over 5 years to make and features a couple of modes like Banger Racing and the iconic Demolition Derby.

Despite its rather deceiving name, Wreckfest is not just a mindless “smash-everything-in-your-path” type of game. It does require some defensive and offensive strategy for you to survive. 

Funnily enough, the game almost didn’t happen because of a failed Kickstarter campaign. 

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