When it comes to long-established video game genres, the racing genre has been around for quite some time. There is nothing quite like putting your foot to the floor and hitting top speed as you cross the finish line victorious.
10 Best Racing Games on PS Plus
For when you crave the smell of burning rubber.
But, sometimes it’s not about having someone eat your dust, and rather about just cruising, or showcasing your driving ability in a different way.
There are loads of amazing driving games where you don’t need to worry about being in pole position, nor is there a checkered flag in sight.
So, if you’re on the hunt for a driving game where you won’t need to worry about the pressures of racing against a fleet of sports cars, then I’ve got you covered.
While none of these games are traditional racing games, we will include some games that center around racing against the clock.
10Euro Truck Simulator 2
In It For The Long Haul
Euro Truck Simulator 2
We kick things offwith a simulation gamethat makes themundane feel magical,or at the vest least, very relaxing and therapeutic.
Euro Truck Simulator 2is a title that asks you to sit behind the wheel of a big eighteen-wheeler and drive it on various long-haul journeys, taking in pristine and eye-catching sights as you travel across Europe.
It’s a game where you are working to a deadline, but there are no other trucks you need to compete against here. Plus, making good time on your journey is the easy part, as the real difficulty comes when parking your huge truck to complete your delivery.
It’s a game that has maintained a cult following for well over a decade now, so if you want to see what all the fuss is about, fuel up and get going.
9What The Car
Silliness Overload
This will feel like a really weird inclusion, but in my defense, it’s a really weird, very comical game, so that comes with the territory.
What the Caris a recent indie gem where you play as a sentient car with legs, and your job will be to get from A to B in one piece. This sounds simple, but due to the various platforming gimmicks in play, it’s a trickier task than it might seem.
Technically, you will be racing against the clock, but the game is so chock-full of insane ideas and wacky scenarios that you’ll never feel like you’re playing a traditional racer.
It’s just about the silliest driving game you’ll ever encounter, and it’s all the better for it, so pick up this hot and fresh new indie when you get the chance.
8Snakeybus
A Tweak On An Old Classic
If you’re a gamer of a certain age like myself, then you’ll likely remember a time when playing Snake on a Nokia 3310 was just about the coolest thing in the primitive world of mobile gaming.
Snake is a pretty long-established and simple gameplay format, but in an attempt to modernize it somewhat,Snakeybusmoves snake into the 3D plane and asks the player to drive around a selection of levels, weaving and swerving to avoid your ever-growing bus.
It’s a novel idea that reimagines the classic game to great effect. Plus, the simple, pick-up-and-play nature of this game means that you can play a quick game without needing to commit to a long gaming session.
Again, it’s not your typical driving game, but for the intents and purposes of this list, that’s exactly what we want.
7Twisted Metal
The OG Destruction Derby
Twisted Metal
I considered includingDestruction All-Starsin the mix torepresent the Destruction Derby sub-genre, but in the end, I felt it was only right to give the nod to the grandfather of them all.
WhileTwisted Metalis a dated series of games, to say the least, they represent the dawn of a new type of driving game where racing to the finish line was swapped out for pure carnage above all else.
It’s essentially all the fun of a kart racer, complete with power-ups and the like, but without needing a good lap time. Meaning you’re able to focus purely on blowing your opponents to kingdom come.
It’s a winner-takes-all bloodbath, and a certified retro classic that demands your respect.
6Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip
Interstellar Taxi Fare
If you’re someone who loved the GTA-clone style format thatThe Simpsons: Hit & Runprovided gamers many moons ago, then we might just have an indie gem that will sate your appetite for open-world sandbox action.
Tiny Terry’s Turbo Tripis a game where you play as the titular Terry and will be tasked with finding all kinds of junk lying around the pocket-sized open world of Sprankelwater to jury-rig your car with enough horsepower to take off into space.
Realism may be out the window here, but fun certainly isn’t. As the game is packed with fun mini-games, rewarding exploration and irreverent comedy that makes every moment of this short adventure a blast.
So, be a good egg and help Terry achieve his dreams and drive amongst the stars!
5Lawn Mowing Simulator
A Chore That’s Not A Bore
Lawn Mowing Simulator
Despite what you might think, not all driving games need to involve players hopping into a kitted-out supercar and putting their foot down. In fact, sometimes you don’t even need to go beyond a slow-jogging pace to have a good time.
Lawn Mowing Simulatoris an inexplicably brilliant example of this that has you start a grass-cutting company and ride on a series of ride-on lawnmowers in a bid to start a lawn-mowing empire.
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The gameplay is slow, relaxing, and cathartic, effectively allowing you to switch your brain off for a while and slowly work through each job you take on. Making it the ideal multitask game if you want to get caught up on some podcasts.
It may be a little too slow-paced for some, but if you want a more leisurely driving experience, it doesn’t get much more chill than this.
Find Your Calling
Perhaps this is cheating ever so slightly, as the open-world adventure game,Sable, is not an out-and-out driving game. To the point that you don’t even drive a car.
However, you do get a sand-glider, and quite frankly, if we can callWipeouta driving game, then I think we can do the same here.
Sable is an artistically stunning andexpansive open-world experiencethat presents you with a subtly told coming-of-age story with gameplay rather reminiscent ofBreath of the Wild, minus the combat.
However, one of the main highlights is the ability to explore the vast world on your glider and customize it to your liking. It’s a game marred by some performance issues, but if you’re able to look past these small blemishes, you’ll find thatSableis well worth sticking with.
3Caravan SandWitch
Caravan SandWitch
Racing games are driving experiences where your route is completely pre-determined, but if you’re a fan of driving games, it doesn’t have to be that way, andCaravan SandWitchis a testament to that.
In this sci-fi epic, you’ll be tasked with exploring the enigmatic world of Ciaglo, and armed with just your armored caravan, you’ll need to navigate treacherous terrain, explore settlements, and make necessary upgrades to your caravan in the hope of finding your lost sister.
It’s not just a brilliant narrative-driven adventure game, but the ultimate indie adventure for those bursting with wanderlust and in desperate need of a road trip. So pack everything in the trunk and hit the road!
2Rocket League
Rocket League
Our runner-up is the wonderfully addictive free-to-play multiplayer goliath, which combines motorsport with the world’s sport, football, to deliver one of the most unique and engaging formats in modern gaming history.
Rocket League, the spiritual successor toSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, sees you control little RC cars as you navigate a football field and use your tactical nous and nitro boosts to score goals, make crunching tackles and make vital saves.
It’s a game that’s easy to pick up and play but a real doozy to master, which makes it such a fantastic multiplayer experience. So, if you love the likes of EAFC and PES but also want the thrill of being behind the wheel, there is literally no better game for you than this one.
1Pacific Drive
Drive To Survive
Pacific Drive
Then, to wrap things up, we have what is easily the most inventive non-racing driving game in existence. Survival games tend to be a dime a dozen due to their regurgitated and derivative mechanics where you manage hunger, build bases, and whatnot. ButPacific Driveworks hard to stand out from the crowd.
This game makes survival less about self-preservation and more about car maintenance. Meaning you’ll need to navigate the new-weird locale of the pacific northwest, and deal with the perils that the various Sci-fi anomalies throw your way.
It’s about being a good driver, a good mechanic, and having the ability to adapt on the fly to make sure you keep your ride moving. Because in this game, without your car, you’re as good as dead.
It’s an enthralling Sci-fi survival hit and one that will test your driving skills to the limit. So crack up those midwest tunes, and drive headlong into the unknown.
