Racing games aren't for everyone, but for those who love them, often little else will do. Here we're taking a look at the very best that racing fans can get their hands on for the Xbox One.
Best racing wheels for Xbox One
Forza Motorsport 7
The poster child for the Xbox One X, Forza 7 is the biggest, most ambitious racer Microsoft has ever attempted. And it delivers in spades.
Whether on Xbox One or Xbox One X you get a gorgeous game packed with 700 cars, stacks of real and game created circuits, 60FPS and enough racing to keep you going for the next two years or so.
Forza 7 is also Play Anywhere so you can buy once, play on Xbox and PC, and it has support for about any racing wheel you can imagine. It's one of the finest examples of what the Xbox One can do, and an absolute must play. The standard edition can be had around $36 at Amazon.
Forza Horizon 3
Forza has long set a visual standard on the Xbox, and none of that changes with the latest in the Horizon series. Developed by Playground Games and using the shared ForzaTech engine that also powers Forza 7, what we have here is something very, very special. Set in Australia this time around, Horizon 3 looks better than its predecessors while taking in a world twice as large and diverse.
The sky is a giant light source that touches everything beneath it, the cars are meticulously crafted and the racing content is as varied as you'll find in any game on any platform. Where Forza 7 is one for track fanatics, Forza Horizon 3 is the racing game for everybody.
It's absolutely magnificent and a must play. It's also an Xbox Play Anywhere title, meaning digital versions also unlock the game for cross-play on Windows 10. The standard edition is around $40 at Amazon.
Project Cars 2
Project Cars 2 came to life with less of the problems its predecessor faced and brings realistic racing back to the Xbox One.
It's big, it's ambitious and it's absolutely gorgeous. Forza may have the edge on the visuals, but Project Cars is still a looker. Especially now it has been enhanced for Xbox One X.
It's the circuits which are probably the star of the show. Project Cars doesn't just have the big, famous tracks like Silverstone, Dubai, Le Mans, but it also has some less well-known tracks, like Cadwell Park in the UK. And if you want a challenge, definitely head to Cadwell. It's a circuit best known for motorcycle racing since it's very narrow, technical and challenging,
For folks looking for a dose of realism, it's one to go for. Project Cars 2 can also now be had for around $22 at Amazon.
F1 2017
If you're a fan of the world's premier single-seater series, F1 2017 is a continuation of the Codemasters series that's packed with all the licensing you could shake a stick at. Every circuit on the F1 calendar is represented, all the current teams, drivers, and liveries, and it's the closest most of us will ever get to the real thing.
The 2016 edition was a real coming of age for the series and much of the same has come over for the new season. It's jam-packed with all the glitz and glamor that fans could want and is accessible for casual racers to jump in and have a good time. For the more adventurous, there's a whole raft of things in there to make the experience as challenging, and as realistic as you'll get right now on a console.
F1 2017s golden goose is the historic race cars which are epic, and it has also been enhanced for Xbox One X with HDR and 4K resolution. F1 2017 costs around $30 at Amazon as we eagerly await its successor.
Dirt 4
After Dirt Rally comes Dirt 4, a proper sequel and while much is the same as the 2016 release, there's just more of it. And more fun to go with it.
You can try and be realistic or you can tame things down a little, it's your choice. But you've multiple race types, many different vehicles and some pretty nasty weather to master. Classic Rally, Rallycross and off-road racing all join traditional rallying to make Dirt 4 a huge package of sideways fun. Dirt 4 can be yours around $25 at Amazon.
Alternatively, Dirt 4 is now available in Xbox Game Pass for subscribers to play at no additional charge.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
The oldies are sometimes still the goodies, and Burnout Paradise has aged tremendously well. This is a remastered version, so you get full 4K resolution on the Xbox One X, and everything has been given a makeover for 2018.
Underneath, it's still the same old Burnout Paradise. Insane speed, wild jumps and absurd accidents are all part of this arcade racer that's hard not to love. It's about as far removed from Forza as you'll find, and all the better for it. It's also pretty well priced at around $29 at Amazon.
ONRUSH
ONRUSH isn't your normal racer, in that there's no finishing first. Born from the ashes of the Motorstorm franchise, the team was acquired by Codemasters, and the result is a four-wheeled riot.
ONRUSH has a variety of game modes to keep you entertained, but it's more vehicular battle than straight-up racing. With bikes, cars, and trucks, you bash, smash and leap your way ahead of the competition.
It's available now for about $50.
Building a great Xbox One racing rig without breaking the bank
Updated July 5, 2018: We updated our post, and ONRUSH by Codemasters joins the ranks as one of our top picks for Xbox One racers.
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