Best retro racing games reviewed
There have been some amazing racing games over the years covering everything from F1 to Rallying. It seems as though while the graphics improve with each new release, the fun and excitement are always there.
For a lot of people, driving their Ferrari or Mustang at full throttle around a street circuit or Daytona raceway gives them a major adrenaline rush.
This is a review of some of the best retro racing games of all time. There will definitely be some difference of opinion about which to choose. It’s a hard decision to pick just three out of the many enjoyable titles.
Colin McRae Rally
This WRC racer was one of the most researched racing games ever produced at the time. It used advanced laser scanning technology on the vehicles to give players as realistic an experience as possible.
This produced a pretty good game visually and it became a very popular title when it was released in 1998.
It was often quite difficult to stay on the track when driving, and mastering the drift was something you could use to your advantage with practice.
It led to a few sequels that didn’t really make the same impact as the original game.
The Need for Speed
One of the classic racing games of all time and the forerunner to much more. Although this spawned many sequels, there is something about the original game that just can’t be beaten.
It’s hard to believe that this game was released back in 1994. Although the graphics are basic by today’s standards, there is still a good sense of speed and danger that the game manages to produce.
Of all the amazing cars you could choose from, my personal favourite was the Ferrari 512TR. For 1994, this had a lot of epic features and reproduced the cars with good detail and check out the Lamborghini Diablo VT showcase on the 3DO version below.
This was one of the first games to offer real cars, and I think the game was better for it.
Grand Theft Auto
Still a major franchise, the original game launched in 1997. Although a little different to today’s versions, the top-down view was actually really effective.
This was a game I played for hours, it was the first game to let you be so destructive and I remember it causing more than a little anger at the time in case it caused reckless driving.
You could drive anywhere on the map, switch between vehicles and of course cause lots of damage. The aim of the game was to complete the missions without getting caught by the police.
This was easier said than done when there are lots of cars and pedestrians getting in your way.
It was difficult to choose just three of the best racing games. You could also mention Burnout, Super Mario Cart and Grand Turismo to name a few.
About the author
Zeeshan Mallick
Co-Founder of SuperRetroGamer.com
