Best Racing Games On PS Plus

Sony's PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium try to cover most genres, and racing games are naturally not an exception. Compared to some other categories like RPGs, racers are not as plentiful nor are new games added as frequently; however, the service still has a respectable selection of projects that cover a few different styles. There are both arcade and sim racers, along with a few niche titles that focus on other aspects of driving.

Arguably, PS Plus does not have enough racing games to justify a yearly subscription solely for them. Therefore, if the genre's availability plays a part in somebody's decision to invest, they should mostly regard them as one part of the overall puzzle. Still, the best PS Plus racing games are pretty great.

Updated January 4, 2025 by Mark Sammut: While a bit early, PS Plus Essential's upcoming January 2025 lineup includes a pretty great racing game.

1 Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered (PS Plus Essential For January 2025)

Sprucing Up A 2010 Classic

The PS Plus Essential lineup for January 2025 is something of a mixed bag, with the headline act being quite divisive. While Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League might not be to everyone's tastes, the selection's other two games are fairly easy to recommend. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is the month's highlight and just an all-around great one-of-a-kind game. While technically a remaster/remake of the 2013 original, Ultra Deluxe shakes things up quite a bit, offering new content and ideas.

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered does not offer quite as extensive of a reimagining as Ultra Deluxe, instead opting to take the 2010 original and heighten the visuals a bit. There are a few other changes and additions, but the 2020 version is still ultimately the same game as its predecessor, which is not a bad thing. Criterion's first Need for Speed game is still an absolute blast to play, delivering fast-paced action and a stripped-down structure that simply allows players to get to the meat of things without many distractions.

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Hot Pursuit lets players step behind the wheels of racing cars or cop cars, enabling them to experience Hollywood-style chases from both perspectives. While not having much of a story, the gameplay is tight and accessible, making this title the perfect option to throw on when somebody just feels like completing a few races. It is also possible to just drive across the map in free roam, although the world does not have much going on.

2 Wipeout Omega Collection

Awesome Fast-Paced Futuristic Racing Games

Wipeout Omega Collection contains remasters of the PS3's Wipeout HD and the PS Vita's Wipeout 2048, both of which are great futuristic racers. Over the last decade, Studio Liverpool's franchise has been mainly dormant, and that does not appear set to change soon. In the meantime, PS Plus Premium subscribers can at least experience two of the license's highest points.

Offering a stylish presentation and challenging gameplay, Wipeout Omega Collection is the perfect game to throw on for a few quick races. Although it has an arcade feel, the package is not lacking in depth and offers a decent challenge. The collection is also not lacking in content, with all three including projects containing plenty of tracks and cars. Wipeout used to be a staple of the PlayStation brand, and while it has seemingly fallen out of favor with Sony, this compilation at least keeps it alive on PS Plus.

3 MotorStorm: Apocalypse

Over-The-Top Arcade Racer Set Within A Crumbling World

From 2006 to 2012, Sony published five Motorstorm games, seemingly setting the license up to be a PlayStation cornerstone moving forward. Then, the franchise just died. Though never reaching the heights of Need for Speed or Forza, Motorstorm is relatively consistent, with each game building on the one that came before it.

Motorstorm: Apocalypse drops players in a world that is falling apart around them, setting races amid decrepit and crumbling buildings. Even if it is not the most precise or complex racing game on PS Plus, Apocalypse is quite the spectacle, making for a thrilling ride with very few dull moments. Beyond that, the controls are accessible, responsive, and just plain fun, at least for players craving an arcade title.

4 Split/Second

PS3 Arcade Racer That Has Aged Well

As can be said for several Black Rock Studio games, Split/Second is awesome and underrated. This arcade racer casts players as stunt drivers in a reality TV show, and the goal is to blow up everything while dashing toward the finish line. Unapologetically ludicrous, the game embraces its absurd premise with vigor and style.

As fun as the over-the-top shenanigans are, Split/Second also does not ignore its fundamentals. At its core, this arcade racer controls very well, delivering an accessible experience filled with mayhem and excitement. While racing games are and will likely always be fairly common, Split/Second is a one-of-a-kind.

5 Trials Rising

Less About Speed, More About Control

Ubisoft's Trials series has been going on for a while, and the 2019 entry is among the franchise's best. Trials Rising challenges players to complete absurd courses filled with physics-defying stunts. While the game loves to inject a dash of silliness into proceedings, its wacky presentation is combined with precise and satisfying gameplay that comes with a reasonably steep learning curve.

Trials Rising is a creative racer that goes out of its way to surprise players. Newcomers to the franchise might initially struggle to come to grips with the game's controls, but when things finally click, RedLynx's title starts to shine.

6 Jak X: Combat Racing

Naughty Dog's Underappreciated Vehicular Combat Game

Jak X: Combat Racing

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Released

October 18, 2005

Developer(s)

Naughty Dog

PS Plus Availability

Premium

Platform(s)

PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4

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Naughty Dog's Jak X: Combat Racing tends to be overshadowed by the studio's other kart racer, which is a shame as the PS2 title is nearly as great as Crash Team Racing. Along with exhibition and multiplayer modes, Jak X has a single-player campaign that casts players as the franchise's heroes in a competition consisting of four cups.

While a kart racer, Jak X places a heavier emphasis on vehicular combat than most of the sub-genre's representatives, and Naughty Dog even goes as far as to give health bars to cars. The adventure mode is a blast and consistently rewards players with new unlockables, even if it only features a single character. Like CTR, Jak X shines the brightest in multiplayer; however, also like CTR, the PS2 title is also a great pick for solo play, which will probably be most people's experience in this day and age.

7 Riders Republic

Master Multiple Extreme Sports In A Gorgeous Open-World

Ubisoft's Riders Republic is an extreme sports game set in a beautiful and diverse open-world. An online-focused experience, the title launched with a few extreme sports for players to specialize in, and Ubisoft has continued to add activities post-launch. Be it snowboarding, bikes, or wingsuits, the sports control fairly differently from each other, which extends the game's replayability.

Riders Republic did not get too much attention at launch, and it has faded from the public's consciousness over the last year. Nevertheless, the game's fundamentals are strong, and they are backed by a good range of content. Ubisoft has kept the project alive too, releasing seasons and even new sports to keep players engaged. While the multiplayer portion will likely be the main attraction for most people, Riders Republic's single-player is pretty good, offering a lot of events that highlight each of the included sports. Even though players can just focus on their preferred activity, they will need to engage in all of them to unlock the full map.

8 Hotshot Racing

Short But Sweet Indie Racer

A throwback to classic arcade racers like Virtua Racing and Daytona USA, Hotshot Racing wears its inspiration proudly on its hood. Utilizing a vibrant, blocky art style that just screams '90s arcades, this charming racer features eight drivers and more than 30 unlicensed vehicles that pay (obvious) homage to recognizable cars.

In terms of its actual racing mechanics, Hotshot Racing drives like a dream. The cars are responsive and weighty, and their stats do impact the way they feel. Similar to its inspirations, Hotshot Racing is not particularly overflowing with content, and players can experience almost everything the game has to offer within a few hours.

9 Ridge Racer 2

PSP Representative Of An Iconic PlayStation Franchise

Ridge Racer 2

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Released

September 14, 2006

Developer(s)

Namco Bandai

PS Plus Availability

Premium

Platform(s)

PSP

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Up until the PS3 era, Ridge Racer was a staple of Sony's PlayStation launch lineups. The franchise's games often acted as showcases of a console's hardware, all the while being very good arcade racers in their own right. The PSP kept up this trend with Ridge Racer, which is still among the highest-rated games on the console. The 2006 sequel is not quite as decorated, but that primarily comes down to a lack of notable additions and improvements rather than a decline in quality.

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That's not to say Ridge Racer 2 has nothing new to offer, just that the additions come in the form of tracks rather than mechanics. Consequently, this release can feel like a glorified expansion rather than a proper sequel. As valid as these criticisms are, they are not that relevant in this day and age, particularly for PS Plus Premium subscribers. If only one of these two titles could be added to the service, the 2006 entry was the right game to highlight.

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