Racing and driving video games have been around almost as long as the industry itself. They have been a staple ever since the nostalgic '80s and have only evolved as the years go on. With new and better hardware being introduced, racing video games have evolved as well and the demand for realistic driving games has gone up as well.

While there are plenty of fantastic reality-defying driving games, like the one-of-a-kind Burnout Paradise, there are also many great realistic driving games. These titles are for any car and driving game enthusiast looking for a safer alternative to driving at high speeds with little consequence. These games are definitely worth a look.

Updated on October 25, 2023, by Jack Pierik: There's a reason why some professional drivers use driving simulators to keep their reflexes sharp and to practice on one-to-one replicas of real racetracks. Realistic driving simulators have gotten so accurate that, with the right setup, you can reasonably transfer the knowledge you've learned and the skills you’ve gained to the real world.

As time goes on, it's reasonable to expect this subgenre of driving games to continue to improve in accuracy and realism. If you're itching to break out the pedals and that racing wheel, this update brings you three recent, realistic driving simulators to check out.

18 Automobilista 2

Marketing itself specifically as a motorsports simulator, Automobilista 2 provides a robust variety of vehicles to choose from. Whether it's high-performance prototypes and classic Grand Prix cars, to Modern GTs or even racing trucks, there's a lot for you to try out.

This game takes realism seriously; from dynamic weather and track condition systems, all the way down to granular, barometric pressure, wind speed, and temperature modeling, each race is sure to feel challenging and unique. Plus, the devs release regular, monthly updates, ensuring continual improvements, as well as new features, cars, and tracks.

17 Ride 5

While it's suitable for all skill levels, Ride 5 is a great choice if you're looking to try out your first realistic racing simulator. Through AI adjustments, in-game tools, and aids, you can learn and perfect everything from braking and throttle control to cornering, steering, and more.

While you won't be driving any cars, you will have access to one of the most extensive selections of motorbikes that modern racing simulators have to offer. Also, Ride 5 offers a blend of real-world and fictional tracks to race on, so you can find exactly what works for you.

16 Forza Motorsport (2023)

Forza Motorsport has a lot to be desired, such as an updated, cutting-edge physics engine, hundreds of cars to unlock and try out, dynamic driving conditions, photorealistic graphics, a good array of vehicle customization, and 20 tracks to race on. There are, however, some things to keep in mind.

If you don't have a powerful setup, this game might not perform how you'd want it to. Also, the penalty system still has some bugs that need to be ironed out, it takes time to unlock new cars, and if you're not racing online, the AI might feel lackluster to you.

15 Richard Burns Rally

For a game that came out back in 2004, a time when many realistic car games weren't as popular as today, Richard Burns Rally was something different as it went all-in on realism. This game is not for the faint of heart as it is extremely difficult for just how much of an ultra-realistic driving simulator it is.

This makes the game hard to pick up for beginners due to its complexity as cars basically handle how they actually do in real life and the tracks themselves mimic their real-life counterparts to a tee. Though the visuals are not as good as its driving, for those looking for a truly realistic car game, this is worth checking out.

14 iRacing

First released all the way back in 2008 as a subscription-based game, iRacing is still going strong to this day. iRacing was truly ahead of its time when it came to its approach to realistic driving games, which aims to mimic auto racing as close to reality as possible.

Players can only race in a first-person cockpit view, unless allowed to otherwise, and has realistic feedback when it comes to steering, the pedals, and shifting. It does lose a few points for not implementing realistic damage physics or dynamic weather patterns, but iRacing is still worth checking out for any racing sim fan.

13 Need For Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed

While the Need For Speed series may not be as realistic as some of its competitors, the developers opted for a more grounded racing game with Need For Speed: Shift. This formula was perfected in the second game in the sub-series.

The game still looks good even by today's standards. Shift 2 Unleashed features realistic crash physics and a variety of different motorsports to take part in, which in many ways continue to influence the series to some capacity to this day.

12 Forza Motorsport 7

While the Forza series got off to a rocky start on the Xbox One with Motorsport 5, Motorsport 7 managed to fully right the ship for the mainline Forza series as opposed to the equally good but not as realistic Horizon spinoff.

On top of the cars handling smoothly and realistically, the game also includes dynamic weather patterns. Rain, for instance, will make the roads wet and affect how your car handles, while customizable drivers allow you to feel as though you are driving the car yourself.

11 Assetto Corsa Competizione

The most recent entry in this lesser-known sports racing sim enables players to take their love for competitive racing online or against AI drivers in offline modes.

Assetto Corsa Competizione utilizes Unreal Engine 4 to create dynamic tire and aerodynamic physics models that emulate reality as closely as possible. It also accurately creates real-world tracks to provide as close as possible to a recreation of the proper events.

10 Ride 3

Rather than focusing on a realistic car game, Ride 3 instead focuses on a realisitc motorcycle and has often been regarded as "Forza Motorsport with bikes". Ride 3 offers players the chance to drive motorcycles from the 1960s to now.

Customization is off the charts as just about every component of a bike is customizable such as the mechanics and design. While the game does offer realistically recreated roads, it nails the aspect of making the player's bike truly feel like their own as they recreate going on a drive across the world's most wonderous roads.

9 Euro Truck Simulator 2

Instead of racing and competing against other drivers, Euro Truck Simulator 2 instead opts for controlling a truck driver delivering cargo across a smaller depiction of Europe.

The player is free to explore but has to keep a few things in mind, mainly the costs of fuel, maintenance, and tolls. Thankfully, the game offers a variety of different jobs to partake in to build your own European trucking empire.

8 City Car Driving

According to its Steam page, City Car Driving opts to try and create a realistic driving simulator "to help you master the basic skills of car driving". Whatever its purpose, the game does do a great job at what it advertises.

City Car Driving has the usual dynamic weather that affects how you drive but its defining feature is what it dubs as "smart" traffic. Pedestrians are unpredictable and car traffic is much the same, highlighting the need to always keep your eyes on the road, be it in the digital or real worlds.

7 RACE Injection

The final game in the RACE 07 series, Injection ended the series with a bang as it went all-in when creating a realistic car game. The game offers 38 car models across 13 classes to give a little something for everyone.

What is unique about this game though, is how it has various real-life championships that each follow their respective regulations. This not only forces the player to focus on actually driving, but also remembering each championship's regulations or else risk an easy disqualification, just like an actual race car driver.

6 Gran Turismo Sport

The most recent entry of one of PlayStation's longest and most successful franchises, Gran Turismo Sport may not offer as much in terms of tracks and cars when compared to its predecessors. However, it does offer a game with great visuals and realistic driving.

Along with stunning visuals, the game's cars have a realistic feel to how they handle. Gran Turismo Sport also features great online play that has kept it relevant for a number of years.

5 Dirt Rally 2.0

Rather than focusing on the concrete roads that people are normally used to driving on, Dirt Rally 2.0, a spin-off of the main Dirt series, creates realistic off-road rally car racing. A variety of different surfaces are presented, ranging from ice to snow and, of course, dirt.

The game features dynamic seasons on top of weather to make the player prepare for the right kind of terrain to drive on. Damage to the car will affect how it performs and the terrain that you drive on will degrade over time from being driven on constantly. This always keeps the player on their toes and forces them to make every action a careful one.

4 F1 2021

The newest entry to the F1 games is probably the most realistic car game in the series. Players not only need to worry about consistently finishing on the podium but also maintaining their car as well, since the game requires you to focus on all of the car's functions on top of speed.

R&D is in the game to keep track of your vehicle's stats such as the car's engine, chassis, durability, and aerodynamics. At the same time though, other drivers on the F1 circuit will do the same, bringing a dynamic feeling to the game as other drivers are improving as well, something that other realistic driving games lack.

3 Project Cars 2

The second game in the Project Cars series remains the best. It features both road and off-road racing but its best aspect is its approach to creating realistic racing. The developers take it to the next level with its LiveTrack 3.0 system.

This changes the physics of the track with each lap. These include changes to both the weather changing mid-race to affect how the car handles on the track and even its temperature changes to affect the driving. It makes driving on the same track, again and again, all the more unique as these aspects will change it up a bit.

2 RaceRoom

At first, the fact that this is free-to-play may make the game seem as though it is not a realistic driving game at all - but it is actually quite the opposite. This PC exclusive features cars that not only sound just like their real-world counterparts but handle like them as well.

Precisely handling your car is key as even the slightest hiccup could not only cost you the race, but also damage cars in realistic ways. Plus, unlike other games on this list, it is compatible with VR headsets to further immerse the player as a racecar driver.

1 rFactor 2

A racing game so realistic that despite its age, it is used to train both NASCAR and Formula One professional racers as well as car engineers and simulation centers.

Though the game takes some getting used to, few games can quite capture a vehicle's dynamics such as tires getting gradually worn out which can be witnessed first hand necessitating the need to check its durability. That is just one of many things the game does realistically as every part of the car is important in one way. Any true die-hard racing sim fan must check this game out, as it is probably the most ultra-realistic driving simulator on the market today.

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