Going fast is a primal desire. The thrill of the race, the wind in your hair, the crunch of a successful shift, and the screech of wailing tires around a bend, when it works, it's magical. So whether you are beelining it down Paradise City in a beat-up muscle car, throwing a red shell at Yoshi in Mario Kart, or carefully positioning yourself for the ideal line in Gran Turismo, there is a racer for you.
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The PS5 has been out for a while, and racing games are flooding Sony's big white box. This list will only cover games with PS5-specific versions, so there are no backward-compatible titles. Instead, these are brand-spanking-new tires for a brand-spanking-new machine. And they are the Best Racing Games For The PS5!
Updated May 11, 2023 by Quinton O'Connor: While we haven't made many changes to the list itself, we've rearranged numerous entries to better reflect our personal rankings. That said, if a game's on this list, we think it is a good time at minimum. No wrong answers here!
13 Destruction Allstars
There's a lack of kart racers on the PS5, which is a crying shame. Sure Mario Kart has the monopoly on the subgenre, but this is a Sony rig, and Mario ain't "Yahoo'ing" onto it any time soon. Although Destruction Allstars isn't a kart racer by any stretch of the imagination, it conveys a similar feeling thanks to its focus on frantic action, hectic gameplay, and multiplayer mayhem. It even looks fancy with crisp, clean visuals and a lightly stylized art direction.
You pick a racer, jump into a large dome, and book it toward the nearest set of wheels. The aim of the game is to wreck everyone who gets in your way, using unique abilities, unique cars, and natural-born talent.
It's a fun romp that isn't perfect but is more than willing to offer you a good time. Being a PS5 exclusive, it takes advantage of the Dualsense, with the adaptive triggers highlighting the controls. Destruction Allstars' competitive edge and one-of-a-kind style make it one of the best PS5 racing games for those looking for a new experience.
12 GRID Legends
GRID has always been a series focused on providing just the right balance of arcade fun and simulation depth. It casts its net wide and rakes in players time after time. It doesn't matter what kind of racer you like; GRID Legends will almost certainly appeal to you on some level.
Rolling up to the grid with over 100 cars and tracks, there is plenty of meat to sink your teeth into. Throw in circuits from around the world, on track and off, and you have a rounded package few games can hope to match.
11 Hot Wheels Unleashed
Sometimes the best PS5 racing games stray from realism. One example is Hot Wheels Unleashed, an arcade racer that combines Need For Speed-like mechanics with outrageous toybox raceways! Any driver who takes on this game will revel in its physics-defying tracks and outrageous obstacles. (Including giant spider webs. Ewwww.)
One of the most excellent parts of Hot Wheels Unleashed is its vast assortment of autos, all based on real toy cars. In addition, the game's several DLC packs add esteemed classic cars and fun crossover additions. For instance, some of our DLC favorites include Ryu and Chun-Li's Street Fighter 5 series cars!
10 MotoGP 21
Most racing games have you operate powerful motors carefully attached to four wheels. This is fine if you like riding in cars and gripping the steering wheel. It's less ok if you are a bicycle-bound motorized horse fanatic. This is where MotoGP 21 comes in. You will not see a single controllable car when playing MotoGP, and that's a good thing. Two wheels, oodles of riders, this season's championship ruleset, and more leaning than that one tower in Pisa. A motorcycle junkie's dream.
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This game is for you if you like bikes with tremendous stonking engines and sleek frames. It's been optimized for the PS5 with cutting-edge graphics and liberal use of the Dualsense controller's various functions letting you feel each bend as you gingerly brush your knee against the tarmac. It even comes with beginner-friendly options and modes, making it super accessible. The only thing missing from MotoGP 21 is a narrative component to really tie the package together.
9 Wreckfest
Wreckfest had a tragic life on the PS4. It mainly flew under the radar, so just about everyone ignored it. It even dared to rock a less-than-desirable framerate, making it a little bit unpleasant to play. A real shame since smashing drivers into walls and driving ramshackle rides is just a recipe for fun. Thankfully Wreckfest has had a second chance at life on the PS5 with bumped-up visuals and improved frames. There has never been a better time to dive in.
Diving in is something you absolutely should do, as Wreckfest is a fantastic mix of high-speed racing, crunching steel, and arcade goodness. Whether you are grinding the AI against barriers, battering your mates into submission, or rubbing yourself against a stranger around a bend online, Wreckfest feels fantastic to play. Mind you, the Dualsense is underused here, and some of the tracks are a bit lifeless, but if destruction is your cup of tea, then Wreckfest is the best PS5 racing game.
8 F1 2021
There is nothing quite like F1. Many motorsports fall into a similar category, but let's be honest, F1 reigns supreme - and has for decades. Thankfully the sport's foray into gaming has been a roaring success. Each entry has more or less built on the last in objectively fantastic ways, and F1 2021 is by far the best iteration the series has ever had. Moreover, this is a racer for everyone - not just fans of the sport.
Plonking your bottom 1" from the ground and blitzing around some of the best real-world tracks ever conceived is an absolute joy. The sense of speed is unmatched, and the level of precision and control can only be described as perfect. The game even comes with a story to drive everything forward at a decent nick, and, what's more, it comes with hods of accessibility options.
7 Moto GP 2022
Moto GP 2022 keeps many of the same complex mechanics, making it the most accurate PS5 bike racing game. Still, this sequel adds several helpful tools for beginners looking to burn rubber. This time, the game features extensive tutorials that teach basic and advanced techniques. Plus, there are custom controller mapping options and gameplay handicaps that will help new racers wean into MotoGP 22's intricate yet rewarding experience.
Another huge improvement in this sequel is a meaty story campaign that chronicles the historic MotoGP 2009 Championships events. This mode, which combines documentary story-telling with in-game missions, provides one of the most enticing throughlines for the series to date! Alongside its 2021 prequel, MotoGP 2022 is the best PS5 racing game for bike racing fanatics.
6 Super Impossible Road
Super Impossible Road's tagline is "winning is cheating," which tells you everything you must know. In this souped-up marble racer, players control a futuristic metallic ball and maneuver it down steep, winding roads in hectic races to the bottom. Finding useful shortcuts without falling into space orbit is the key to winning these races.
This gem is one of the best indie PS5 racing games. While its concept is straightforward, SIR's challenging missions and short race times keep the game fresh and fun. Plus, at a lower price point, you won't have difficulty convincing your friends to pick up a copy and join you online!
5 Dirt 5
Since Dirt first rolled around in 2007, it has been one of the go-to rally racers on the market. Always sporting cutting-edge visuals, handling, and even menus, the series has dominated the subgenre for over a decade. However, Dirt 5 on PS5 is possibly the best version of the best game the series has ever produced. Coming with a bunch of graphical options and settings, such as Ray Tracing and a 120FPS performance mode, DIrt has never looked or run better.
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Dirt has finally transitioned into a complete arcade racer. This might not tickle your fancy if you are looking for something a bit heavier. However, those who are into it are in for a treat, as Dirt 5 controls like a dream and offers all manner of modes and things to do. The PS5 version did launch with several game-breaking bugs, but these have (mostly) been patched out.
Oh, and the game is rocking some mighty exemplary Dualsense support which is always a seller when talking about PS5 racers.
4 Need For Speed: Unbound
Here at TheGamer, we got the need, the need for-well, you get the idea. So we had a blast playing the latest, next-gen exclusive title in the Need For Speed series, NFS Unbound. This game combines in-touch street style with out-of-control street swerving, and we're into it.
NFS Unbound runs a similar course to its predecessors, with campaign races followed by cop car chases. However, it all feels brand new on the PS5. The DualSense's haptic feedback gives drifting a new heft, and you can feel gear shifts and road bumps as if you were inside the car. Plus, its combination of colorful cel-shaded visuals with the hyper-realistic cityscape of Lakeshore is a sight to behold.
