Xbox Game Pass is arguably the best part of gaming with Microsoft and the vast catalog is full of racing games.
Racing games are a staple of the Xbox franchise, though the Forza Motorsport brand has been in hibernation since 2017 and fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the long-awaited next addition to the series later this year.
Thankfully, Game Pass provides plenty of options to whet your appetite until the game releases, covering both the Xbox consoles and PC with hours upon hours of action to keep boredom at bay.
Forza Horizon 5
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Play Anywhere
The latest addition in Forza’s arcade spin-off title, Forza Horizon 5 takes players to the vast and varied terrain of Mexico, placing you in control of expanding the Horizon Festival into new areas.
Since launching in 2021, Forza Horizon 5 has remained one of the most popular games across all genres in Game Pass and was a day-one title, giving players free access immediately upon release.
As an arcade racer, Forza Horizon 5 has a lower skill requirement than its big brother, Forza Motorsport, and players can avoid racing entirely if they wish, with the open-world environment offering multiplayer mini-games, rewards to find, stunt jumps, drift zones and more.
The game has been expanded with two DLCs—Rally Adventure releasing in March 2023 and Hot Wheels releasing in July 2022.
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F1 2022
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One
The latest addition in the long line of Formula One games, F1 2022 was the second entry under EA Sports and provides an accurate simulation of the challenges that face F1 drivers whenever they take to the grid.
Providing the ability to tweak settings in a variety of ways, F1 2022 can be as difficult or as easy as a player desires, while immersive broadcast options for Pit Stops, Formation Laps, and more provide an authentic feel.
F1 2022 also provides the option for a two-player career made using online services, giving you and a friend the option to create a team and work together to dethrone Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
Wreckfest
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
For players interested in a more aggressive style of racing, Wreckfest is a solid option that brings forward Demolition Derbies and Banger Racing as part of a variety of game modes.
Unlike other racing titles, Speed is not necessarily the focus here, instead allowing players to inflict maximum damage upon their opponents and battle to the last man standing, with a full array of vehicles from trucks to buses at your disposal.
Your aggressive driving can be taken online alongside up to 15 other players in a frenzy of destruction.
GRID Legends
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
The sequel to the 2019 GRID relaunch, GRID Legends provides players with a more story-driven approach to racing than some of its competitors and offers huge multiplayer offerings of up to 22 players.
One of the best features of GRID Legends is the ability to create your own tracks, ensuring that you will always be able to find a fresh challenge and will not get bored by the same circuits, with Elimination, Boost, and Drift events also available.
Hundreds of events are also available in the game’s career mode, while a dramatic virtual production story can be found by playing Driven to Glory.
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DIRT 5
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Play Anywhere
Players with a desire to get dirty should look no further than DIRT 5, which promises a “bolder and braver” approach to the franchise than ever before while retaining the title’s core DNA.
The game offers over 70 different routes to race on, ranging from a frozen East River in New York to under the Northern Lights in Norway, and the franchise includes the ability to create your own Gymkhana, Smash Attack, and Time Attack challenges for the first time.
Unlike many other modern games, DIRT 5 also offers split-screen as part of an array of multiplayer modes, with online services pairing you alongside 11 other drivers.
Need For Speed Heat
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
The Need For Speed franchise was one of the most successful after the turn of the millennia but hit a downward spiral in the next decade that was only halted by the release of Need For Speed Heat in 2019.
The game brought back key elements from the franchise like cop chases and combined them with modern racing mechanics, resulting in a revival for the series and a Need For Speed game that truly gets back to its roots.
During the day, players can race in sanctioned races, while nighttime brings illegal street races and battles with the cops, providing two vastly different experiences.
Shredders
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, PC
Swap vehicles for boards and roads for slopes in Shredders, a game that has lovingly been referred to by fans as Skate on Snow and takes inspiration from the Amped games on the original Xbox.
The game’s developers, FoamPunch, avoided a complex list of controls for doing tricks and instead left players with the easy ability to pull off stunts you are only used to seeing in viral TikTok videos.
Shredders also includes guest appearances from real-world snowboarders which is a nice bonus for snowboarding fans but leads to some awkward voice acting for everyone else. Either way, it is a perfect chill game that captures the thrill of the slopes.
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Burnout Paradise Remastered
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
A remaster of an absolute classic, Burnout Paradise Remastered sees players return to Paradise Springs for high-octane, destructive racing action with a soundtrack that gets your blood pumping.
The remaster includes all addons from the original game, including the Big Surf Island update, and provides online capabilities of up to eight players for you to share your destruction with friends.
Nothing beats the feeling of smashing into an opponent and seeing the camera focus shift to watch the destruction you have caused, while the open-world approach gives players plenty to discover and collect.
Forza Horizon 4
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One
If the most recent addition to the series was not enough, Game Pass also provides access to Forza Horizon 4. Taking place in Britain, most notably the North East of England and Scotland, including a viaduct that is recognizable to Harry Potter fans everywhere.
Forza Horizon 4 introduced seasons to the franchise, changing the map on a weekly basis with new events and areas to explore, with the lakes freezing over in the winter and allowing players to drive over the ice to reach new islands.
The action was expanded through DLC, with Fortune Island providing a new environment and LEGO Speed Champions changing the game entirely with the introduction of LEGO vehicles, mini-figures, and more.
MotoGP 22
Playable on: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
For anyone who prefers their action on two wheels, MotoGP 22 offers everything a MotoGP fan could ever want with over 120 official riders, 20 circuits, and the ability to play through the official MotoGP Championship.
The latest addition to the series brings split-screen multiplayer and an expansive single-player experience that relives the 2009 MotoGP season, where you play as famous drivers and are treated to a shedload of real footage before each chapter.
While the F1 games have branched off into their own managerial simulator, MotoGP 22 offers that experience within the same game, with players able to manage their own team and developments, as well as teams in Moto2 and Moto3.
Published: May 31, 2023 07:55 am