Want for Velocity is taken into account lifeless, and the arcade racing sport style is in decline. However hope is coming from a not possible nook.
Sorry for the pun, however the racing sport style appears to be fairly caught proper now. Certain, the trade nonetheless has its high canine. Within the simulation sector, Assetto Corsa, Automobilista, iRacing, and others are reaching their hardcore communities, Gran Turismo 7 is fishing within the pond of pastime fanatics, and within the arcade sector, everybody desires to be like Forza Horizon.
The sixth installment, set in Japan, has simply been introduced, The Crew Motorfest has been emulating Microsoft for a yr and a half, and Take a look at Drive Limitless Photo voltaic Crown additionally desires to be like Forza and is due to this fact cruising round in largely damaging Steam score areas.
What I discover so unlucky is that the basic arcade racer is chucking up the sponge. A lot of the present racing video games require an enormous time dedication from me. However generally I simply need to drive cool races like within the good outdated days™️, once I fired up Want for Velocity to finish a number of programs towards picturesque backdrops.
Video games just like the outdated Take a look at Drives or Ridge Racer or—God forbid—Autobahn Raser. After the presumed finish of Want for Velocity, I had already given up hope that these gems would nonetheless get a number of love within the age of service video games and multiplayer hype.
However I used to be unsuitable! Entertaining arcade racers should not solely making a comeback, they’re returning with a bang. Let me introduce you to 3 video games which might be presently making my racing sport coronary heart sing.
1. Tokyo Xtreme Racer
- Launch: September 25, 2025
- Subgenre: Freeway speedster (I simply invented this style)
- Steam Critiques: 94 % optimistic
Nobody on this nation is aware of Tokyo Xtreme Racer, particularly for the reason that sequence was recognized internationally beneath dozens of names. Shutokou Battle, Import Tuner Problem, 首都高バトル – however you don’t want to fret about any of that, as a result of the sequence has been gathering mud for 20 years, however now it’s again for a spectacular revival!
Tokyo Xtreme Racer has a well-deserved 94 % optimistic overview score on Steam, as a result of this racer affords you a gaming expertise you gained’t discover wherever else: you thunder down the Tokyo freeway in strictly Japanese vehicles and problem different speedsters to duels.
Nonetheless, in contrast to different video games, this doesn’t happen on circuits or in dash races the place it’s a must to come first, however the races are freeform
and strictly 1-on-1. You need to get as far forward of your opponent as potential to win the race.
And actually, every of the effectively over 100 rivals has their very own automotive and their very own backstory. Tokyo Xtreme Racer stays extremely accessible: you select a stretch of freeway, race down the asphalt, problem somebody, the race is over in a couple of minutes, you purchase upgrades with the cash, and the enjoyable continues.
Tokyo Xtreme Racer is an arcade racer by way of and thru, uncomplicated, beginner-friendly, and it merely occupies a really recent area of interest: the Japanese road racing scene away from all of the drifting that you just often see in Preliminary D and Quick & Livid 3. Talking of which…
2. JDM: Japanese Drift Grasp
- Launch: Could 21, 2025
- Style: Drift Racer
- Steam Critiques: 74 % optimistic
JDM: Japanese Drift Grasp has lots to be forgiven for. The open-world racer comes from a comparatively small crew, however has extremely massive ambitions. In any case, you drift by way of a complete Japanese open-world panorama full of assorted places. Regardless of varied updates, there are nonetheless many tough edges: the driving physics take some getting used to, the AI of civilian autos is… troublesome, and so forth.
However if you happen to issue that in, you additionally get a singular gaming expertise in return: JDM is all concerning the well-known Japanese drift sport. You slide round corners, maneuver your skidding rear finish round obstacles, and turn into the king or queen of the Japanese countryside.
JDM additionally tells a reasonably cool story in manga type, so the sport has lots to supply and remains to be getting new updates and DLCs. For instance, an America Pack with six new US vehicles was launched on November 6, 2025.
3. Screamer
- Launch: 2026
- Style: Sci-fi racer
- Steam Critiques: Not but launched
I’m actually wanting ahead to Screamer. There’s a reasonably fascinating publication historical past behind this Italian speedster (it’s mainly the brand new Bleifuss), however that’s not what that is about, as a result of I’m primarily within the sport itself: Screamer will probably be a linear sci-fi racer through which your character is firmly linked to your automotive. And I do know that a lot of you aren’t into anime aesthetics, however in my view, a number of loopy results actually do the style good.
Screamer takes arcade gaming to the following stage, and never simply with a capital A: for instance, I can use the suitable stick with drift the rear finish at any time whereas driving. That’s about as sensible as shopping for a home in Munich, but it surely seems like much more enjoyable. Once I recharge my power, I may also assault opponents with all types of sci-fi gibberish assaults.
Mixed, it lastly seems to be like a racing sport paying homage to the nice outdated Blur or Break up/Second, these shoot-’em-up racers the place issues are always breaking. Certain, I can’t say but whether or not it performs effectively, as a result of Screamer gained’t be launched till 2026, however I’ve already circled the date in my calendar. And people are simply three examples of a racing sport trade that’s turning into increasingly more various once more. Mario Kart is getting competitors from a brand new Sonic Racing and Nintendo’s personal Kirby Air Riders, Wreckfest 2 has been obtainable in early entry for all of the Flatout followers on the market for a number of months now – and even within the very company simulation phase, there’s stable competitors on the horizon with Undertaking Motor Racing, which is ready to be launched on the finish of November 2025. So it’s extra thrilling than it’s been in a very long time to be a racing sport fan.
