Gaming Week Day 1: Racing Games

Did you know that the CVGA has a vast array of racing games, as well as a racing wheel controller to go along with our popular Xbox 360 games? We now have over 50 racing games in the CVGA, ranging from arcade style to realistic driving games. Some of them (Forza, etc.) have even been used by students as a driving simulator in research involving texting while driving. A few of our other popular racing games include Mario Kart, Need for Speed, and Gran Turismo. Here are some other interesting racing game series in the CVGA that you may wish to try:

Excite Bots: Trick Racing (Wii) - Deviating from standard racing games, this series (which also includes Excite Truck, Excite Bike, etc.) involves a light-hearted, surreal side of racing, allowing the player to select from vehicles like frogs, bats and spiders, all of which can transform at various points in the game. There are also several fun mini-games, ranging from pie-throwing to bowling.

F-Zero (SNES, Gamecube, etc.) - Originating on the SNES, this series is known for fast and difficult gameplay, unique characters and music, and the original is notable for its "Mode 7 Scrolling" technique, which can successfully simulate an 3D environment. Since then, it has been remade on almost every Nintendo system.

Midnight Club (PlayStation 2 and 3) -  These games feature an open world urban environment in which you can increase your rep and gain upgrades by racing in a rich variety of vehicles. Choose from Midnight Club II, MC3, MC: Street Racing or MC: Los Angeles.

Motorstorm (PlayStation 3) - This game has held the Guinness World Record for the largest variety of vehicles to choose from, including cars, ATVs, bikes, big rigs, etc. Also notable for operating in real-time: if a vehicle loses a tire, for instance, that tire will remain where it fell for the rest of the race. Choose from Motorstorm or Motorstorm: Pacific Rift.

Pole Position (Atari) - An arcade game from 1982, this game was notable for being the first racing game to feature a real race track (the Fuji Speedway), and for accurately portraying forward movement, delivering colorful landscapes, and creating the realistic feel of driving a Formula 1 race car.

Project Gotham Racing (Xbox 360, Xbox) - Bearing no resemblance to Batman or Gotham City, this racer series differs from others in that winning doesn't necessarily involve finishing first; the player must also gain "kudos points," earned by performing complex stunts throughout the race.

Ridge Racer 64 (Nintendo 64, PlayStation, 3DS) - An arcade racer based in and around the fictional Ridge City, this game is known for the ability to "drift" around turns and corners of the track. Later games in the series allowed selection from a variety of vehicles that could drift in slightly different ways.

Star Wars Episode I Racer (Nintendo 64, Dreamcast) - Based on the pod race from Star Wars Episode I: Phantom Menace, this racer features tracks from several different worlds within the Star Wars setting, and a variety of playable characters from the series.

Wipeout (PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PSP, etc.) - This series involves a number of futuristic anti-gravity racing games, and tends to be associated with electronica and electronic dance music from several notable artists. After coming out with a launch title for the PlayStation Vita, they were rumored to be working on a title for the upcoming PlayStation 4 before their studio was closed in August 2012.



Come by the CVGA today to play these or other games, and meet other racing game fans!