According to a very pushy guy in a red suit at the mall, it’s the holiday season. One of the hardest things at this time of year — other than fighting off the endless waves of sweets — is buying gifts. Maybe you’ve got a fellow racing game fan that needs something new, or maybe your family and friends don’t have a clue what to buy you. Either way we’re here to help, collaborating with GT Channel to provide you with the best racing games on offer this year, in an easily-digestible short video.
Up first is F1 2016. The first Codemasters title on the list, F1 2016 is widely considered one of the best in the series since the developer took over the license in 2009. Players are given the freedom to choose which team they want to represent over multiple seasons: maybe you’ll want to fight it out at the pointy end, or perhaps you’d rather rise up from the back of the grid. This year’s title sees the return of the safety car, as well as pre-race formation laps.
Next is a little title by the name of Assoluto Racing. Created by GTPlanet member jujunosuke, this iOS title has a lot to offer. “If Gran Turismo came to mobile devices, it would look like this,” said GTPlanet founder Jordan, before expanding, “clean menus, classy music, and a focus on accurate driving physics.” The game runs at a solid 60fps, and includes familiar features such as car customization, tuning, and even license tests. Read all about the game here.
Third on the list is Assetto Corsa. Easily the most hardcore of the bunch in terms of physics, Kunos Simulazioni’s racer landed on PS4 and XB1 earlier this year (you can read our review here). It also made big waves this year when Porsche was announced as part of a extensive DLC program (the third and final pack just released this week). Wheel users will get the most out of this title, as almost every circuit in the game is laser-scanned for maximum accuracy.
The runner-up is Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 3, considered one of the better games of 2016, racing or otherwise. The only open-world racer on the list, we called it “a big breath of fresh air” in our own review earlier this year. FH3 trades off some of the more serious simulation vibes of the Motorsport series with a go-anywhere approach, this time set in Australia. Stunning graphics — including one of the first examples of HDR on consoles with the Xbox One S — have been augmented by a recent “Blizzard Mountain” expansion, bringing snow to the Forza franchise for the first time.
The final title in the list is DiRT Rally. A dark horse in many end-of-year lists, Codemasters’ other 2016 release (on consoles) set a new benchmark for rally racing games. The game hit a Goldilocks ratio of just the right amounts of excellent graphics, challenging driving physics, and slick presentation. It includes 40 iconic rally cars from over the years, and 70 different rally stages, covering the full gamut of surfaces and conditions.
Speaking of end of year lists, you’ve got the chance to have your say in our GTPlanet Awards. Four of the games in this video are also on our Game of the Year short-list, and voting closes Saturday morning, so you’ll want to be quick!
See more articles on GTPlanet Lists.
