XBOX 360 Racing Video Games
Racing games. Category of games about racing with rivals using various vehicles. Player’s purpose is to be first on the finish line or to achieve the best lap time possible. There are titles with land, water and air vehicles which are controlled in an arcade or simulating manner. more
Forza Horizon (X360)
Racing 23 October 2012
A spin-off to the popular series of car simulation games Forza Motorsport. The title was developed by Playground Games in cooperation with the development teams from Turn 10 Studios and Microsoft Game Studios. The game takes place on the roads of Colorado State during the titular music festival. In contrast to the main installments of the series, the spin-off gives the player much greater freedom when it comes to the exploration of the world and selecting challenges to complete. During the game it is not only important to reach the finish line before the rivals, but to drive impressively as well. The player can select from around 300 models of vehicles of various classes (from sports cars through pick-ups to roadsters) that can be additionally tuned.
Forza Horizon 2 (X360)
Racing 30 September 2014
A sequel to the bestselling racing game that was a spin-off to the flagship series of racing games developed for Xbox consoles. The title was developed by the creators of the previous entry: Playground Games (Xbox One version) and by Sumo Digital (Xbox 360 version). The new installment takes place in Southern Europe where another Horizon festival takes place. The festival is filled with good music and variety of racing challenges. Similarly as its predecessor, the title offers a large, open world where hundreds of licensed cars await the player. Similarly as the first entry in the spin-off series, the game offers a driving model that is slightly simplified in comparison to Forza Motorsport – it focuses mostly on making the races impressively looking. For the first time in the series the developers implemented a dynamically changing weather system which adds some realism to the races. The developers also added the Drivatars system known from Forza Motorsport 5, enabling the virtual drivers to gain experience even if they don’t participate in the game.
Forza Motorsport 4 (X360)
Racing 11 October 2011
Another installment of the popular racing simulation game series launched in 2005 and developed by Turn 10 Studios in cooperation with Microsoft. Forza Motorsport 4 introduces numerous novelties in terms of gameplay mechanics as well as technical aspects. The game features over 500 faithfully recreated cars that we can drive on 26 varied speedways at different times of the day for the first time in the history of the series. The career mode was enriched with the so-called World Tour which is a series of tournaments that takes place all around the world. The tuning and the social options (e.g. forming clubs) known from the title’s predecessor were also expanded. One of the primary novelties is the Autovista module, which utilizes the capabilities of Kinect—it allows us to examine the body as well as the interior and compartments of the selected car’s engine. The aforementioned features are complemented by a new version of the matchmaking system that searches for competitors online.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) (X360)
Racing 22 November 2005
The ninth installment in a legendary racing game franchise created by Electronic Arts company. After two Underground games, featuring illegal night street races, the franchise went back to its roots, combining ideas from the two most recent titles with classic elements. The player’s goal is to climb to the top of a black list of the most wanted drivers. Again you get to explore a huge virtual city, taking on different racing challenges. These include circuit, sprint, drag, elimination, time trial, speed challenge, and police pursuit. After completing enough of these you can challenge subsequent drivers from the black list. Apart from elements typical for the series, such as licensed cars and diverse soundtrack, the game features complex car customization, both in terms of appearance and performance.
The Crew (X360)
Racing 02 December 2014
A sandbox racing game developed by Ivory Tower Studios in cooperation with Ubisoft Reflections. The Crew was tailored for the fans of spectacular racing video games. The players become drivers racing across the American roads and cities. There are over 100 car models, whose appearance and performance can be modified as you see fit. The Crew offers several play modes – both single and multiplayer. The world’s open structure (an area covering over 5 thousand square miles) encourages you to explore, take up new challenges, and undertake hundreds of missions. It is also noteworthy that the game includes expanded social features.
Forza Motorsport 3 (X360)
Racing 23 October 2009
The third installment of the popular racing games series exclusive to Microsoft platforms. In Forza Motorsport 3, the team at Turn 10 Studios decided to use tried solutions and introduce a myriad of enhancements and fixes. The game is focused on simulation, although beginners can enable a number of facilities. The fans of motoring can drive over 400 licensed vehicles from twenty manufacturers, including those from Forza Motorsport 2 as well as completely new ones. The most important novelties introduced in the game are, first and foremost, expanded tuning possibilities, enhanced artificial intelligence, a new camera mode set inside the car, improved editor, and rich social options. The title is powered by a new graphics engine which translates into slightly better visuals.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (X360)
Racing 30 October 2012
A new installment in the legendary racing series. As the title suggests, the game refers to one of the most well-received parts of the series - the original 2005's Need for Speed: Most Wanted. The game was developed by Criterion Games, a company well-know for the Burnout series. The remake resembles the original game when it comes to dynamic police chases and the so-called Blacklist, where the player challenges other most wanted drivers for races and climbs up their ranks. This time the developer put emphasis on the game's open-world environment, and the opportunity to explore it freely. The player can freely roam the streets of Fairhaven and switch between the vehicles they previously managed to acquire. Participation in subsequent races unlocks upgrades and modifications for each car. In doing so, the player earns prestige points as well, which allows them to challenge subsequent Blacklist drivers. What is typical of the series, the game offers an arcade driving system that features spectacular collisions.
Need for Speed Rivals (X360)
Racing 19 November 2013
An arcade racing game belonging to the long-standing and very popular Need for Speed series. The title was developed by Swedish-British studio Ghost Games (former EA Gothenburg), aided by ex-employees of Criterion Games. Players can become either drivers taking part in illegal street races or police force trying to apprehend them. As you progress in the game you unlock new cars and useful technologies. The in-built All Drive system allows for seamless coexistence of single and multiplayer modes. On the technical side, Need for Speed Rivals is powered by the advanced Frostbite 3 engine, also used in e.g. Battlefield 4.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 (X360)
Racing 08 February 2011
A sequel to the bestselling Test Drive Unlimited - a game that managed to reinvigorate the classic racing series launched by the Accolade company in 1987. The game is set in two locations, namely the islands of Ibiza (Spain) and Oahu (Hawaii) - the latter appeared in the first Test Drive Unlimited where it is accessible later in the game. The player can freely explore both islands, taking on subsequent racing challenges. Alongside the game's progression, the player purchases new luxurious cars, but also villas and other properties. The game introduces several changes to the mechanics. Instead of individual races, the player takes part in racing tournaments. Also, the player obtains special licenses, which unlock subsequent challenges. Although the single-player mode was supplemented with a storyline, the game focuses mainly on multiplayer competition. Thanks to the improved game engine, the player can drive in daylight or at night. Dynamic weather conditions were implemented as well.
DiRT 3 (X360)
Racing 24 May 2011
The third full-fledged installment belonging to the incredibly popular racing-themed franchise developed by Codemasters. The DiRT subseries has cultivated traditions initiated in the late 1990s by the Colin McRae Rally series. After the previous game, which emphasized off-road competition, DiRT 3 constitutes a return to the original concept behind the main Colin McRae series, bringing back rally competition in its most classic form (the game uses the official WRC licenses). However, this third iteration still introduces a massive number of novelties, such as stunt arenas from the X-Games competitions, or a completely new type of contest, that is the so-called Gymkhana - it was popularized by one of the most famous drivers in the world, Ken Block. Gymkhana is all about being fast and showing off at the same time - a designated route has to be completed as quickly as possible, but the player is rewarded with points for performing various stunts along the way. As usual, a wide set of licensed cars is at the player's disposal here, many of them originating in different time periods. Also, DiRT 3 features buggies and pickups - those are typically used in off-road competitions.
GRID 2 (X360)
Racing 28 May 2013
The second installment of a racing game series which continues the TOCA Race Driver franchise. It was developed by Codemasters Software, a British studio that specializes in the genre (and previously created the Colin Mc Rae Rally and F1 franchises, among others). The players assume the role of drivers participating in races on streets and speedways. The title lets us sit behind the wheel of many luxurious cars, such as Ford Mustang Mach-1, Chevrolet Camaro SS, or Koenigsegg Agrea R. The TrueFeel system provides realistic and exciting driving experience. The developers also introduced a realistic damage model and an extensive multiplayer mode that allows us to race against living opponents. GRID 2 is powered by the modern EGO 3.0 engine.
Race Driver: GRID (X360)
Racing 30 May 2008
A racing game which is a direct continuation to the TOCA Touring Cars and TOCA Race Driver series developed by Codemasters. Contrary to the studio's other flagship franchise, DiRT, this game is focused on street and speedway races in which we sit behind the wheel of the most popular cars of the world, all of them licensed. The fun takes place in three different locations that offer us slightly different kinds of competition. With progress, we unlock new tournaments and vehicles. In the United States, we mostly race on the asphalt streets of American metropolises. In Europe, we compete primarily on speedways in such places as Donington, Silverstone, or Nurburgring. In Japan, drift is the most popular kind of races, taking place in cities and winding mountain roads. One of the title’s highlight is the realistic driving model. The game also features the DiRT series' replay system which allows us to rewind and retry a failed fragment of a race.
Need for Speed ProStreet (X360)
Racing 13 November 2007
The 11th installment in the popular racing game series developed by Electronic Arts. In contrast to the previous parts of the game, this title completely abandons the idea of illegal races and transfers the action to professional racing circuits. Players take part in a number of challenges divided into four race variations: Drag, Grip, Drift, and Speed Challenge, in the latter the driver who reaches top speed wins. Successive victories unlock new challenges and cars. The game offers 26 licensed car models that can be customized with the Autosculpt system. The authors emphasize the recreation of crashes and the realistic damage model that influences the car’s performance. Fans of realism were given the option of turning off all the driving assistance, like power steering and ABS, which makes driving much more simulator-like.
DiRT (X360)
Racing 15 June 2007
A continuation of the popular racing game series labeled with the name of Colin McRae, a famous racing driver. Contrary to the previous installments of the series that were devoted to classic car racing, this time around, the developers at Codemasters decided to turn their eye to a completely different direction and focus on off-road racing, which was an equally important episode in the career of the legendary Scotsman. Colin McRae DiRT features an extensive career mode in which we can participate in a number of various challenges, starting with off-road special sections to rallycross tournaments and mountain races on the popular Pikes Peak track in Colorado. Depending on the race, we have different types of licensed cars at our disposal. As we drive, the vehicles can be damaged in various ways and are gradually covered with the eponymous dirt. The title also features a multiplayer mode that lets us compete against other players over the Internet.
Forza Motorsport 2 (X360)
Racing 29 May 2007
The sequel to the critically acclaimed racing game released by Turn 10 for Xbox in 2005. Similarly to its predecessor, Forza Motorsport 2 puts a great emphasis on simulation aspects and rich car customization options. This time around, the players are given over 300 licenses and faithfully recreated vehicles at their disposal. They can also be damaged, both visually and mechanically. The game also offers lots of tuning options, such as the possibility of replacing the engine, installing a turbo, changing breaks configuration, etc. As far as tracks are concerned, the developers designed about 60 locations in 18 different environments. The title offers completely fictional speedways as well as those based on actual places (e.g. Laguna Seca or Silverstone). Thanks to significantly higher technical capabilities of Xbox 360, the graphics were greatly improved and adapted to the HDTV standards.
Need for Speed Carbon (X360)
Racing 01 November 2006
The tenth installment in the bestselling racing game series originally launched back in 1995. The game lets you play as the main protagonist of the previous game. He returns to his home city only to find his domestic street racing scene taken over by rivaling gangs. As you take on new racing challenges, you take back your home town one district at a time. The game’s mechanics employ the well-proven solutions introduced by its predecessors, while introducing several new elements at the same time. Those include, first and foremost, canyon duels, which require much attention, as it is possible to run through the traffic barriers and roll down the slope. The other novelty is the team; you can assemble your own crew, and its members can aid you during races, e.g. by blocking your rivals. Additionally, the game features cut-scenes with real actors, several dozen licensed car models, as well as vast car customization options. Regarding the latter, Autosculpt module lets you modify almost any element of the car body.
Test Drive Unlimited (X360)
Racing 05 September 2006
A new incarnation of the popular racing game series launched back in 1987 by Distinctive Software and Accolade. Test Drive Unlimited was developed by Eden Games, the creators of the V-Rally franchise, under the aegis of Atari. The main change in relation to its predecessors is the vast open world set on the faithfully recreated Oahu island, which can be freely explored. The players can undertake a number of various racing challenges to earn cash that lets them buy new vehicles for their garage. In total, there are over 90 licensed cars and motorcycles to choose from. In the game, we can modify our avatar by dressing him in designer clothes and even buy a new house with a bigger garage. The title features an innovatory multiplayer mode that, similarly to MMO productions, enables thousands of players to compete at the same time.
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (X360)
Racing 16 November 2010
Another installment in one of the most popular racing game series, developed since 1995 by Electronic Arts. Criterion Games, a team popular mainly for the Burnout console series, was entrusted with the task of creating this installment. The title of the game refers to the two earlier installments that featured police pursuits, released in 1998 and 2002 respectively. In the game, the player can pick their side and play either as a cop or a racer. A set of gadgets was introduced into the gameplay, emphasizing the arcade nature of the series. Cops can deploy spike strips and set up road blocks, while the racers can use things like radar jammers. As usual, the game features dozens of licensed cars and a soundtrack including numerous popular songs. The Autolog system is a completely new feature, the role of which is to organize a network of players allowing them to compete against each other.
Driver: San Francisco (X360)
Racing 01 September 2011
The fifth major installment of the popular series of racing action games developed since 1999. The title was created by the authors of the previous installments in the series, the Reflections Interactive studio which currently belongs to Ubisoft. The story of the game references the third chapter of the franchise in which the policeman John Tanner was fighting a gangster named Jericho. As the protagonist was chasing after the criminal, an accident occurred and Tanner was put into coma. The game takes place in the dreams of the protagonist. This allowed the developers to introduce some innovative solutions which impact the dynamics of the game. The game introduces Shift system which allows the player to switch between all vehicles in the range of sight almost completely freely. The developers recreated more than a hundred licensed vehicles and the game takes place in the giant virtual recreation of the city of San Francisco which has the size of 209 square miles. Polished driving system and damage system makes the game more realistic.
FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage (X360)
Racing 22 June 2007
Another installment in the popular series of crazy car racing games. The title is an improved and expanded version of the second entry in the series which was released in 2006. The mechanics of FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage are the same as the ones of its predecessor and they combine classic car racing with the possibility to destroy and eliminate enemy vehicles. In some game modes the developers have completely removed the racing features and focused entirely on impressive car battles like in Destruction Derby and on a stunt mode known as Rag Doll. In comparison to the original version of the game, the developers greatly improved both the graphics and physics engine, and the destruction system that has the key importance in the game. The vehicles are more detailed and much more dynamic, destructible objects appear on each level. The game has also five completely new single player modes and two previously unavailable multiplayer modes.
Need for Speed: Undercover (X360)
Racing 18 November 2008
After the slightly more realistic ProStreet, in which the players raced on professional racing circuits, the popular Need for Speed series returns to city streets with a traditional, arcade installment. Developed by a Canadian EA branch, Undercover puts a special emphasis on the storyline. As an undercover cop, the player has to infiltrate the ranks of a racing gang. To do so, they have to prove their worth in a series of driving challenges, including regular races, time trials, highway battles and outruns. As usual, the players receive a massive number of licensed cars which can be modified both visually, and in terms of their performance. The game's improved visuals and excitable soundtrack are complemented by cinematic cutscenes featuring mainly Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III) and Christina Milian - a singer.
Shift 2: Unleashed (X360)
Racing 29 March 2011
A sequel to 2009's Need for Speed: Shift, the more realistic spin-off of the arcade racing series. Both games were developed by Slightly Mad Studios. Shift 2: Unleashed brings few changes to the gameplay mechanics of its predecessor. The game utilizes the same driving physics, combining simulation elements with the simplicity of arcade racing. The highly-praised driver seat view is back, allowing the players to experience collisions or shaking to their fullest. Apart from a new set of tracks and licensed cars brought by the game, the player can now also race at night. The graphics, lighting and camera work were all improved. Similar to Hot Pursuit, the game features the Autolog system, containing plenty of rankings and statistics, but also allowing us to play in online multiplayer mode.
