7 best racing games for beginners

The advancement of racing games equipment, as well as the increased professionalism of esports can be off-putting to newer gamers. While those two points are true, that's far from the case for all games. Some have gone the other way and are more accessible than ever before.

These are our seven picks for racing titles that gamers to cut their teeth in!

1 - CarX Drift Racing Online

Racing isn't all about speed, and style definitely comes into play with drifting. CarX Drift Racing Online is the best drifter game out there bar none and it's very accessible to new players. CarX teaches you excellent car control and is a blast at the same time too.

It's also available on both home console and mobile devices too, meaning you play at home or on the go. With regular updates and expansions for CarX being released as well, this is one that has a lot of replayability.

2 - Grand Theft Auto V

While Grand Theft Auto V isn't a game that's purely about racing, there are a lot of races to get involved with. It's not just cars and bikes either, boats, aircraft and everything in between are available to race too. GTA V is a fun game to play, especially with friends and the possibilities for circuits are literally limitless.

It's a testament to the quality of the game that it still draws some of the biggest online numbers eight years after its initial release. GTA V will also be coming to PS5 and Series X in March 2022, so it'll get yet another new coat of paint. Plus, remastered GTA Classics are coming this winter as well, so there will be more races there too.

3 - Dirt 5

The names Nolan North and Troy Baker are rightfully held in very high regard by gamers. The pair have carved out a stellar voice acting career in video games and they lended their talents to Dirt 5 last year. Dirt 5's story mode is one of the better ones in racing games and is a good entry point for gamers that are used to more story-driven games.

The Playgrounds feature in Dirt 5 is also one of the best track creators around as well. Like GTA V, this makes the online experience's possibilities endless.

4 - Forza Horizon 4

The main Forza Motorsport sim racing series are great games, but it's the Horizon spin-off series that is best for beginners. Forza Horizon 4 is brilliant and rightly regarded as one of the best racing games ever. The Horizon games are a racing sandbox, where you can explore the environments with your friends.

The setting of Horizon 4 is the United Kingdom and there is a huge variety of environments to explore in this game. If nothing else as well, it's fun to compete in these races and you can definitely hone your skills here. There's good news on the way as well, as Forza Horizon 5 is being released next month too!

5 - Hot Wheels Unleashed

Hot Wheels toy cars were a huge part of our childhood and it's so good to finally have a great Hot Wheels game on console. Hot Wheels Unleashed was released earlier this year by Milestone, a developer usually associated with motorbike games.

The Italian developers adapted themselves very well to this challenge though, as we've had so much fun playing this game. Everything you hope would be in a Hot Wheels game is here and it all makes the game very accessible to new players.

6 - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

While Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a great game, the high price and setup requirements for the game can be off-putting. With that being said, we recommend giving Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a go if you want to start playing Mario Kart.

There's little wonder why MK8 is the best-selling game in the history of Mario Kart either, it's genuinely the best MK ever. The HD graphics on the Switch make MK8 look drop-dead gorgeous, while the gameplay is as fun and entertaining as ever. The 200cc difficulty is genuinely a challenge too, as are the battle modes.

7 - Wreckfest

Another title that is rightfully considered to be one of the best racing games in recent years is Wreckfest. As the name suggests, this game is as much about survival as it is racing. Racing makes up a big part of this one, but crossing the line is more difficult than you'd think.

Wreckfest doesn't take itself too seriously either, which is great for newer players. You can race everything in this game, from tucks and lorries to muscle and sports cars. You can even race sofas, and that's not a typo. Wreckfest is also a good way to gain experience, as you're always kept on your toes throughout.