Well aged or hidden gem: There is always something for empty purses on steam.
Photo credit: Steam / Pinterest
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The best PC racing games for under 10 Euros
Everyone who is thirsty for some destruction derby action will always find a home in Flatout 2. Despite being released in 2006, the game doesn't seem to age. Apart from its old textures and low resolution, Flatout's damage model and simple but challenging controls can still be entertaining. Most importantly, the whole gameplay is as fun as ever.
Whether you race it out on different rally tracks or hit the lights in a destruction derby in the multitude of arenas: Flatout is still THE secret gem at any multiplayer party. Soloplayers will also have fun in different modes, such as "Crashtest Dummy Dart". All of that is underlined with one of the greatest licensed soundtracks ever. Given the fact that you are not averse to rock and metal music.
Flatout 2 costs only €9.99 on Steam and shouldn't be missing in any gaming library. Make sure to leave out the original Flatout though. Let alone the horrific Flatout 3: Chaos and Destruction.
Slipstream is one of those games whose essence, its unique x-factor, is hard to explain. In several game modes you drift your way through many different tracks and try to catch the name giving slipstream to get extra boost. Don't let yourself get fooled by the 16-bit optics in the screenshot: It looks quite fascinating in motion, promise! Nevertheless Slipstream is clearly reminiscent of the late 80s and early 90s, when "mode seven" graphics let the gaming world scream in joy. There are some aspects which make the game feel very modern though.
For example the handling: Due to simple controls and very direct feedback, Slipstream feels more precise than any other 16-bit game. Another point are graphics: Despite consisting of sprites, the presentation is set up with many layers and thus creates a remarkably strong depth effect. Combined with constant 60 FPS and catchy, running music Slipstream creates a fascinating and very unique flow. In many game modes you will seamlessly enter another track after finishing the previous, which supports that effect.
The game also supports up to four player splitscreen, even though dividing the screen disturbs the mentioned flow a little. Slipstream costs €8.19 on Steam and is worth every single cent. So if you are looking for a refreshingly different experience in the section of racing games, give this hidden gem a try.
nail'd is your game to play if you're running out of coffee. Those who look for realistic offroad races have chosen the wrong address. nail'd is all about highspeed races on ATVs or motorcross bikes beyond human capacity. On different tracks in several settings like Greece, the Yosemite National Park or Andes Mountains you take on unreal jumps and life-threatening obstacles. Your adrenaline will rise to unbelievable hights while you drive down a 95% steep hill right after being airborne for ten seconds. All that is easy to learn due to the direct arcade-like controls.
nail'd has probably only one true weakness: its content. There are only three modes to play which are basically all races. All tracks are impressive, but there are only a few. So you might have seen everything after a few hours. This was already a little poor at release ten years ago. Back then also a multiplayer was available, but the official servers were shut down in 2012. For only €4.99 you do nothing wrong with buying this game though, as nail'd is always worth a quick round.
To be honest the new Trackmania doesn't belong on this list because it isn't on Steam at the moment. Instead the basic version of the game is free to play and you can get in for PC via Uplay and Epic Games Store. So let's ignore the small part about Steam and just spend some quality arcade racing time in this new iteration of a classic series.
In terms of new content it surely is not a big upgrade compared to its predecessors. Trackmania has switched to a season model with its reboot of Trackmania Nations and adds new tracks quarterly. So over time it will likely become bigger than its predecessors. From a gameplay point of view, it still is an amazingly fun racer that sometimes gives you the feeling of sitting in a rollercoaster and not behind a wheel. At the end of the day you get a highspeed game that requires precision and good reflexes to reach the gold medal or even the top spot in the world rankings.
But if you browse through this gallery and only want games that are available on Steam, because of reasons to imagine, you can alternatively purchase Trackmania Nations Forever for free or Stadium for €9.99 on Valve's gaming platform to have almost the same experience. Typical for Trackmania you can challenge your friends in different multiplayer modes in each one of these games to show who's the fastest of you, despite not sharing the tracks directly with them.
Music Racer does exactly the same what made Audiosurf famous a couple of years ago, just better. You switch lanes on a (selectable) neon light cyberspace highway and collect light-bricks (called "bits" ingame) to the rhythm of your favourite music tracks. While you could import your own local library into Audiosurf, Music Racer lets you search and import music from YouTube videos on the fly as well. Further this game allows you to unlock and customize new cars and roads. On top of that you can challenge a friend in local splitscreen, even using only one keyboard.
If you prefer a more relaxing experience can choose the cinematic mode and just let the psychedelic flow do its own thing while you make yourself comfortable. If you need a new wallpaper, the onboard photograph-mode will just live up to your needs. So basically Music Racer is a perfect game for adjusting your mood in little breaks. It only costs €3.99 on steam and runs on every PC.
Let's stick with psychedelic experiences for a moment. Retrowave is quite similar to Music Racer, but instead of collecting bits to the beat you have to dodge the traffic on an endless highway. Once you hit another car from behind, your run is over. This game notoriously breathes 80s atmosphere, combining neon lights with old television filters and 45-synth wave tracks. There are 12 different tracks to choose which all refer to another theme. Despite reaching quite high speeds, driving down the endless roads creates a very mezmerizing after a short time – literally a relaxing experience, not only for 80s fans.
During a run you earn points to unlock new cars or (mostly cosmetic) tuning options. Be sure that this is everything you will get, though. Four different modes are available (like time trial or speedbomb), but in the end it all comes down to exactly the same gameplay. No multiplayer included. Also the tracks only differ in their looks. Therefore, Retrowave only costs €1.60 and is still in early-access. The game does nothing completely wrong either. So there is no mistake in having a few relaxing rides through another era after an exhausting day of work.
Do you still remember Wave Race? If the last part Wave Race Bluestorm on Nintendo's GameCube has left a deep hole in your heart, Riptide GP: Renegade might just be your game. It was released July 26 in 2016 and is set in a future where most parts of the world are flooded. You follow a very rudimental storyline about revenge and take on different racing events one after another.
Riptide's gameplay refers very much to wave race. You race your opponents on tracks of more or less rough water, or against the clock while passing poles from the right direction. As an extra element you can use ramps to jump and pull of tricks which fill your boost-gauge. If there are no ramps, try to make use of the waves (given there are any).
After each race you recieve money and experience points to level up your character. While you can spend money on upgrades for your jet, XP can be used to learn new tricks which fill your gauge more quickly. Or you activate passive traits like slipstream bonuses. Additional jets and pilots are unlockable as well. Once you are done with all the singleplayer action take on the world in online races or gather with up to three friends to settle things in splitscreen mode. Let the loser pay your next swimming pool visit!
While Riptide won't win a prize for its graphics or presentation of speed, it is still a rocksolid game. If you are waiting for a new jetski game, this one will bring you lots of fun until a new wave race might someday appear. For only €9.99 you can't do anything wrong. So get on your jet and prepare to get wet.
Anarchy, mayhem, Blaze Rush. Get ready for the most chaotic fun racer you might see for a long time. Blaze Rush is a top down racer in the tradition of games like Micro Machines. Steering and acceleration are both controlled by the left stick of your gamepad. Four vehicles drive on circuits on several planets and collect power-ups and weapons to take down their opponents.
You will only find one game mode in wich you unlock new levels by progress. The tasks in levels include not just regular races, but also a version of last-man-standing in which the vehicles have to escape from a giant enemy. By proceeding you also unlock new vehicles which bring along different classes and properties. Small cars are fast, but tricky to steer and more affected by weapons. Tanks are quite the opposite and flying vehicles lack traction, but are able to spin and thus fire backwards.
Blaze Rush is clearly no game for competitive tryhards, because it is just too chaotic and contains a lot of random action. The camera perspective also has its weaknesses, as it almost penalizes players for leading too much. Nevertheless it is a lot of fun, if you can swallow your pride and just want to have a good time. For the price of €9.99 Blaze Rush might contain a little less content. Therefore up to three friends can enter and leave the game anytime by just pressing one button.
When Need for Speed Undercover hit the stores in 2008 it was quite a disappointment. After the famous original Need for Speed: Most Wanted, the game came with even much more modest steering mechanics and very quiet streets. Visually it could not really outplay its predecessor. Jaggies, late appearing objects and tremendous hardware demand were only a few reasons for its lack of success back then.
Besides that NfS Undercover was still a solid game. 12 years later those points are not very important anymore anyway, as nobody has high expectations towards a title that old. It is still the game of the series coming closest to the feeling of the original Most Wanted and is available for €9.99 on Steam. If you are up for a trip through times when cutscenes were recorded with real actors and you could activate bullet time to escape from cops, give NfS Undercover a go. Don't expect a multiplayer mode, though. It was only available online and the servers have been long gone.
If you still want more after playing Music Racer and Retrowave, try out a game that features elements of both. Neon Drive sends you on an eight-level-trip through worlds inspired by the arcade games of the 70s and 80s. You dodge obstacles to the rythm of music and enjoy the beautiful aesthetics. Neon Drive is a little more modern than Music Racer and Retrowave and doesn't restrict itself to car driving. In some levels the perspective switches, you become a transformer solving a jump 'n' run passage or even steer a combat jet shooting and dodging asteroids.
If you ask yourself: "Why should I even look at the other games if this is so much cooler?" Be sure, Neon Drive has its weeknesses, too. Every level has its own signature music track which can't be changed. So you will only get to know eight levels with eight songs and there won't be anything to do for you after you have finished them. Given the fact that Neon Drive costs €9.99 on Steam, you will have to consider if you might get more for your money with one of the other games. In case your are looking for a short, but truly fascinating experience: Neon Drive it is.
MX Nitro: Unleashed was released in 2017 and could be perfectly described as the little brother of Trials. In its core it is exactly the same. You race from left to right and balance your bike while pulling off crazy stunts ignoring more or less realistic physics. In comparison to Trials this game is more focused on earning boosts with stunts and using it properly. MX Nitro is much more forgiving than its big brother and thus way easier to learn and master.
This can also be frustrating sometimes, as progress is often more a question of having the right bike unlocked instead of showing skill. Nevertheless for the price of €8.19 on Steam you get a quite quirky and fun motocross game. It will lighten up your heart with gigantic jumps, over 55 tricks from wheeley to unreal somersaults and 40 different tracks around the world. You can also drive against other players or take on synchro-competitions where you try to pull off your moves synchronized.
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