Dirt Rally 2.0
If you are talking about quality racing games then sooner or later you’ll end up talking about something from Codemasters’ library. The developers are deeply ingrained into the genre, making the F1 racing games as well as being notorious for their TOCA, Dirt and Grid series.
Dirt Rally 2.0 is the latest entry in their Dirt series, which started back in 2007 with Colin McRae: Dirt. It was probably one of the last traditional rally racing games for almost a decade, as racing games took to open-world design shortly afterwards - something not properly possible until that generation. It was praised for its terrain deformation, as the course gets progressively torn up by wheels as people skidded their way around its tight corners and over crests.
Dirt Rally 2.0, and the 2015 title that it is a sequel to, was a real return to form for the series. A really terrific technological feat that gave players breathtaking tracks that are so realistic that you can almost feel them. If you love the idea of rally racing, you really don’t need to look any further.
Dirt 5
In keeping with Codemasters, and with Dirt, next in our list of the best racing games on Xbox Game Pass comes Dirt 5.
While Dirt’s rally racing fell away back in 2007, the Dirt series continued with a punk-feeling, arcade twist on the racing style. Tight, muddy tracks giving way to cobbled country-town streets were relegated to a racetype, and gymkhana-style off-road chaos and stunt-drifting (hooning) were in.
That might sound like a massive step for the series, and in many ways it was. But in taking the series to a place where you can drift through an alleyway, popping foam markers before bouncing off a two-story rooftop into a finish line, they managed to keep a little bit of classic rally alive, which then returned in Dirt Rally (and the previously mentioned sequel).
It’s pure arcade fun that gives you non-stop opportunities to engage in driving chaos, and it’s fantastic fun.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
Need for Speed has come in so many different shapes and forms over the years that you’d be forgiven for forgetting Hot Pursuit - passing the remastered version by would be a mistake though.
Hot Pursuit was, much like the other N4S games, all about going as fast as you could, however, the whole game had a fantastic cops and robbers twist to it. Undeniably inspired by the sheer amount of crime and caper movies that have filled the cinemas over the last few decades, Hot Pursuit has you blasting down highways trying to outpace the police or driving souped-up cop cars trying to bring these dangerous drivers to justice.
Full of fun boosters, lots of extra challenges, and a superb soundtrack. Hot Pursuit is easily one of the best racing games on Xbox Game Pass.
Forza Horizon 5
It wouldn’t be right to have a list of great racing games on Xbox Game Pass without including one of Microsoft's own. The Forza mainline series is all about track racing, buying and upgrading vehicles, and winning lengthy races through beautiful landscapes. Forza Horizon, as a series, however, is all about blasting around open-world settings inspired by real-world locations. Forza Horizon 5, in this case, takes you on a trip to a fictionalised version of Mexico.
While the core series is about simulation, Horizon is all about fun. You can collect over 500 cars and use them to perform stunts, win races, or just scoot around and collect all of the collectibles. There's plenty to do that will keep you entertained for hours.
Wreckfest
Originally known as Next Car Game, Wreckfest is a chaotic racing game that focuses more on destruction and full-contact racing than traditional racing titles. Those who have ever seen banger-racing, or Destruction Derby races will be more than comfortable with the unique racing experiences that you’ll find in Wreckfest.
It features everything from high-speed circuits through to racing through oncoming traffic, and it's packed to the brim with customisable vehicles from Europe, America and Asia - that’s the best of muscle, rally and drift.
But, the reason that Wreckfest has made its way into our list of the best racing games for Xbox Game Pass is that its multiplayer is quick and easy to dive into, and there’s a really fun, concise career mode.
