What are the best racing games on PS4? It’s a tough question to answer, as there are a lot of options for car connoisseurs on Sony’s super-popular console. No matter what style of racer you enjoy, there are plenty of games you can take for a spin.
Particularly for fans of simulation racing, the PS4 is home to a fine selection of titles. The likes of Gran Turismo 7, DIRT Rally 2.0, and F1 22 are just a handful of the more realistic driving experiences available, and they’re all excellent.
However, that’s not to say there aren’t any arcade racers on PS4. In fact, there are many noteworthy racing games on the console that take a less realistic view. Need for Speed Heat gives you your open world racing fix, while kart racers such as Team Sonic Racing and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled offer more family-friendly high-speed antics.
There are lots of ways to enjoy racing and driving on PS4, in other words. We’re here to pick out the best of the bunch, and this is where you lot come in. All the games featured here are ranked and rated by Push Square readers like you. By finding your favourite racing games and giving them your ratings, you can directly influence how this list looks. Clicking the star icon next to each game will allow you to pick a rating, and you can do the same by visiting individual game pages.
The below search bar will allow you to easily locate PS4 racing games you want to rate:
Note: Games need a minimum of 20 individual ratings to be included in this guide. If a favourite of yours is missing from the page, odds are it just needs more ratings before it shows up.
Below is a list of the best racing games on PS4, as ranked and rated by the Push Square community.
Publisher: Electronic Arts / Developer: Ghost Games
The Need for Speed series has really been through the mill in recent years, and this version was perhaps the most heavily criticised. Lambasted for its egregious reliance on microtransactions, Need for Speed Payback did eventually restructure itself into something better. Unfortunately the damage was already done. It’s a shame, because it’s otherwise a perfectly serviceable arcade racer, and certainly better now than it was in 2017.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Nadeo
The TrackMania franchise has primarily been a PC thing for a long time, so it was great to finally see what all the fuss is about with TrackMania Turbo. This ultra-fast arcade racer is all about completing hundreds of insane tracks as fast as you possibly can, slowly improving your run each time. Various car models and environments change up the gameplay slightly, but the addictive core remains the same. With a robust track editor and numerous ways to play, this is a ludicrously fast racing game for leaderboard-chasers.
Publisher: Electronic Arts / Developer: Ghost Games
Need for Speed: Rivals was the first in the series developed by Ghost Games, which took over from Criterion following Most Wanted. It builds on that idea of an open world racer by seamlessly integrating online multiplayer, populating the game with a handful of other players. Playing as either cops or racers, both sides have various challenges and events to compete in. As long as the online aspect is working well, this is a fun time.
Publisher: SEGA / Developer: Sumo Digital
The PS4 hasn’t had many good arcade racers throughout its lifespan, so the arrival of Team Sonic Racing is a pleasant surprise. Like Onrush, this kart racer puts an emphasis on teamwork, but it keeps the cooperation locked to regular races. The collaborative aspects are pretty successful, and even if you don’t like the idea, you can play the game as a standard kart racer too. It’s not the most fleshed out racing game on PS4, but the on-track action is undeniably a lot of fun.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ivory Tower
The Crew was a super ambitious racing game at the time. Set in an open world recreation of the entire United States, it’s a massively multiplayer racer that lets you take on myriad events and trials in a wide selection of cars. It’s now been surpassed by its sequel, but this game really laid down some solid groundwork for a modern, connected experience.