Without a doubt, free action games play online as well as racing games are one of the most popular gaming genres ever. Though first introduced in the 70s, racing games have been a money-spinner since the 80s. From the original arcade games to the current realistic simulation ones, racing games have traveled a long path. But apart from a few successful franchises, most names are forgotten soon. However, the evolution of racing games has a long past that can only be introduced through the games that made it. While most of them might be non-existent today, each of them gave something that helped the genre reach where it is now. Let’s travel back and take a look at the journey of the online games free belonging to the racing genre.

The Beginnings

The scenario changed from space to earth.

Some new players Very few people know that a racing game existed in the 60s too. Grand Prix was an electro-mechanical game, which combined moving mechanical parts and electronic display. However, we can safely say that Space Race by Atari was the very first true racing game. Released in 1973, it involved two spaceships racing to reach the finish line first, while avoiding the asteroids. These elements would go on to define the racing genre in the years to come. The rest of the decade saw games working and improving upon this model. The scenario changed from space to earth, motorbikes and cars were introduced, and the race track introduced more well-defined elements.

In 1974, Speed Race was introduced, and the spaceships were replaced by land vehicles. Sega too jumped into the competition with its Moto Cross in 1976. The same year, Atari launched Night Driver — the first game to introduce a first-person perspective.

The shaping of the genre

Pole Position was one of the most successful games of 1983 and the most successful racing game of the 80s.

As the 80s started, new things kept getting added to the racing games; things that are still a part of the genre. Rally-X arrived in 1980 and was the first to feature background music in a racing game. The same year, Sega launched Turbo — the first to introduce sprite scaling and full-color graphics.

The first landmark since Space Race came in 1982, in the form of Pole Position. With this, racing games left their arcade-design and started mimicking real-life racing circuits. The game introduced many elements like multiple laps and tournament-style racing. At the same time, it employed all the elements that were introduced previously and were appreciated, like background music and full-scale coloring.

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However, the innovation in racing games continued in a more determined fashion. Most people remember the 1985 game, Hang-On, to be the first to introduce bikes, but it was also the first to use 16-bit graphics in a racing game. Sega outdid itself by launching Out Run in 1986; the game had graphics ahead of its time, as well as a non-linear race track that, depending on the user's choice, could lead to 5 different destinations. The next year brought Rad Racer — the first racing game to employ stereoscopic 3D graphics. Even though most of these games failed to create a legacy and are largely forgotten today, they introduced technologies that would later shape the racing genre.

The 80s was also the decade where racing games were first used for the purpose of driving simulations. The first attempt was the GPX series that came in 1984 but failed to take off. After some more failed attempts, Indianapolis 500 came in 1989. The first auto racing PC simulation offered amazing 3D graphics and nuances that earned the approval of even professional racers.

The Defining Decade

Like most other gaming genres, the 90s would shape and define racing online games PC as we know them today. The year 1992 was important for many reasons. It was the year when Sega launched Virtua Racing, the most advanced 3D racing game of its time. In the same year, Formula One Grand Prix was released, giving a new spin to the concept of racing simulation. Lastly, it was also the year when Super Mario Kart was released. The game again put the arcade-racing game in the limelight, riding on the popularity of the Mario franchise.

Carmageddon came in 1997 and featured blood and violence hitherto unknown in racing games.

In 1994, Electronic Arts finally struck big in the racing genre with the first Need For Speed. The game was a huge success and kick-started one of the biggest game franchises ever created. The police-chase element, in particular, became a defining feature of future racing games. Then, in 1997, Gran Turismo was released. The game offered unprecedented simulation and gameplay that involved elaborate elements like open-career mode. Both NFS and GT would spawn the two most popular racing game franchises.

However, the 90s was more than these two franchises. Despite the criticism, it saw huge popularity and paved the way for future developers to introduce violence in racing games. As the decade ended, "free world" became a popular concept among developers — racing games that allowed players to leave the track and explore the surroundings. This concept too would become a staple for racing games in the times to come.

The present and the future

Not only did the vehicles become more realistic, but also the world they were set in.

As the 21st century began, the introduction of much better graphics allowed developers to get creative with racing games. Colin McRae Dirt in 2007 was the first game to feature damage on the vehicle. The established franchises, like NFS and GT, kept spurning better games, while new franchises like Forza were also created. While the genre is currently leaning more towards the realistic racing games, franchises like Midnight Club and Out Run kept the arcade version of racing games alive too.

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Final Thoughts:

Racing games, like always, are still evolving. Each new game at site Manti Games has better graphics, controls, and perhaps features than the previous one. As the developers try to give wider control to the players, we might soon see games with true 3D graphics and simulation on the level of virtual reality. From Space Race to Forza Horizon 4, the journey has been spectacular. You can imagine what the future will look like.