Best Racing Games on the PS2

Racing Games are one of the things the PlayStation 2 is genuinely for. The ones worth playing start with Burnout 3 Takedown, Gran Turismo 4, Need for Speed Underground 2.

The PS2 and Racing Games

The biggest library in games, and a machine that was in enough houses that nearly anything could be made for it. Its strength is range rather than any single genre.

This is one of its strengths. Character action, third-person adventure and mid-budget Japanese games that would not be greenlit now — Ico, Okami, Katamari Damacy, Shadow of the Colossus.

Filtering to racing means you want the vehicle to be the subject. It is the right filter when what you liked was speed, or handling, or a road worth driving.

The Racing Games Worth Playing

  1. 1. Burnout 3 Takedown

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  2. 2. Gran Turismo 4

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  3. 3. Need for Speed Underground 2

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  4. 4. Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

What Makes a Good Racing Game

A short session that is complete in itself. A race is over in five minutes and you can always take the corner better.

Everything outside the vehicle. Racing games rarely have a story, and the ones that try usually should not have.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best racing game on the PS2?

Burnout 3 Takedown is the usual first answer, and there are 4 in the library we cover.

Was the PS2 good at racing games?

Yes — it is one of the things the machine is known for, and there are 4 in the library we cover.

Arcade or simulation?

Simulation models tyre temperature, fuel and weight transfer and punishes you for ignoring them. Arcade gives you grip, boost and a rewind, and is about flow. Buying the wrong one is where most disappointment comes from.

Do I need a wheel?

For the simulation picks it changes the game completely. For anything arcade it makes almost no difference.

How is this list put together?

From the games this site covers on the PlayStation 2, matched against hand-mapped gameplay categories rather than a storefront's genre tag. A page only exists where there are at least four, which is why some console and genre combinations have no page at all.

Racing Games on Other Consoles

More From the PS2

Or browse the whole PlayStation 2 library.