“The new big-budget consoles – Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 – both hit the market in the run-up to Christmas, so it’s a great time to be a driving gamer,” says Andrew Evans at gaming blog GTPlanet.net. The big news for us, though, is Gran Turismo 6, which Sony is releasing on the older PS3 so gamers won’t need an expensive new console to enjoy it.
“The simulator games have gone down the path of refining car behaviour and graphics, laser-scanning in incredible detail and partnering with race teams and suspension manufacturers to hone vehicle physics. Arcade games make everything louder and more frantic - that’s good, too!”
F1 2013 Classic Edition – £49.99
As well as the latest cars and drivers, F1 2013 Classic Edition features legends of the Eighties and Nineties. Not only can players compete for the world championship as Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, then, they can also race as Nigel Mansell in a Williams. The most complete F1 simulator ever.
Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Forza Motorsport 5 – £49.99
Exclusive to Xbox One, Forza Motorsport 5 is arguably the best-looking racing game of all time. With a vast range of the latest sports and competition cars, and many beautifully recreated circuits including the Top Gear test track, the latest Forza offering lifts Xbox racing simulators to a new high.
Platforms – Xbox One
Need for Speed Rivals – £49.99
The latest in a long line of Need for Speed arcade-style racing games, Rivals pits the player against the police in many of latest and most exciting performance cars. The pursuits, which take place in fictional Redview County on more than 100 miles of open road, are sure to get the adrenaline pumping.
Platforms – Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PC
Gran Turismo 6 – £44.99
The latest instalment of the Gran Turismo simulator franchise is due to launch early next month, but is available to pre-order now. It features 1,200 cars from icons of the past to the latest supercars. As Gran Turismo celebrates its 15th anniversary, GT6 looks set to be one of the most detailed racing simulators ever.
Platforms – PlayStation 3
WRC 4 – £34.99
The official game of the FIA World Rally Championship naturally features all of the teams, cars and stars of the 2013 season. WRC 4 captures the excitement and chaos of rallying as it moves away from the accessible, arcade-style physics of previous WRC games to a more lifelike, simulator feel.
Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Dirt 3 – £21.99
Although it’s now a couple of years old Dirt 3 remains one of the most comprehensive off-road arcade racing games of all time. With several modes, including obstacle-dodging gymkhana, Dirt 3 has all bases covered, but hardcore rallying fans might find the core rally content to be a little light on the ground.
Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Grid 2 – £18.00
Occupying a space between arcade and simulator, Grid 2 is both absorbing for experienced gamers and accessible for the more casual. With a range of city and open road circuits, as well as several real tracks, the aim of the game is to beat the best drivers in races around the world to build your reputation.
Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
F1 Race Stars – £13.99
Targeting the younger gamer, F1 Race Stars is an officially licensed product that reimagines Formula One’s star drivers as cartoon characters. The world’s most famous circuits, including Monza and Spa-Francorchamps, are transformed with jumps, loop-the-loops and shortcuts while the career mode will keep budding young Lewis Hamiltons entertained.
Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii
Need for Speed Most Wanted – £13.99
Having been launched last year Most Wanted is no longer the latest game in the Need for Speed franchise, but it remains an exciting arcade racer. There are three gaming modes – sprint racing, circuit racing and time trials – which take place on the open road where the police are always in hot pursuit.
Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Real Racing 3 – free
Real Racing 3, free in the App Store, sets a new standard for mobile racing games. With a range of real circuits and 50 faithfully recreated supercars from the likes of Porsche and Ferrari it’ll keep you occupied on the train ride to work, while the physics are impressively realistic for a mobile-based game.
Platforms – iOS, Android
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