Summary
The racing genreis among the most entertaining in the gaming world as it not only allows players to have lots of fun alone and with friends, but it also helps develop fast reflexes to avoid obstacles and take sharp turns. Competitive car games have been around almost as long as gaming consoles have, and luckily, there’s no sign that they’ll go away any time soon.
While many racing games can still be purchased from both physical and online stores, there are some timeless classics that, unfortunately, players can no longer get their hands on unless they pay a hefty price for a second-hand copy. Here are somegreat racinggames you can’t buy anymore.
One of the greatest things aboutBlur, is that it mixed real-life cars with incredibly powerful power-ups that would not work in the real world. With over 50 featured licensed cars, including several classic models and a few more that were modern, players had a ton of variety to pick from to race on tracks modeled after real-life locations.
Blurcombined high speed races with intense competition and the use of things like shields, mines, and nitro boosts for an ultimate chaotic, yet very entertaining experience. This title allowed up to 20 players torace against each otheronline, and it also had a great split-screen mode for local matches that, more often than not, were the life of the party. The game was released for Xbox 360 and the PS3, but unfortunately, it was delisted a few months later due to studio closure.
4MotorStorm Pacific Rift
A Wide Range Of Vehicles At Players' Disposal
As the second entry in theMotorStormfranchise,MotorStorm: Pacific Riftimproved on many things its predecessor lacked. Released exclusively for the PlayStation 3, the game had thrilling off-road racing on an island full of tricky terrain and environmental elements, such as enormous volcanoes and beautiful forests. It could be said that some of theForzagames might have taken some inspiration from this title when developing their off-road areas.
As opposed to other racing games of its time,MotorStorm: Pacific Riftallowed players to race using many vehicle types, including bikes, ATVs, buggies and even monster trucks. Each vehicle had different handling physics and stats, making them better or worse for certain situations and terrain types. Unfortunately, despite itsvariety and realistic graphics(for its time), the game was removed from the PlayStation Store and its servers shut down in 2012. These days, players can still get a copy, but it will likely be second-hand and bought from an individual seller.
As the first multiplayer entry intheNeed for Speedfranchise,Need for Speed Worldhad enormous shoes to fill, especially as it was implementing a completely new way for players to compete against one another in this universe. The game had an enormous map with different sections that players could race in, learn, and beat their competitors with enough practice and dedication. As in otherNeed for Speedgames, players also had to outrun the police now and then to continue racing undisturbed.
Sadly, despite reaching an amazing 20 million registered players at some point,Need for SpeedWorldwas heavily based on microtransactions, which players were not happy about. This led to a slow but steady decline in users over the years, and in 2015, EA finally decided to shut down the title’s servers, leaving it in the dark for good.
Released in 2006 for the PSP,Ridge Racer 2was the long-awaited sequel to the 1993 gameRidge Racer,which was not only available for the PS1, but also as an arcade game in several establishments.Ridge Racer 2kept the elements that made its prequel successful, while adding new elements to its gameplay that helped take it one step further. With over 40 tracks available, some of which were remastered versions from the original game, this title offered hours of fun for players.
The game also featured a wide range of different cars and game modes, including World Tours, Arcade, and Time Attack—more than enough to compete withany racing title Sonyor other developers released at the time. Unfortunately, after a good run,Ridge Racer2was delisted from the PlayStation Store as many licenses around its soundtrack and other content expired and were never renewed.
Released in 2011 and developed by Ubisoft,Driver: San Franciscoincorporated a shift mechanic that allowed players to switch between different vehicles in the middle of races. The game was set in a virtual version of San Francisco, which was masterfully crafted and designed with a ton of attention to detail. As undercover police officer John Tanner, players were given the chance toexplore the streetsof the city while completing various missions.
Unfortunately, the great game mechanics and intricate design of the San Francisco area weren’t enough to keep this title from being delisted. Like withRidge Racer 2and other racing games from that era, there were some licensing issues involved in this decision.
