Whether flying a podracer through Tatooine or rushing through space with zero g: These 8 futuristic racing games definitely take you to another dimension.
Photo credit: 3DClouds
When thinking of racing games, most people immediately create an image in their mind of fast cars on asphalt. But racing can be so much more – and we’re not just talking about rally here. The room for creativity is endless, which can be seen in all the different settings that racing games exist in. There’s one setting, though, that seems to have conquered the hearts of all kinds of gamers: The future.
With the release of Cyberpunk 2077, the genre seems to have gained even more popularity. While you can compete in street races and spend endless hours driving around in Cyberpunk 2077, it’s technically not a racing game. But in case you want to explore racing in the future even further, here are 8 futuristic racing games.
Please note that this article only focuses on games that were released in the past few years and not on the old-school gems from the 90s.
Star Wars Episode I: Racer
Star Wars Episode I: Racer was the childhood favourite of many. As the name suggests, the game allows you to be as cool as Anakin Skywalker and lets you fly around Tatooine in podracers. It features all racers and race courses of The Phantom Menace and even added several new ones. You can play by yourself or with others, depending on the platform. While the game was technically released in 1999, it has recently received an HD re-release for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.
PACER
Released in October 2020, PACER offers a special kind of setting. You’re not just racing around in an anti-gravity environment. You also need to fight your opponent with different weapons, that you’re able to customise yourself. If racing against the AI is not enough, you can emerge in the multiplayer mode where you can fight up to 9 other players in 7 different game modes. PACER is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam.
GRIP: Combat Racing
GRIP describes itself as a “high octane, hardcore combat racer”. Similar to PACER, it combines high speed racing with heavy weapons. Inspired by classics such as Wipeout, GRIP offers a refreshing alternative to common racing games. It’s available on Steam as well as PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
V-Racer Hoverbike
If four-wheelers aren’t your thing, you should have a closer look at V-Racer Hoverbike. What makes the game unique is the fact that it has been developed for VR and thus creates an immersive experience like few other racing games do. V-Racer allows you not only to compete with online ghosts of your friends in time trial, but also offers a singleplayer-mode as well as a local party mode. It’s available on Steam and compatible with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
Xenon Racer
Set in 2030 with an epic backstory, Xenon Racer lets you explore future versions of Tokyo, Dubai and different cities in various cars. While the game is mostly single-player focused, it also offers several multiplayer options such as split-screen and online multiplayer. Additionally, it is also compatible with various steering wheels from brands such as Logitech, Fanatec and Thrustmaster. The game is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch as well as PlayStation 4.
Antigraviator
As the name suggests, Antigraviator is another fast anti-gravity racing game that impresses with a cyberpunk-esqué neon art style. It features traps, power-ups and several other features that help you claim a race win. Antigraviator offers a single player campaign as well as a local split-screen for up to 4 players and an online-multiplayer mode, which even features leaderboards. You can play the game on Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One.
Lightfield
Describing Lightfield in a single sentence wouldn’t do the game justice as it’s not just a futuristic racing game. It’s a creative parkour-style racing game that throws you into its neon world with a funky electronic soundtrack. While you can explore the game by yourself, it also offers a local multiplayer as well as an online option. It’s available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and on Steam.
Z-Race
Z-Race is a VR arcade racer set in a sleek futuristic environment. The developer XOCUS has the mission to make Z-Race “the most comfortable VR racing game ever” and thus continues to evolve the game every day. It mostly focusses on the single player experience but also offers an asynchronous global multiplayer. A head-to-head-mode with up to 7 other races is in development as well. It’s only available on Steam.
Which other great futuristic racing games do you enjoy? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!