Best racing games on Xbox

If you're looking for a game that is all about having a wild time, Tackmania has got you covered. Trackmania cares not for realism — it simply wants you to have fun with its absolutely absurd tracks that feature huge jumps, gravity-defying loops, and moving obstacles. The racing is solid, and a great laugh with friends, but where Trackmania really shines, though, is in its creation tools, which allow players to dream up and create their own crazy tracks. This means there is always something new to explore from the community.

While Trackmania is a free-to-play game, some of the best content it has to offer is tucked away behind subscriptions, which is a bit of a shame.

• Release date: August 27, 2019
• Developer: Bugbear Entertainment
• On Game Pass? Yes

Wreckfest smashes together track racing with a healthy dollop of destruction derby gameplay and is often underrated as far as racing games go. Races in Wreckfest can vary from taking a normal car out for a metal-crunching spin to racing a couch with a high-powered engine (yes, you read that correctly), where if you crash, your driver hilariously ragdolls halfway across the circuit. It’s all very silly and is great fun, especially with friends.

• Release date: November 6, 2020
• Developer: Criterion Games, Stellar Entertainment
• On Game Pass? Yes via Game Pass Ultimate with EA Play

Criterion and Stellar’s first of two entries onto our list is the classic cops versus illegal street racers arcade racer Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered. In all honesty, the remaster doesn’t really bring much new to the table other than improved visuals, but why mess with something so beloved? Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is all about its over-the-top car chases where competitors can call in things like spike stripes, EMP strikes, and roadblocks to try and stop other racers in the tracks. Of course, when this does happen, it usually results in a spectacular, metal-crunching crash that feels oh-so-satisfying, especially when playing online or against a younger sibling.

• Release date: April 28, 2023
• Developer: Codemasters
• On Game Pass? No

The latest entry into Codemasters’ F1 series, F1 23, offers not only a new chapter in the excellent Braking Point story mode but vastly improved handling and physics, setting it apart from previous games. Of course, you’ve got other new features, such as a 35% race distance option for a more manageable and balanced racing experience, red flags that add a bit more authenticity to race day, and F1 World, which is inspired by the real F1 calendar and offers a new progression system where you can complete challenged for rewards and upgrades.

• Release date: October 10, 2023
• Developer:Turn 10 Studios
• On Game Pass? Yes

When it came to picking between Forza Motorsport or Forza Motorsport 7, it was actually a pretty tough choice. As it stands, Forza Motorsport does have a fair amount of issues with players losing career progress and frequent crashes, and compared to Forza Motorsport 7, it definitely lacks track variety. However, Turn 10’s latest is still an excellent game, and it's available through Xbox Game Pass and on the Microsoft Store, unlike Forza Motorsport 7. As we noted in our Forza Motorsport review, we really enjoyed the new “Car-PG” progression system, the feel and physics of the cars, and the online racing with its new safety rating system.

• Release date: September 14, 2023
• Developer: Ubisoft Ivory Tower
• On Game Pass? No

If you’re looking for something very similar to Forza Horizon 5, The Crew Motorfest has got your back. Set on the sun-soaked open-world island of O’ahu, Hawaii, you will compete in high-speed street races one minute before hurtling down the side of a volcano in an off-road machine the next. The Crew Motorfest offers loads of activities and a variety of races, and with over 600 different vehicles to choose from, you never get bored trying to master and collect them all.

• Release date: June 21, 2019
• Developer: Naughty Dog, Beenox
• On Game Pass? No

With a huge graphical overhaul, track updates, and some much-needed control tweaks, Activision has not only one of the best remasters on its hands with Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled but also probably the best kart racer outside of Mario Kart. Aside from the rich multiplayer and that excellent power slide mechanic, what we really love about CTR: Nitro-Fueled is its difficulty — you have to be good, especially if you want to play online; otherwise, you will get left in the dust. However, if you can master its intricacies and memorize its tracks, you’ll be grabbing podium finishes and posting personal best lap times with no trouble at all.

• Release date: June 23, 2020
• Developer: Kunos Simulazioni
• On Game Pass? No

Let's talk pure sim goodness, shall we? Assetto Corsa Competizione makes the list with its excellent GT endurance experience that should probably only be delved into by those with a steering wheel, pedals, and an understanding that you need to brake before hitting another car online. It's a serious place, but it's also serious fun if you’re looking for something on the top end of the sim racing spectrum. Simulated tire grip, aerodynamics, suspension models, vehicle balance, and engine parameters all play a part in Assetto Corsa Competizione, making it one of the most realistic racing sims available. Unfortunately, there is one discontinued achievement in Assetto Corsa Competizione, so bear that in mind before starting if that’s an issue.

• Release date: February 26, 2019
• Developer: Codemasters
• On Game Pass? Yes via Game Pass Ultimate with EA Play

While there have been newer entries into the Dirt franchise, Dirt Rally 2.0 is still one of the best, more serious, rally racing games out there. This gives you a proper muddy and grimy road through the great outdoors. This game is tough, and while you can tone down the AI to make things easier, it’s really on you to hit every corner with speed and precision while trying to hold your car on the track. Dirt Rally 2.0 offers a good selection of hand-crafted tracks, some interesting cars, and features such as track surface degradation, which means it still holds up today.

• Release date: March 16, 2018
• Developer: Criterion Games, Stellar Entertainment
• On Game Pass? Yes via Game Pass Ultimate with EA Play

Criterion’s excellent Burnout Paradise was remastered in 2018, bringing one of the best open-world arcade-driving games screeching into the modern console era. Paradise City provides the ultimate driving playground, giving you plenty of opportunities to put your foot down and speed through city streets, weave through oncoming traffic, fly over huge jumps, and then ruin it all by crashing your car so badly it folds up into a jagged ball of metal and car parts. Burnout Paradise Remastered is an absolute classic and a real celebration of arcade racing — it’s also got a fantastic soundtrack.

• Release date: November 9, 2021
• Developer: Playground Games
• On Game Pass? Yes

With a vast, colorful open world, hundreds of cars, and a wide range of races and activities — Forza Horizon 5 has got it all. Although Playground hasn’t deviated far from the winning formula it found with Forza Horizon 4, there is still enough new stuff here to keep players satiated. Aside from the gorgeous and lovingly crafted open world of Mexico that’s begging to be explored, the new accolades system will keep completionists going for hundreds of hours, as well as the good variety of stories, PR stunts, and races. Playground has also released two pretty interesting DLC expansions — Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure — which bring even more varied gameplay options to the mix.