Take your time to ask any racing gamer what they think about racing games, and they’ll likely say they’re “fun.” Others will also say it’s fun “and repetitive.” Admittedly, those are two concepts we don’t exactly always expect to hear in a sentence, but somehow the two words make racing games appealing to gamers. And if you’re looking for a racing game you’d like to play, yourself, you might be lost as to what kind of racing games you should look for. Yes, great racing games do have their own set of qualities, and you should always look for these when looking for a car game or a motorcycle game to play by yourself or with friends. Here are those racing game traits:
Look for a fully-loaded single-player component.
While it’s fun to play racing games with friends, it’s very likely you’ll play this game alone first. This means it’s very important for your racing game to be capable of providing an interesting single-player component for you. Don’t just look for a single-player campaign, but rather look at other non-multiplayer offerings such as different game modes and challenges you can try to accomplish to help train you as a racer and develop your skills in a more comprehensive and complete way. Racing games that have immersive single-player modes often become the most fun.
What’s the point of having a single-player story, when a racing game is all about winning against others, right? Can’t they just go straight to challenges and multiplayer? Not necessarily, and there might be a scientific reason for it. According to scientists, racing games are attractive because they help us players look more awesome in-game. And this is actually something devs take into consideration when making games. This explains how most in-game tracks are 30-per cent larger than real-world counterparts, and why single-player campaigns often motivate players to rise up against various challenges.
- Racing games with a comprehensive single-player component is usually a good sign that a car game has the player in mind. You can notice this is if a single-player campaign needs to be completed first before unlocking other vehicles and challenges and if single-player objectives have special “conditions” for players who want to “complete” all achievements in games.
Look for mechanics that will keep you wanting to play more.
When it comes to racing games, controls can be a big deal-breaker. It’s important to understand that there’s an intricate balance between controls that are too technical and gameplay that makes cars difficult to drive. If your racing game has too steep a learning curve can be discouraging to play. Meanwhile, games that are too easy can be very boring. As such, there are games that have very easy controls but complex tracks, or games with straightforward levels but with difficult controls. Try to gauge as to what kind of racing game where you are with regards to this, and find a game you think works for you best when it comes to game controls.
- Do you know how sometimes we love riding roller coasters or watching horror films “for the thrill”? Sometimes, we don’t realize it but some of us actually enjoy the “thrill” of being in danger, especially if we’re not getting hurt. That’s because the brain releases adrenaline, a neurotransmitter responsible for fight or flight, during these situations. This is why you get “the shivers” when playing a really good match. If a racing game demo lets you feel this because of intuitive mechanics and challenging tracks, then that game is on its way to success.
- Aside from car handling, try to look for mechanics that give the game replayability. These include customizable cars and tracks, various challenges, and endgame content. If your racing game has got you covered from customization to the actual races, then it’s on its way for fun.
Look for an engaging multiplayer component.
Here we are with the entire single-player versus multiplayer argument, but hear us out. Playing a single-player car game can be fun, but finishing the campaign mode and a couple of the challenge modes and a racing game can be boring. However, if you get yourself a racing game with an interesting multiplayer component and you may end up playing for months. Look for racing games that allow you to play multiplayer both locally and over the internet. If you can find matches online, all the better as this makes races more exciting.
- Great games have great matchmaking components, especially for online and multiplayer games. That’s because of competition in racing games area extremely popular, but it’s making sure opponents are matched according to the skill level that can make races more exciting.
- Games like Mario Kart 7 and Driveclub work because their multiplayer systems are built with leaderboards and ghost modes that lets them compete with people all over the world directly or indirectly.
Look for microtransactions options and see if they’re worthwhile.
Let’s not deny the reality that gaming today will be littered with microtransactions. The key here is to make sure that microtransactions and other small releases these games offer actually add value to the game. As such, don’t disregard microtransactions while looking for racing games. Consider as to whether or not the game’s upcoming offerings can actually entice you to play more thanks to customization options or other modifications. Otherwise, quit on the game as it might be designed with money in mind instead of enjoyment.
- There are a lot of arguments when it comes to DLCs, as some might argue they can be a form of gambling or even “buying to win.” However, DLCs, when done correctly, can add a lot to a racing game’s appeal. When DLCs appear for a completed game, that’s when things can get fun. That’s because DLCs are sure to have extra features and content that can change the dynamics of how the original game already plays.
- Not only that, but free DLCs can also be extremely beneficial for a game’s lifetime, as it’s these DLCs that prove that devs are constantly working on improving the game and making it a game players can always go back to.
- Look for games that won’t break your hard drive when you install updates, especially for mobile games that use an SD card for Android. When games get loaded with awesome post-launch content that enhance the overall experience without costing players a lot, you have yourself a game to stay in your shelves.
Racing Games: Look for the Thrill, Challenge
If there’s anything the above would share, it’s that you should look for racing games capable of giving you the thrill and the challenge of competing in races. Matches will grow boring and repetitive for you there’s no challenge to overcome, and there won’t be anything to look forward to if there’s no thrill on your end. These might seem a bit demanding for racing game qualities, but they can be extremely helpful in making sure you get your hands on a title that will definitely try to grab your attention for hours. This is especially if these games have excellent multiplayer components, an immersive world, and a lot of customization.
What other traits do you think racing games should have? Let us know in the comments!
