Sim racing and esports journalist. Occasional Motorsport photographer, eSports competitor and distinctly average cyclist.
We usually focus on elements of sim racing such as gaming hardware, setup tutorials, and how-to guides here at SIMRACINGCOCKPIT.GG, I thought it would make a nice change of pace to discuss some of the best sim racing games for any driver looking to expand their experience beyond their usual sim platform.
Today, we’re handing over to our guest star, Ross McGregor to take a closer look.
Whether you enjoy a good smash and crash scenario in BeamNG.drive or a serious bit of competition in iRacing, these are the best games sim racing developers have on offer:
Contents: What are our favourite sim racing titles?:- Assetto Corsa
- Assetto Corsa Competizione
- Automobilista 2
- BeamNG.drive
- EA SPORTS WRC
- F1 24
- Forza Motorsport (2023)
- Gran Turismo 7
- iRacing
- Le Mans Ultimate
- rFactor 2
- Pista Motorsport
- RaceRoom Racing Experience
Assetto Corsa
Compatibility: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Ultimate Edition RRP: £13.29 (includes all DLC packs)
Since its release in 2014, a hugely passionate community of sim racing fans has taken Assetto Corsa to its collective hearts, making it perhaps the most popular ‘serious’ sim ever.
Developer Kunos Simulazioni combines believable driving physics with attractive visuals to create an immersive racing experience, signing key licensing deals with Ferrari and Porsche to help bring some truly iconic cars to its vehicle roster.
With 178 cars and 19 tracks, there’s no shortage of combinations to enjoy, with VR compatibility enhancing the experience further.
However, AC’s modding capabilities keep it relevant ten years on; name a car or track and someone has likely created it in AC (although mods are only available for the PC version and not on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S).
The most important mods, however, relate to how the game looks, bringing the game’s graphics up to current standards.
Mods like Sol, the Custom Shaders Pack and Pure variously introduce day/night cycles, dynamic weather and jaw-dropping effects, while Content Manager offers a handy way to consolidate everything into one, easy-to-use package.
Thanks to its popularity with road, dirt and drifting communities, AC has a plethora of written and video tutorials to help newcomers get up and running with mods too. Therefore, in many ways, AC is the perfect gateway into the sim racing scene.
Although its driving physics perhaps lack the fidelity of rFactor 2, AC captures so much of the essence of sim racing that it should be part of any racing enthusiast’s library.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
Compatibility: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Ultimate Edition RRP: £50.55 (includes all DLC packs)
After its full release in 2019. Assetto Corsa Competizione was a surprise hit for Kunos Simulazioni, especially after its success with Assetto Corsa.
Based on the Blancpain Endurance Series (now known as GT World Challenge Europe) for GT3 racecars, ACC is an officially licensed game that moved away from using Kunos’ proprietary game engine towards Unreal Engine. This stepped up the visual presentation of the game but also made it far more resource-intensive.
The way it looks is secondary to the overall driving experience, however, with genre-leading sound design and believable physics immersing the player in the hot seat of a trick GT3 car.
DLC packs have bumped the laser scanned track list up to 25, including perhaps the best-ever version of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, while the range of cars – although limited to SRO-sanctioned series – includes GT2, GT3, GT4, TCX and single-make series vehicles like the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Ferrari Challenge.
With a fairly limited single-player experience, ACC players mostly find their kicks online, with the official SRO Esports series impressively blurring the line between real and virtual motorsports thanks to its slick presentation and fierce competition.
As the SRO-run GT World Challenge has covered the globe with its championships, the popularity of GT3 racing and ACC has skyrocketed. As such, once Assetto Corsa Evo is released it will be interesting to see whether ACC will continue to be developed.
Read the setup guide to Assetto Corsa Competizione here.
Automobilista 2
Compatibility: PC and Linux
RRP: £34.99
Trying to build on the success of 2016’s Automobilista was always going to be a tough task for Brazilian developer Reiza Studios.
The PC-only title was effectively a heavily improved version of Image Space Incorporated’s rFactor but with more single-player content, more officially licensed series (including Brazilian Stock Car V8s and Formula 3 Brasil) and a greater variety of tracks (including Brazilian gems like Campo Grande and more familiar British tracks such as Oulton Park and Snetterton).
However, its driving physics were second to none, which is unfortunately where its sequel, Automobilista 2, falls down.
Using a version of Slightly Mad Studios’ MADNESS engine (as used in Project CARS 2), AMS 2 features a robust enough handling model but, it lacks the cutting-edge tactility of its top-tier sim rivals.
On the other hand, AMS 2 looks incredible – especially in VR – and its sheer variety of cars and tracks makes it an excellent platform to showcase sim racing to your friends.
Super Trucks, touring cars, Group C prototypes, historic single-seaters, rallycross and up-to-date Formula 1-style machinery are all present and correct, with dynamic weather and day-to-night transitions supplying all the eye candy you’ll ever need.
And the track roster isn’t bad either, with famous venues such as Le Mans, Daytona, the Nordschleife and Spa-Francorchamps all represented, with more DLC and physics improvements promised for future updates.
The original Automobilista entry received a lot of praise for its phenomenal racing simulation but its successor, Automobilista 2 has upped the ante by providing sim racing enthusiasts with the perfect balance between simulation and realism.
Developed by Reiza Studios and released in 2020, Automobilista 2 is available for Microsoft Windows and Linux only and you can grab this one for just $12.99 on Steam.
Over the years, Automobilista 2 has received regular updates, and new content is added with each update.
In the latest update, Reiza Studios has added the Le Mans 24-hour race and it is arguably one of the finest Le Mans experiences that you’ll ever get from a sim racing game. Everything from dynamic weather changes to day and night transitions is quite phenomenal. And when you’re tired from all the driving, your AI counterparts can drive till the next stop.
It’s an excellent package overall, but a little more work is required to bring the driving experience up to scratch. You wouldn’t bet against the talented team at Reiza nailing it.
In terms of DLC, you can purchase the 2020-2022 Season Pass for £79.99, which includes every DLC pack ever released for the sim. If you’re an endurance racing fan, then the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans track is £8.99, while the Endurance Pack Pt1 adds three LMDh cars and four GT3 cars, again costing £8.99.
However, don’t expect Le Mans Ultimate levels of feedback and enjoyment from the sim’s physics.
Read our guide to AMS2 here.
BeamNG drive
Compatibility: PC
RRP: £19.20
BeamNG.drive arrived as a Steam Early Access title way back in 2015, providing realistic handling and a genre-leading soft body physics model that allows players to destroy their vehicles in elaborate ways.
Although its development team is small, BeamNG has more regular players on Steam than many of the sims covered on this site, with a burgeoning mod scene allowing numerous new vehicles, environments and Scenarios.
There’s even a multiplayer mod available, allowing friends to hilariously crash into each other online (although your experience will likely be unstable or even game-breaking).
The gameplay is largely freeform, with a short single-player career mode (a more comprehensive career mode is accessible but limited) complemented by a variety of zany, separate Scenarios.
BeamNG’s lineup of default cars includes road cars, supercars, dune buggies, trucks and three-wheelers, with diverse landscapes to explore including a re-creation of the Johnson Valley off-road racing hub in California.
It’s fun to explore the game’s various maps, with most of BeamNG’s vehicles feeling intuitive to drive. Some of the game’s off-road vehicles feel a little unsteady, however, especially when it comes to tackling steep slopes.
Using the game’s World Editor, players can also set up elaborate stunts to rival those created by their favourite online personalities, providing almost endless possibilities.
If you enjoy driving with no particular goal in mind, BeamNG is the game for you.
Read our guide to BeamNG Drive here.
EA SPORTS WRC
RRP: £39.99
Compatibility: PC, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S.
EA SPORTS WRC is the follow-up to the immensely successful DiRT Rally 2.0, and has allowed EA and Codemasters to jump from Codies’ proprietary Ego game engine to Unreal Engine. This allowed the team to create longer and more varied rally stages, with some even approaching a sweat-inducing 40 km in length.
However, this comes at a cost, with frequent framerate drops and choppy game performance afflicting much of the community. Frequent updates have helped alleviate much of these issues, so what we’re left with is a very competent rally sim (if your graphics work ok!), with all the bells and whistles that come with an official WRC licence.
This allows players to drive on iconic rallies like Monte Carlo, Finland and the Safari Rally, as well as get behind the wheel of Rally1 and Rally2 machinery.
There’s a wide range of customisability and a deep career mode too, with the latest 2024 ‘Locations & Cars Content Pack’ adding the latest Rally1 challengers, the Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo and my personal favourite, the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Poland and Latvia also arrived as rip-snortingly quick environments to speed through and are possibly my highlight of the whole game.
WRC’s physics are by and large lifted from DR 2.0, so hustling a car between hedges at 100mph is as satisfying as ever.
Does it feel as intuitive as a modded version of Richard Burns Rally? Possibly not, but it’s fun nonetheless and its sound design and presentation are far superior. WRC’s controller compatibility is also a boon, allowing players to use obscure handbrake peripherals to their heart’s content.
EA SPORTS WRC DLC prices
WRC 24 Season Expansion Bundle: £24.99
- Locations & Cars Content Pack (2024)
- Le Maestros Content Pack (2024-25)
- Hard Chargers Content Pack (2025)
WRC 24 Season Locations & Cars Content Pack: £17.99
Le Maestros Content Pack: £TBC
Hard Chargers Content Pack: £TBC
F1 24
RRP: £69.99
Compatibility: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
F1 24 is EA SPORTS and Codemasters’ annual foray into the world of Formula 1, featuring the usual car and driver updates alongside tweaks to its handling model.
It doesn’t feature a ‘Braking Point’ single-player storyline (this is a bi-yearly feature that will re-appear in next year’s instalment), but the series’ comprehensive career mode is present and correct, replete with the obligatory Formula 2 cars.
F1 24’s physics has come in for criticism from many content creators and esports professionals, but the reality is they are more than acceptable for the majority of players, especially for those using a gamepad.
F1 World provides a bit of online longevity, yet the game is largely similar to previous iterations, especially in terms of presentation and on-track visuals. However, F1’s circuits have received a bit of glow-up with Spa-Francorchamps finally being reworked to include its new gravel trap run-off areas.
In my opinion, F1 24 is probably the best game in the series, being incrementally better than the previous iteration. But if you already own F1 23, or even F1 22, then it’s hard to recommend it as a full-price purchase.
Forza Motorsport (2023)
Compatibility: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
RRP: £59.99
Turn 10 Studios’ reboot of the Forza Motorsport franchise started on shaky ground when released in late 2023, as slightly ropey car models were combined with an overly frustrating career mode.
Recently, however, the US-based studio has addressed Forza’s career mode issues, while graphics problems are confined to just a portion of its vehicle roster. For the most part, though, Forza is a good-looking game, with bombastic weather and audio effects.
If Gran Turismo 7 is a subtle and free-flowing sim racing ballet, Forza is like a Metallica concert in your living room, with James Hetfield screaming in your face. It’s intense.
Arguably, Forza is more enjoyable to control with a gamepad, while you’re always guaranteed to find someone to race against owing to its presence on Game Pass. Its multiplayer is its real strength, with the single-player career becoming a bit of a grind after a while.
However, Forza receives regular updates featuring new cars and tracks (new circuits are free, which is a huge bonus), and provides an instant hit of racing action – as you’d expect from a console-focused racer. Are the driving physics as realistic as those in rFactor 2 or Assetto Corsa Competizione? No, but it’s still fun without being completely unforgiving.
Install Forza 2023 on Steam here.
Gran Turismo 7
Compatibilty: PS4, PS5
RRP: £59.99 (PS4), £69.99 (PS5)
Forza Motorsport’s biggest rival is still arguably the more rewarding console driving experience. With photo-realistic graphics and the best photo mode in gaming, Gran Turismo 7 is deservedly the go-to racing game for beginners and experts alike.
The physics makes sense, albeit without the granular nuances of some PC-only sims, and the sounds have improved immeasurably from GT6 and GT Sport (there’s still work to do here to close the gap on Forza, however).
GT7’s Sport mode continues to keep the series’ fan base occupied daily, with new races added every week: from beginner-focused sprints to advanced-focused endurance events that often take advantage of the game’s clever dynamic weather system.
Much like Forza, GT7 receives regular content updates, but everything is free. Players are normally gifted three new cars every month but tracks have been few and far between.
Despite this, GT7 has an impressive lineup of circuits which includes the likes of the Nordschleife, Le Mans, Daytona, Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta, with a breadth of cars and car classes to race.
If you have a PlayStation 5 then this is a must-buy. It’s even available on the PlayStation 4, but the graphics are naturally less crisp. The PS5 version is also compatible with the PS VR2 headset, bringing an incredibly immersive racing experience to your living room.
iRacing
Compatibility: PC only
RRP: $13.00 per month (subscription / not including additional tracks / cars)
New cars: $11.99 each (10% discount for three pieces of content)
New tracks: $14.99 each (10% discount for three pieces of content)
Standard 12-month subscription: $110
Co-founded by John Henry of the Fenway Sports Group and Dave Kaemmer, iRacing has offered genre-leading multiplayer matchmaking since its inception in 2008.
Kaemmer is a sim racing legend thanks to his work on titles such as Indianapolis 500: The Simulation, NASCAR Racing 2003 Season and Grand Prix Legends, which were all rightly lauded for their superior handling models.
iRacing’s physics are more divisive, however, with many players being turned off by its ‘knife edge’ feeling of grip and creaking suspension model. In my opinion, this makes it inferior to the likes of rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa, but with over 100,000 subscribers, there’s no doubt iRacing has plenty of fans out there, and looking at the sim’s lineup of available cars and tracks this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Everything from modern single-seaters to World of Outlaws Sprint Cars are present and correct, with the Tempest wet weather system – activated in March 2024 – adding a new edge to gameplay.
iRacing’s driver and safety ratings help sort players into races with similarly skilled opponents, ensuring races are as clean and fair as possible, with servers generally being reliable.
However, one thing to consider with iRacing is its cost. With new cars and tracks costing $11.99 and $14.99 respectively, racers need to be committed to making the most of it, especially as you’ll also be subject to a monthly subscription charge (this is mitigated by taking advantage of the service’s Black Friday deals, however).
iRacing’s visuals are showing their age too, with simpler car models in comparison to most of its rivals, but features like Tempest, AI racing and a hilariously over-the-top damage model keep it relevant and entertaining for the majority of users.
Le Mans Ultimate
Compatibility: PC
RRP: £28.99
Le Mans Ultimate is Studio 397 and Motorsport Games’ officially licensed game of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
LMU has all the cars and tracks of the 2023 season in its initial Early Access build but lacks single-player championships and an official VR mode (among other important features). Its much-vaunted asynchronous multiplayer mode is present and correct, though, but not perfect.
LMU has all the cars and tracks of the 2023 season in its initial Early Access build but lacks single-player championships, VR and its much-vaunted asynchronous multiplayer mode (among other important features).
However, it does have rFactor 2’s RaceControl multiplayer matchmaking system from the outset, as well as convincing car physics. Its graphics are also massively immersive, with a secret photo mode capable of producing incredible images.
Suitably for a simulation of endurance racing, LMU features a full day/night cycle and dynamic weather, making sunset sprints down Le Man’s Mulsanne straight a transcendental experience. Vehicle sounds are also largely excellent; a definite step above those found in rFactor 2.
The sim’s slightly buggy state is forgivable, however, given it’s wonderful to drive. One can only hope Motorsport Games survives long enough to see its vision through.
Le Mans Ultimate – 2024 Season Pass, £39.99
- All DLC packs
BMW M Hybrid V8 Hypercar, £Free
- BMW M Hybrid V8
Le Mans Ultimate – 2024 Pack 1, £9.99
- Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola Circuit)
- Lamborghini SC63
- Peugeot 9X8 (2024 spec)
Le Mans Ultimate – 2024 Pack 2, £9.99
- Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
- Alpine A424 Hypercar
- Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 Competizione Hypercar
Le Mans Ultimate – 2024 Pack 3, £TBC, expected Q4 2024
- TBC, One track and three LMGT3 cars
Le Mans Ultimate – 2024 Pack 4, £TBC, expected Q1 2025
rFactor 2
Compatibility: PC
RRP: £24.99
Studio 397’s rFactor 2 covers the full gamut of touring car, open-wheel and sportscar racing, featuring officially licenced content from INDYCAR, the BTCC, Porsche, Caterham and Formula E, among others.
With perhaps the best-feeling car handling in the sim racing genre, rFactor 2 has seen a vast change in its fortunes since Studio 397 took over the reins from Image Space Incorporated.
rFactor 2’s graphics have improved a lot, for example, perhaps even surpassing the likes of RaceRoom, iRacing and Assetto Corsa in the visuals department, and new car and track content has diversified the sim’s approach, even becoming the platform of choice for the well-supported Le Mans Virtual Series and its showpiece 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual event.
Speaking of which, the previous running of Le Mans highlighted one of rFactor 2’s big weaknesses: its online stability. Many users experience dropped connections, lag and server outages while racing in rFactor2, with many more subject to the sim’s various bugs, including force feedback issues with Fanatec wheelbases.
The online experience has improved in recent times, but it’s worth bearing in mind that getting rFactor 2 to run smoothly can be a challenging endeavour, with the UI equally tricky to negotiate.
If you can get it running smoothly, however, rFactor 2 is a hugely rewarding sim capable of producing the most immersive experiences in the genre.
Read our setup guide to rFactor2 here.
PISTA Motorsport
RRP: £12.79
Compatibility: PC
PISTA Motorsport is the newest sim on the block, bringing the Argentinian racing scene to Steam Early Access.
Developed by REG Simulations, who are best known for developing a range of Assetto Corsa mods, the sim aims to provide players with the full gamut of domestic Argentinian motorsport, including tracks like Termas de Rio Hondo and La Plata and series such as Formula 2 Argentina and the Turismo Carretera.
In its current Early Access state, PISTA Motorsport is some way off being a finished product, however, with poor graphics and sounds, as well as patchy physics. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel, as the studio has released a full roadmap of planned content and features up to a full release in 2026.
Content includes 20 cars and 16 tracks, plus modding and new game modes. One to keep an eye on, but maybe after a few free updates!
RaceRoom Racing Experience
KW Studios’ RaceRoom Racing Experience is nearly unique in the sim racing space due to its free-to-play status. There’s no monthly subscription either and players can even try content before they purchase it, ensuring RaceRoom has an edge over its competition.
Check out our beginner’s guide to Raceroom here.
All of the sim’s content can also be picked up for around £50-60 when on sale, a figure that would only cover a few iRacing cars and tracks.
RaceRoom has several key official licences too, including for WTCR and DTM championships, with cars from GT3, GT4 and Formula 4 categories also represented. Sure, the free cars aren’t going to satisfy most petrolheads, but F1-grade tracks like Sepang and the Algarve International Circuit (Portimão) are available from the get-go.
RaceRoom has a modestly sized player base and several popular special events throughout the year, including the prestigious DTM Esports series and its €50,000 prize pool.
RaceRoom’s sound design comes in for particular praise, with raucously accurate onboard and external exhaust notes, but, at 11 years old the sim is starting to show its age, with no dynamic weather or day/night transitions.
A new tyre model in late 2023 helped freshen the sim up a little, however, with regular content drops scheduled for 2024 and beyond.
Free Sim Racing Games
Have you just jumped into sim racing head first? Have you just spent thousands on a top-of-the-range sim racing rig and have no money left to buy any driving games? Well, you’re in luck, as there are a few excellent racing games out there you can play for free.
From rally cars to single-seaters to driving road cars and sportscars, the following titles are sure to tickle your fancy while you save up for a £2 copy of Assetto Corsa in the next Steam sale…
RaceRoom Racing Experience
KW Studios’ RaceRoom Racing Experience is the definitive, free-to-play racing simulator. With 13 cars and five tracks available to sample, RaceRoom offers more free content than any other sim.
Not only that, but players can also drive any of RaceRoom’s cars for at any time (albeit only on the RaceRoom Raceway circuit) for no extra charge, including fully licenced DTM cars (modern and historic) and varied fields from the WTCC, WTCR and ADAC GT Masters series.
RaceRoom was released back in 2013 and although it has received force feedback and physics updates in recent times it undeniably looks rough in comparison to the likes of Assetto Corsa Competizione, rFactor 2 and a modded Assetto Corsa.
However, fans of the simulation are looking forward to long-awaited graphical improvements that KW Studios teased back in May, as a video showcasing an upgraded Algarve International Circuit (better known as Portimão) was teased.
The flip side of this is RaceRoom will run well on all but the most aged PCs.
Although RaceRoom’s free cars are rather hit-and-miss in terms of desirability, the Saleen S7R, Lada Vesta and Formula RaceRoom Junior are still quite intriguing to drive, with truly quality tracks like the re-worked Portimão and Sepang available to race on.
Not only is RaceRoom highly regarded for its audio design, featuring some of the most realistic exhaust notes this side of a race track, but it also provides a superlative VR experience.
And if you do enjoy the sim’s free cars and tracks it’s possible to purchase every single piece of content for around £50 during one of the game’s many sales. Bargain. Take note, iRacing.
Copa Petrobras de Marcas
Developed by Reiza Studios, Copa Petrobras de Marcas is the official game of the Brasileiro de Marcas series, a Brazilian touring car championship ranked just under the country’s premier four-wheel category, the Stock Car Pro Series.
Brasileiro de Marcas does without the star quality of its bigger touring car brother, which has featured the driving talents of Rubens Barrichello, Ricardo Zonta and Felipe Massa over the years, but this free game is a microcosm of what makes Reiza’s early sim racing titles so great.
Featuring the official tracks of the 2013 championship, including the likes of Interlagos, Brasília and Curitiba, the game allows players to choose from four equally balanced front-wheel-drive touring cars from Ford, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and Toyota.
Marcas came after Reiza’s 2011 sim Game Stock Car – which incidentally also had the Marcas cars – and was released as a free download at the behest of series sponsor Petrobras.
Although the cars require a little bit of set-up fettling (priority number one should be to set up their steering ratio to prevent catastrophic understeer), they still retain the physics sweet spot Reiza forged its reputation on in Game Stock Car, Game Stock Car Extreme, and the granddaddy of them all, Automobilista.
Richard Burns Rally
Although originally released some 20 years ago, Richard Burns Rally is more popular among the sim community now than it’s ever been.
The reason for this? Mods.
Yes, RBR has been tweaked and updated over the years and brought kicking and screaming into the present day, as it now stands as the connoisseur’s choice in terms of virtual rallying.
Modders like the legendary WorkerBee have helped fix some of RBR’s major problems over time, with the Hungarian-based RallySimFans (RSF) mod popularising the game thanks to updated visuals, sounds and physics. And it’s all free.
But why is it free? Well, technically RBR is abandonware thanks to both its developer, Warthog Games, and the publisher, SCi Games, folding. Additionally, the tragic death of 2001 WRC champion Burns a year after the game’s release put a sad full stop on the whole complicated saga.
However, RBR’s handling is still sublime, with WorkerBee’s New Generation Physics (NGP) continually developed to make the most of Warthog’s incredibly detailed handling model.
Modders have also added a stack of iconic rally cars and stages to RSF, with clever options like VR compatibility, FMOD sounds, fully working cockpit gauges and customisable pace notes and cameras elevating the experience further.
All in all, RBR is the most comprehensive rally sim out there, so you’ve no excuse not to go online now and compete against fellow enthusiasts. Don’t forget your bobble hat!
Live for Speed
Live For Speed is now 21 years old but it’s still relevant thanks to its timeless physics and recent addition of community-made mods. Although the sim is technically not ‘free’ it does have an enlightening free demo.
And it contains one of my favourite sim racing combinations ever…
Yes, the sim’s officially licensed Formula BMW and the fictional Blackwood GP track are an insanely good duo, with the Bavarian-powered single-seater responding to your deft inputs almost telepathically.
Blackwood is also a challenging and fulfilling circuit to learn, featuring fast and medium-speed turns, with a long back straight ideal for slipstreaming battles.
Also available to drive in the demo are the front-wheel-drive XF GTI and the rear-wheel-drive XR GT, and both are a riot to drive. However, to gain more cars and tracks you’ll need to purchase an S1, S1 or S3 licence from the LFS website, with the S3 licence unlocking all the game’s content plus access to mods.
Although certain aspects of LFS haven’t aged well – its sounds and graphics are very much showing their age, and game updates arrive at a glacial pace – its physics still stand up to scrutiny.
LFS’ VR implementation is better than many modern titles too and its online racing communities are passionate and varied, with rallycross, casual cruises, autocross, drift and circuit racing events all available.
There’s really no excuse not to try LFS, it could be your next favourite sim.
Trackmania
Compatibility: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Luna
Trackmania Club Access 1 Year RRP: £17.99
Ok, it’s not a sim like the rest of the titles in this list but Trackmania is one of the most addictive racing games around and it’s entirely free-to-play. The gist of the game’s formula is to pilot cars at ridiculous speeds along outlandish, point-to-point tracks.
Players can tackle jumps, loops, slides and other obstacles to set their fastest stage times and achieve a gold medal. The online leaderboards give the game a ‘just one more try’ feel, helped by the prospect of an instant one-button retry.
Paid subscription tiers are available but Trackmania can still be enjoyed without cash, with 25 new free tracks released in each quarterly Season update.
The game also runs well on mid-range PCs as well as consoles, so there’s no escaping Trackmania’s moreish gameplay.