The racing genre has always been one of the most versatile and diverse offerings in video games. Here we will take a quick look at five of the best racers that the PSN has to offer. This article isn’t exclusive to just PS3 titles, PSV are also covered.
5. Wipeout 2048 (February 2012)
The Wipeout series has been a mainstay in arcades for years. It’s recognised as one of the best and most challenging racing game series to come out and the PSN incarnation is no exception. Expect the standard arcade game forumla: great mechanics and replayability, but little in the way of progression or story.
Real-world driving lessons are useless preparation for a game of Wipeout; the frantic pace, pumping soundtrack and sci-fi setting make it a game in a league of its own. The only way to get good at Wipeout is to play it non-stop.
Rating: 7 out of 10
4. Table Top Tanks (May 2012)
While not exactly a racing game, Table Top Tanks puts the player behind the wheel of a virtual miniature tank to do battle on your dining room table. With the help of the PSVita and a trio of special cards, your table can be transformed into a battleground using the miracle of augmented reality. As long as you keep looking at your PSvita, the illusion of holographic tanks shooting each other and using your salt and pepper set for cover is pretty decent.
You will not get the experience of a high speed racing game, but this unusual tank battle simulator is incredibly entertaining for fans of vehicular combat. You can play with up to four players, allowing you to bring your friends in on the fun and the ability to customize your battlefield by manipulating the real world gives this simple little game surprising longevity. For the price, the game cannot be beat.
Rating: 7 out of 10
3. Motorstorm RC (February 2012)
Motorstorm RC is essentially your typical off-road racing game. You can expect similar mechanics to other off-road games. The cars will handle slightly differently with their light weight, and the racing environments will have some interesting obstacles thanks to everything being enlarged by the small perspective. The RC angle is ultimately an unnecessary gimmick, but the game itself is incredibly solid, and it manages to use the unique setting intelligently.
Rating: 8 out of 10
2. Ridge Racer Unbounded (March 2012)
This game is unusual in that it has turned crashing into a feature. You can destroy elements of the environment by driving straight into them, allowing the clever player to take shortcuts by smashing through obstacles.
The multiplayer mode features a detailed course creator that allows players to take their own turn at designing a track. Allowing users to generate content for a game is a tried and true method of keeping a game fresh for a longer period of time, meaning Unbounded is likely to stick around in the multiplayer scene better than its competitors. Unfortunately, a somewhat thin car customisation capability keeps the game from being at the top of the list.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
1. Need For Speed: The Run (November 2011)
The Need for Speed series has established itself as one of the frontrunners of the modern racing genre, consistently offering games with combinations of solid, semi-realistic racing mechanics and innovative features. The Run is no different, and the big highlight of the game is the focus on courses based on famous roads in the United States. The trend for more simplistic car customisation options shows up again in this NFS game, and it is one of the only factors that keep the game from being a perfect racing simulator.
Rating: 9 out of 10
This collection of games comes with adrenaline-pumping racing action, and most of them cost significantly less than typical games on both consoles and handheld devices. Each is more than worthy of at least a rental, and with the low costs they make great gifts for the gamers you love.