The genre of video racing games has been popular since the introduction of video consoles. Games within this genre enable the player to partake in various racing competitions in real world and fantasy settings.
Trials Evolution
Trials Evolution is a motorcycle racing game that can be played on Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. This game follows it’s predecessor Trials HD and enables the player to control a motorcycle rider around various obstacle courses. The single player mode is about learning and mastering motorcycle riding techniques and using them to complete the courses in the fastest times possible. The multiplayer games are designed for the player to put their racing skills to the test in motor-cross races against other riders. The riders and bikes available are also customisable in the garage, enabling features such as new parts for the bikes and the paint to be changed.
Gallop Racer
Gallop Racer is an open ended racing game, mixing horse management with horse racing, whereby the player has the opportunity to buy horses to breed, train and race them. It was created by Tecmo, originally created to be played in arcades, but then became available on the Playstation platform.
The game features a season mode, allowing players to create a jockey and take part in races and try to become the greatest jockey. There is a choice of 1,400 horses to choose from and 28 race courses to take the horses on. Most of the courses are real life major horse racing tracks within the US, Japan and Europe but are not listed by their real names.
The game really has the ability of immersing the player into this world, with the only aspect missing is the betting. But that’s easily fixed with renowned horse racing betting sites like Betpoint, which covers race meetings from all over the world.
Mario Kart
Mario Kart is a series of go kart racing video games, created by Nintendo, the latest release is the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, designed for the Nintendo Switch.
Players race in go karts, selecting a character to compete with and throughout various courses players are able to collect power ups, which enable them to speed up and throw various weapons at opposing racers.
Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo is often seen as the pinnacle game of the ‘racing’ genre. The original game in the series was released in 1997 and has 178 cars for the player to choose from, with 11 tracks and various modification options. Over 77 million have been sold worldwide for the Playstation console which makes it at present the highest selling franchise ever seen on the Playstation.
GT has always been renowned for fantastic, life like graphics and many of the cars available to race with in the game are reproductions of real-life vehicles which attracted many players to the series.
Forza Motorsport
The game is the first in the ‘Forza’ series of car stimulation racing games, immersing players in competitive racing, created for the Xbox platform. With more than 200 cars to choose from, including licensed vehicles and a selection of real and fictional race courses the game received universal acclaim. It is a serious driving simulation game with realistic racing action. Vehicles can also be customised by players, allowing players to upgrade engines, new paint, rims for example. For the more experienced users there is also the opportunity to fine tune aspects such as tire pressure and gear ratios, ensuring maximisation of the vehicles before racing.
Racing of opposing drivers is influenced by ‘Drivatar’ technology, which mimics tactics and techniques of real human players. Newer versions of the game can however be played through Xbox live, allowing players to race against other gamers. Forza is commonly seen as the Xbox answer to Gran Turismo.
