10 Best Racing Games To Play While Waiting for Forza Horizon 6

The joy of experiencing a Forza Horizon game for the first time is delightful for anyone, especially for someone like me, who has been fascinated by the series since booting up and playing the third entry on my Xbox 360. And now, with the sixth game just on the horizon (sorry), I bet a lot of you are gnawing at the pre-orders to unlock for downloading.

Well, if you're someone who has enough patience and just loves all things racing game-related, you've come to the right place. Because there is no better way to spend these next couple of months of waiting than binging more racing games, or actually any media related to it.

Even besides racing, I've just been obsessed with cars in general ever since I was a wee kid trying to outrun Sgt Cross in NFS Most Wanted. And I prefer Tuners/JDMs over anything. Hopefully, that doesn't disappoint any American Muscle enthusiasts. Keep your seatbelt buckled in because these racing games are the best to play or just return to while waiting for Forza Horizon 6 to drop.

10 The Crew Motorfest

The Fun Never Ends in Hawaii

Don't let the ranking fool you; I just figured to kick this list off strong with one racing game that actually went for the festival-racing theme to match Forza Horizon, Ubisoft's The Crew Motorfest.

It has almost every similar aspect to the aforementioned series, but just lacks a bit of polish. But once you fine-tune the driving physics to strike the perfect balance between realism and simulation via the settings, the content is nearly endless to pursue. If you own the Year 3 Pass edition, you get access to a plethora of new playlists in addition to the content from the prior two passes.

Right now is actually the best time to get yourself into the game because, although it may overwhelm you with so much to offer, take your time with the base game playlists that introduce you to Hawaii and the other race-type modes.

And, saying this personally as someone who was on the fence about getting it, do not listen to anyone who says this game's driving model feels cheap or is average overall. The Crew Motorfest is extremely fun to play once you get the ball rolling in it.

9 Test Drive Unlimited 2

Fancy a Cruise Through the Exotic Beaches?

While I'm pretty sure the first game on the PS2 was equally adored, and the recent Solar Crown was a disaster, it only seemed right to include Test Drive Unlimited 2 because even though it came out back in 2011, it captures that same feeling of freedom in Forza Horizon of driving wherever you want and enjoying the journey as much as the races.

One of the game's staple elements is how it blends racing with lifestyle elements; instead of just picking cars from menus, you actually visit dealerships, buy houses, and build a garage across multiple properties. It makes the progression feel more personal, like you’re building a car-collector lifestyle rather than just grinding races.

And look, I know that the game has a pretty rough reception for all the technical issues that it had, but the fact that TDU2 allows you to explore full recreations of the Ibiza and Oahu islands is enough to warrant a few hours of gameplay to give it a fair chance.

8 F1 23

So, Hamilton or Verstappen?

While Forza Horizon 6 will likely have a very different tone and structure from a simulation racer, there’s a solid case for playing F1 23 while you wait for it. F1 23 strikes a nice middle ground between realism and ease of play.

Don't get me wrong, the cars still feel fast and demanding for any casual or newcomer, but they’re less punishing to drive here, which makes it easy to jump in for a few races without feeling overwhelmed. And of course, you'll still be rewarded for practicing this driving model, which ends up teaching you proper racing lines and braking techniques.

The cherry on top of this sim sports racing title is its cinematic story mode, Braking Point 2, which introduces rivalries, team drama, and behind-the-scenes moments that make the season feel alive. It’s a fun change of pace from the typical career modes you'd see in racing games and helps this entry stand out.

7 Driver: San Francisco

Ubisoft's Cult-Classic Hit

Driver: San Francisco might not have the present-day polish of the Forza Horizon series, sure, but it has a presentation and set of ideas that'll still ooze with style to anyone who plays it. And kudos to Ubisoft, this game is a gentle reminder of when they made actual bangers during their prime.

Forza blends simulation and arcade handling, but in Driver: San Francisco? It leans heavily into the arcade side. Cars slide through corners easily, you've got a strong sense of speed, and the physics are designed to make chases and high-speed maneuvers feel exciting rather than punishing.

And the star of the show is the Shift mechanic; instead of sticking to one car, you can instantly jump into any vehicle on the road. One moment you’re chasing a suspect in a muscle car, and the next you’re taking control of a random taxi or truck to cause chaos. It’s the kind of primitive game that reminds you how creative the genre can be when the makers behind it can take risks.

6 FlatOut 2

Stunts, Crashes & Derbies!

Fun fact: FlatOut 2 was one of the games that planted the seeds for my taste in pop-punk, metal, and heavy rock music. And could you believe I was eight years old when I discovered and listened to Nickelback in this game? Wild times.

But most importantly, it's a childhood racing game from my PS2 era that I happily revisited a couple of times because it aged like fine wine, and, definitely enough, it should be a great palate cleanser for anyone looking to try something different than modern racers.

The unique appeal of FlatOut 2 comes from its chaotic, aggressive, crash-focused gameplay. From stunt events where you launch your driver through the windshield in ridiculous mini-games, to Demolition Derbies, where you can pit rustbucket cars against each other. The loud rock soundtrack, aggressive AI, and destructible environments all give the game a frantic pace that’s hard to replicate today.

5 Burnout Paradise Remastered

All Thrills, No Brakes

Waiting for the next big open-world racer can feel like a long road. While that game promises a huge playground for car lovers, one of the best ways to fill the gap is by revisiting Burnout Paradise Remastered. Even years after its original release, it still captures the same thrill of free-roaming speed that makes modern open-world racers so appealing to me.

Paradise City is an absolute blast (literally and figuratively) since it's pretty much a condensed yet sprawling playground teeming with ramps, alley shortcuts, and stunt routes that encourage reckless driving.

Most importantly, there are no grindy progression systems here that'll gatekeep you from getting the best cars, nor will it spoonfeed them right from the beginning. You'll unlock cars by completing various events while still playing like any other Burnout game—a reckless adrenaline junkie.

4 Wreckfest 2

A Perfect Successor to FlatOut

While the two games approach racing from completely different angles, that contrast is actually what makes Wreckfest 2 such a refreshing experience, especially if you're like me and loved Flatout. Because it's actually made by those same developers, and it took me years to realize that after playing this game via PS Plus, yeah.

The game also features satisfying vehicle physics that make every crash feel meaningful. The series has always been known for its detailed soft-body damage model, and Wreckfest 2 pushes that even further.

However, keep in mind that, as of writing this, the game is still in early access, but the quality on display here makes it seem almost perfected. And if you've got a friend or two, the skill-based multiplayer system is for sure a chaotically fun time, and if you'd like to mess around more, Wreckfast 2's got dedicated mod support too.

3 Gran Turismo 7

The Finest Racing Sim in the Genre

For someone who became so deeply infatuated with arcade racing, it was never easy to get into the simulation racing model, but after some patience and streaming GT4 on the PS2 to a series veteran friend via Discord to learn from him, Gran Turismo 7 won me over in a heartbeat.

Unlike Forza Horizon's open-ended progression, GT7 and the whole series, as a matter of fact, take a grounded approach, as you'll first need to earn licenses and understand the basics before you can compete in a Grand Prix or exhibition. Oh, and don't forget that earning credits can be a pain if you want a new car, so make sure you take the time to check out the game's auction system for used cars.

And if you're on the fence about buying this game, then don't worry because there's a free demo of sorts called "My First Gran Turismo" on PSN that lets you understand the basics as well as try out the racing model of GT7 via time trials and over 18 different cars.

2 CarX Drift Racing Online

Just Have Em Call Me The Drift King

Instead of focusing on huge maps or festival-style racing, CarX Drift Racing Online doubles down on one of the most satisfying parts of driving or racing games: drifting. And really, it feels like a dream to play if you love the drifting physics from NFS Carbon.

The game’s handling model feels weighty and responsive, making drifting genuinely rewarding. Plus, learning how to balance throttle, counter-steer, and angle through long corners becomes a skill you gradually develop rather than something the game does for you, like in most arcade racers.

And if you enjoy tuning and building cars in FH, CarX offers a similar level of mechanical tweaking. You can adjust suspension setups, gear ratios, tire pressure, and steering angles to really dial in how a car behaves.

The game also thrives because of its online community. You've got a plethora of servers that are accustomed to casual drifting sessions where players simply link corners together rather than compete in traditional races. It's so relaxing and cathartic to join a lobby just to cruise with other players, and try to match their drift lines.

1 Need for Speed Carbon Online

The Definitive NFS Carbon Experience

Not to be confused with the vanilla game's multiplayer mode, NFS Carbon Online (NFSCO) is a fan project that overhauls the entire base game from the ground up. From doubling down on the career mode for a true hardcore experience to adjusting the drifting model to make it feel challenging, this is just the tip of the iceberg here.

The career mode has twice as many events, with revamped racetracks that include highways and unique duels, and the police serving as an actual threat you need to take out with pursuit breakers or careful evasion.

The progression is harder with more cars in the mix, as well as tougher AI that you can even further push with some custom-made cheat codes if you're feeling brave. If you don't believe me, HokiHoshi did a brilliant video explaining all this in full detail.

And most importantly, you can host or join custom servers to partake in quick races with your friends and other players. It is definitely not the most well-known fan/community project ever, but for those of us who know the OG NFS Carbon felt rushed and incomplete, this addresses all those criticisms. Shoutout to Lead Developer RX and the rest of the modders who are still actively evolving this project.