Halx

I've not been really big into racing games, but lately, I've gotten into Need For Speed 2. I like it 'cause of the cars, the great courses, and running cops into obstacles never gets old.

Other games I tried.. Midnight Club 2 was fun, but HARD, so I never got more than halfway done. Gran Turismo 3 was.. err.. I dunno, earning only 1000 credits per race never inspired me to go very far into the game.

What's your favorite racing game and WHY

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Fenton-J-Cool

Gran Turismo 2. It pulled me the hell in, and I couldn't get out. This was like.. oh, six months ago -_-
You could say I'm a little behind...

Also, Need for Speed Underground. I'm into modifying cars (albeit not imports, but I takes what I can gets). That had me hooked hardcore.

FUCKS WITH YOUR FUCKING HEAD WARNING:
As you may or may not know, NFSU absolutely... well, fucks with your fucking head. There is no other way to put it. You would be on the last lap of a 15-minute, 6-lap circuit, and you would hit an invisible wall. Dead stopped. Or inexplicably lose control and hit one of the thousands of |/ shaped islands and shit. Dead stopped.

FUCK! It's boiling my blood just thinking about it. Think I'll go play it.

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Destrox

NFSU if you can take the "Holy fuck I want to bust my controller out of anger" levels it gives you.

NFS3 for coolness (Hot Persuit 2 was *ok*)

ANY of the carmageddon series if you are not totally into racing, but still wanna have a bash all fun time

and for realism, GT2 as previously stated. That game wasted more of my life then any other racing game COMBINED.

For me, its not about pretty graphics, but sheer quality.

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Slayer

I love the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series.

Don't feel like writing so heres copy and paste review by DaveSev.

TXR3 is a highway racing game. You start off with a small amount of credits and buy a weak car, race rivals to win money, and buy new cars or upgrade the one you've got. There are over 600 rivals in all. 200 miles of highway and all of it is modeled after real-life highway in Japan.

After you bought a car, you're placed on a highway with cars and other rivals. To race someone, you get behind a rival, and flash your highbeams. A countdown takes place, and you're off.

Unique to the TXR series is the Spirit Meter. You start with a full white bar at the top of the screen. The farther you get ahead of your opponent, the faster his bar decreases (and vie versa). Your bar is also depleted by hitting walls or other cars. The first one to have their bar fully depleted loses- generally, a race lasts anywhere from 40 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on how close it is.

Most of the rivals are in a gang (around 5-10 cars per gang, driving similar cars). Once you beat all the ordinary racers in a gang, you face the gang leader. Beat so many leaders and there is a city leader or three. And the game, for the most part, advances like that. There are also Wanderers, who belong to no gang, and require certain requirements to race (certain mods, time of day, etc). After you've beaten a certain amount of racers, cars and parts are unlocked.

Also the game is only $20.

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MPower

Nascar 2003 is fun to play over a lan or online. Especially after drinking. It is more of a simulator than an arcade racer.

WarWagon

Hot Rod: American Street Drag

Build and race the classics on a drag strip. I love it :-D

MooseMan3000

Midnight Club II. Agreed that it's hard as hell (I never beat it... 80% or so done), but I really enjoyed it. Also, once you get to Paris and get a fast motorcycle, playing online with your friends and seeing who can jump the furthest over the Louvre... ah, beautiful.

I like the Gran Turismo series for realism. Overall I think they're pretty enjoyable.

There was another I enjoyed, though I can't recall the name of it offhand... a rally game, made pretty recently, for X-Box I think. Interesting because the racing is so drastically different from road racing.

Redjake

Racing games are my favorite genre. I'll list my favorite racing games that I played the most:

Gran Turismo 1, 2 & 3 - I played these games to death. The driving realism is perfect. There's something awesome about earning 1000 credits per race (a la Hal) and building your way up to the top. On GT1, I had 1200 days (1200 races for you GT newbs). GT2 I had around 600. GT3 I'm around 67.8% complete with the game, had it since the launch day. Long fucking game. Some of the later races get unbearably hard. I love the perfect sound effects. And of course the graphics I can tear up some Gran Turismo.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - The classic for PS1. I seriously think I had the world record for one of the tracks on that game. I found a website where they had a tournament in Europe for the game, and they had the records put up. On my favorite track, I had the #1 Tournament Winner's laptime beat by .5 seconds....

I played that game SO fucking much. I'm just thinking about how much. And it's incredible. Power sliding like a bitch. One of the best racing games ever made. PERFECT controls, BLAZING graphics (40-50 FPS for a PS1 game was phenomenal), and awesome replay value made this one an instant classic.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 - I beat the "Tournament Cup" mode or whatever (where there is no cops, just racing). Took forever. When you finally get the McLaren F1 at the end, all hell breaks loose. Awesome fun. Didn't get into the Hot Pursuit mode really, even though hitting the Nitrous button in a Caprice Classic was incredibly funny. Almost as good as the original

Need for Speed 2 - I probably played this game more than any other racing game ever. I seriously think I have around 1000+ hours on that file (if you could measure it....judging by my brother's EverQuest account and how much he played it). The graphics were good for its time, and the controls were psycho-twitchy. Meaning you could pull off some crazy moves. The physics engine for crashing was perfect too.

Need for Speed: Underground - I beat it. Took about two weeks of playing everyday, but I finally beat it. Everyone was saying how the game "wasn't as hard as I was describing it." I was thinking, how in the HELL is this game not hard to you guys? Doesn't the AI ram you into the wall on the last lap of a tournament? Doesn't the computer place a U-Haul truck right in front of you on the last curve on the last lap of a 20 minute race?

Found out they were playing it on Easy, I did 75% of the game on Hard. When I got towards the end (and started getting fed up with the game) I started playing it on Medium. Good game though. Good controls.

Mario Kart (all of 'em) - I hate these games. Why? Because a 5 year old can pick it up after you've been playing it for months and beat you because of luck. I hate it. I hate these games with a passion. Not to mention, it can cause some serious feudal rivalries between friends. "You're ganging up on me in Battle mode!" I don't know why girls always say this. I kill EVERYONE in Battle mode. I don't gang up on people. These games just bring out the immaturity of everyone. Except for me, I just win.

Jet Moto - I managed to beat this game as well. AWESOME game. I doubt if anyone even remembers it, but you rode on jet-propelled hover bikes basically. The controls were perfect in this game also, and the soundtrack kicked ass. Tons of atmosphere and style.

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iktoweya

Tokyo Highway Battle - one of my favorites mainly because it was a pioneer to the whole drift concept in racing games. it was actually pretty hard so i never got to beat it

Mario Kart - another one whether it be the first, 64 or double dash they are all fun. my favorite part is making ghosts on the time trials and then trying to beat the ghosts.

Rage Racer - which is not to be confused with ridge racer but they are made from the same company. actually a lot of it is the same. most of the tracks are just backwards from most of the ridge racer tracks. most of the cars look cooler.

Road Rash - all three of them i mean what is cooler than being on a bike amd smacking someone upside the head with a crowbar or a chain.

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cartmen34

Gran Turismo 1,2 and 3. - These games are pure, uncut %100 nirvana for the racing fan. just....simply....awesome.

But I'm also a BIG fan of F1...so I like EA's series of F1 games. (F1 2000 - F1 '99-'02)

and yes, I busted one when GT added F1 cars into the mix. *sighs contently*

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silent_jay

Gran Turismo, nothing tops the original

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LNCPapa

Gran Turismo 3 - give it another chance - you will begin earning more cash soon.

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Peryn

The best racing game of all time died a while back. Motor City Online was singly the BEST game i've ever played. The graphics were great at the time, the racing was almost too realistic at times, and there has never been a game on the market with as much freedom to customize your car and tweak with every setting you want. And your driving experience realistically reflected even the most minor changes you made to your car. Put fatter tires on the back only? Well damn, now your plowing every corner. Bigger brakes in front? Well damn, now your ass tries to pass ya. I absolutely loved this game, and think it would be one helluva money maker if they didn't make it subscription based and online only.

Bought all the NFS (except underground) the other day for like $20. Like 4 races left in both the hot pursuit and championship trees (total) in Hot Pursuit 2 now. Fun little game and i am enjoying it, but having your sports car out maneuvered and slower than a Crown Vic? That kind of unrealism gets old pretty quick.

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Wulf_Hunter

Few favorite's of mine

Daytona USA (coin-op):

Man i wasted SO many quaters on that one. But it was sweet. The arcade I played it at, had it setup to allow more laps than usual. Stock was Beginner 8, Advanced 4, Expert 2. Here it was 20,10,4. If you could make the time gates it would last about 20 minutes. I guess I just liked timing the gears on the last two courses, then drifting(especially on expert) through the turns.That got better when you had someone trying to push for 1st neck and neck.......Man I owned that game LOL.

Viper Racing PC....

What's not to love. Racing vipers, and being able to add some mods. Then Paint it how you desired. Driving Physics were tough also. Cool views also, one you could have a suspension and tire/brake view, which allowed you to see the Suspension working, When you hit the brakes you would see the brakes glow redhot. Sounded damn nice also. Great courses also.

Sports Car GT:

I'm a fan of Lemans, and the American Lemans series. So this game was as close as I could get to it. There were so many/cars/ tracks/ sound mods. It kept me happy for a long time. It was a more realistic racing game. So you really had to learn the racing lines, if you wanted good times.

F1 2002-- GTR 2002 mod.

Obnixously Loud! I can only imagine what it would've sounded like cranked fullblast, with the bass cranked up. Not to sure the neihbors would've been to keen on that though. Also another realisitic racer.....Need to get this one installed again.

Il-2 Air Racing

Live Internet air racing.....With a very though crowd to beat......On one of the best WW2 flight Sims on the market

hulk

What? Nobody mention Burnout 2: Point of Impact? Quite simply the most fun racer myself and everyone I knew has ever played. Pure arcade action, the handling is the sweetest you'll come across and the gameplay is awesomely intense. One of the few sequels that improved on the original, and there's a third in the works.

Crash mode is quite simply the most awesome thing ever made in any racing game ever.

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Fenton-J-Cool

I beta tested it, and played it religiously after its debut. I almost drowned myself in the lake when they shut it down.

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strife

I'm with Gran Turismo. 3 is my favorite, awesome graphics, awesome controls, awesome sounds. And I just lost my memory card with 55% completed. RAWR!!!!!!!


And I had Jet Moto2 for PS1 which was a great game as well. Jet Moto was definately bad ass at the time.

NFSU: Fun, but ehhhh...I mean, it's a good game, I just didn't really care for it.

Project Gotham Racing (1&2):
Both decent games, although they use a kudos which awards points for more slides, passes, two wheels, air time...etc. The only problem is, to advance and get better cars you have to get more kudos points. Trying to drift around every curve slows you down, and the computer will pass you. But if you drive correctly, 1st place doesn't award enough kudos points to get the Gold medal for the race. Regardless, I picked up the first one for 16 bucks, I play it quite a bit. AND you can rip cds to the xbox hd and use your own soundtrack in game. Which I have to say is an increasing plus for all xbox games that allow that. I get upset when I can't use my own soundtrack anymore.

Sega GT 2002 (XBOX)
Now, this game isn't the greatest, but its fun. The best part about it: You can pick it for around $6-7 at Gamestop. Why? Becuase back in the day all xboxs' came with Sega GT 2002 and Jet Set radio future. Well, when you trade games in you can get credits/cash whatever, a bunch of people decided to do that. So it drove the price from $20 (for the platinum hit) to $6 for the Sega GT 2002/Jet Set Radio Future. Two games for six bucks...Not bad if you ask me.

Ooh Ooh, before I forget, if you like motorcycles, get MotoGP3 (if for XBOX it has LIVE support, ps2 doesn't.) Great game.

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Nancy

Mario Go Kart. I really liked the one-one-one deatch matches

I'm kinda thinking about buying a supernintendo again, just so I'll be able to play that particular game again

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jay-g

I do like Grand Turismo 3. Especially once you get a formula one cars, those things handle like no other. But another good racing game, a oldy but goody, is Super Off-Road. Its for the SNES. You gotta love the nitrous boosters.

viper11885

Mine is Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed. It had a perfect gameplay and graphics were great as well. I loved the Career mode as you learn a lot about Porsche's history. Great game and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes I want to play it again but it doesn't run well with XP. It'll be awesome if there was a Ferrari Unleashed . Every other game EA released after Porsche Unleashed has gone downhill. Missing a lot of features and adopted an arcade style gameplay which I really didn't like.

Another game that I think is cool is Gran Turismo 3. Don't have it but played it at a friend's house. I love how diverse the car selection is. There are so many cars to choose from and that alone is a blast to rip up each track. Didn't spend a lot of time playing it though, but I really liked what I have seen so far.

MPower

Yes. Awesome. I cant wait till the Komet is patched so you can ground-launch.

Speed_Gibson

Orginal Gran Turismo. Only version I played of the series ; actually the PS1 was the last console I have touched aside from the Atari 7800 and 8-bit NES.
My ultimate fave would be Pole Position on the Atari 7800.
edit: would have to add Carmageddon 2 to that list for the PC.

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In_Stereo

at times it seems i'm the only one, but i really liked Star Wars Podracing game for the N64. the first bunch of levels were insanely easy, but the last few tracks had me going for days on end.
Oh yeah, and F-Zero. that game was classic. super fast sci-fi racing at its best.

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zero2

Need for speed Underground, and Outrun for the Sega Master System.

bundy

i've got to put my vote in for Gran Turismo 3.
loved this game for a long while (until i got Grand Theft Auto 3 anyway...)

can't wait for the next installment.

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Infernal

I love the Tokyo Highway Battle series. I think its called Tokyo Xtreme Racer in the US.

Nihilation

I'm suprised nobody mentioned SegaGT2002 for Xbox. I used to play Gran Torismo(1 & 3) all the time, but lately its been SegaGT2002.

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Reese

Gran Turismo 3 is my favorite Racing game. I spent hours tweaking my cars performance and had cars made specifically for 1 track. The rally tracks were my favorites.

Second favorite racing game is ATV offroad Fury.

I remember Super offroad. That game was really badass. We spent hours and hours playing that.

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jwoody

I love EA's Formula 1 series for thrills and tweakability. Nothing else comes close.

Gran Turismo is good for the quantity and realism of the cars but it feels really slow and unresponsive after playing F1. I'll still be first in the queue for Gran Turismo 4 though.

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Redjake

Forgot about that. One of the best racing games ever made, in my opinion. Rivals any of the Need for Speeds. PERFECT physics in that game (and a kick ass soundtrack to boot)

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Lasereth

I forgot about ATV Offroad Fury as well. That game is awesome! I love the physics engine. I'm waiting for the second one to go down in price.

-Lasereth

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Shady

I loved NFSU. i couldn't put the controller down. i had win more races just to get that next mod. it was addicting. i also thought the drag racing was pretty well done. didn't really care for the drift races though. i thought it was kinda pointless.


also, never played any of the Burnout games, but i looked at the preview for Burnout 3 on gamespot.com and it looks very promising.

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Redjake

same here. I might have to check it out. they said there is a feature where you can more points depending on how bad of a pileup you can cause. that might make for some fun nights.....

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hulk

Yeah, that's crash mode =D. It's what made Burnout 2 so freaking awesome to play multi, four people taking turns to see who can cause the most mayhem and destruction in one of the prettiest racers around. It was good.

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Dibbler

Burnout 2 is a great game. Since the first game didn't get the best reviews, the second game was a "sleeper" hit.

How about the Driver games. Lots of fun police chases and Driver 3 is about ready to come out. Looks like it's going to be great!!!

Brayl

I'd have to say Gran Turismo 3 is the best I've played. I think Mario Kart Double Dash is excellent as well, especially for multiplayer matches.

Redjake

I would've included Driver in there, but it's not really a racing game. However, I do want to express my feelings for the game nonetheless: One of the best games ever made. The last mission was hard as fucking hell though.

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japhyryder

If they could have done the customizing of GT2 and the graphics of 3 it would have been the perfect racing game. I am just drulling looking for 4

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Esoteric

I'd have to say NFSU atm, waiting for Gran Turismo 4.

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KellyC

Project Gotham.
Nice car, decent handling, smooth graphics, Play ONLINE

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