Top 10 PS2 Racing Games

We're starting off today by running the Top 10 Racing Games of the PlayStation 2. Why PlayStation 2? Because it's easy to do, that's why. Besides, with new consoles on the horizon, many of these top-shelf titles can be had for cheap. Now is the perfect time to expand your library of racing games for the PS2.

Here's how we broke this feature down: We went through IGN's archives and looked at all the scores awarded to every PS2 racing game. We narrowed the field down to the top 10 highest scores. We noticed that certain franchises had more than one title on the list, which makes for a boring feature. As such, we are only allowing one game per franchise to have a spot on our list. If other games in the same franchise also scored well, we gave them an "Honorable Mention". Seems simple, right? Well, it is. So, without further ado, may we present to you IGN Cars' first-ever Top 10 Racing Games - PS2 Edition.

Number 10:
WipEout Fusion
IGN PS2 Score: 9.0
Wipeout was one of the first titles that could be described as "revolutionary". With its stunning visuals, high sense of speed, great design and killer soundtrack, Wipeout truly defined "next-generation" gaming. It took a couple of years for the PS2 to finally get its version of this futuristic racer, but it was well worth the wait. While there technically aren't any cars in this game, it's just too good of a title to ignore. WipEout Fusion truly is a PS2 classic.

Number 9:
Need For Speed: Underground 2
IGN PS2 Score: 9.0
Two words: Brooke Burke. We hung out on the couch with this Wild On/Rock Star hottie at a Need For Speed event, so this game is in our personal top 10 for that reason alone. However, gamers liked NFSU2's Hollywood-stylized visuals, huge open city and numerous courses. Car fanatics like NFSU2's incredible selection of cars and endless customizing options. Even better, you can play online! Just keep your Fast and Furious, yo! stuff to a minimum please.

Number 8:
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
IGN PS2 Score: 9.0
With all of the attention focused on EA's Need For Speed: Underground series, it's almost easy to forget that the Need For Speed series' initial appeal in its "arcadey" nature. Just pick up a controller, choose your car and blast through a winding virtual raceway. The Hot Pursuit games are super fun, as it is you and a buddy trying to outrun/catch the other. These games of "cat and mouse" always end up in chaos, which of course, makes the game even more enjoyable. NFS: Hot Pursuit 2 is great for a quick pick-up or marathon game session.

Number 7:
Grand Prix Challenge
IGN PS2 Score: 9.0
Our lone F1 sim is considered by many to be an overlooked gem. First of all, its retail price was already cheap when it was released in 2003 -- which in the words of our PS2 reviewer, usually means a sub-par game. Second of all, it was released by Infogrames -- a company whose titles don't sell that well in the U.S. for some reason (small advertising budget, perhaps?). However, all you race fans out there know that Infogrames has a knack for delivering some of the best racing titles to ever grace a console. Perhaps the "cheap" price had to do with F1's lukewarm reception in the U.S., we don't know. We do know that there is nothing "cheap" about this game at all -- except for the price. Those craving an F1 sim would be well-advised to check this title out.

Number 6:
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup
IGN PS2 Score: 9.2
Here in the U.S., NASCAR will never have to worry about its audience waning. Already the most popular "sport" in the U.S., NASCAR keeps finding ways to expose its brand to the newer, younger demographic. One way NASCAR reaches its younger fans is through videogames. Duh. NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup has players start off as a street racer (wha?), get hired by a professional team, and then spend an entire race season turning left. Oh, we did not just go there!
Honorable Mention: Just about every damn NASCAR game released for the system. Look 'em up yourself!

Number 5:
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition
IGN PS2 Score: 9.2
Who would've thought DUB culture would have grown big enough to spawn its own videogame? Even more puzzling, who would have thought that the game would turn out to be good? After all, big heavy cars with numerous TVs and spinning rims aren't exactly ideal for racing. Well, thankfully the team at Rockstar San Diego decided to make a "DUB" game that was fast, furious (crap... did we just say that?) and insanely addictive. With massive cites to explore, numerous upgrades and great gameplay, Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition showed that "bling-bling" can be fun. Holla! CONTINUES

Number 4:
ATV Off-Road Fury 3
IGN PS2 Score - 9.2
Again, these aren't really cars, but all games in the ATV Off-Road Fury series have always been excellent examples of four-wheeled virtual fun. ATV Off-Road has always used realistic physics and handling to really make you feel like you are riding an all-terrain vehicle. You can shift your rider's weight around to pre-load for jumps, lean into turns and tackle some of the wildest back country courses ever seen on the PS2. The physics and online components were tweaked and refined for this third installment, but you can't go wrong with any game in this series.

Number 3:
MX vs. ATV Unleashed
IGN PS2 Score - 9.3
Holy crap! Another off-road bike-based game enters our Top 10! MX vs. ATV Unleashed was developed by the talented team at Rainbow Studios - the same people that brought us ATV Off-Road Fury parts 1 and 2. In MX vs. ATV, the team turns everything up a notch by allowing players to race ATVs, dirtbikes, dune buggies and even monster trucks through all types of treacherous terrain. Our IGN team feels that MX vs. ATV Unleashed is the pinnacle of MX/ATV-type games, so you know this title deserves a place in your collection.

Number 2:
Burnout 3: Takedown
IGN PS2 Score: 9.4
Oh... sweet, sweet electronic crack. Why are you so addictive? Is it the blazing fast twitch-style gameplay? Probably. Is it the better-than-Xbox visuals? We think so. Is it the fact that wanton destruction is not only encouraged, but rewarded (and oh-so-beautiful)? Maybe. Is it all of the above? Most definitely! We can only speak for the IGN Cars staff, but Burnout 3 has got to be the best damn game ever created. We can't wait for Burnout: Revenge, which has yet to hit stores as of this writing. We may venture up to IGN PS2 offices and steal their copy. Hehe...

Number 1:
Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec
IGN PS2 Score: 9.8
Is there really any surprise here? Gran Turismo practically wrote the book on console racing sims, spawned countless imitators and is actually responsible for some cool Japan-only cars making their ways Stateside (we're looking at you WRX andEvo!). This game is about as realistic as it gets on any system: the way the cars handle, accelerate and brake feels incredibly true-to-life. Just about any car one can think of has been represented in the Gran Turismo series, making it possible to have a "virtual" garage of just about every dream car imaginable. GT4 didn't add much to the gameplay, but added a lot more cars and tracks (and it prettied things up a bit, too). If there is one game we are waiting to see on PlayStation 3, it's the next installment of Gran Turismo. If you don't own this game by now, you simply don't like cars.  IGN Logo

That's it for now. We know we forgot some of your favorite games, but hey, this list is based on IGN's review scores and stuff. Think we forgot something? Write in and let us know! Share your fanboy opinions with the world. Hold your letters, Xbox fans, the Xbox edition is coming next week - so keep your pants on. Seriously. No one wants to see that.