Summary
- PlayStation 2 had some iconic racing games, from arcade thrills to realistic simulations, offering diverse experiences for gamers to enjoy.
- Titles like Jak X: Combat Racing, Splashdown, and Midnight Club 3 left a lasting impact on the PS2 racing game landscape.
- Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec stood out as a top-notch racing simulation game, requiring players to strive for excellence and complete various challenges.
With one of the most beloved video game libraries, the PlayStation 2 was filled with all-time hits and lesser-known gems that made it one of the best-selling consoles in history. So many titles across developers large and small made memorable experiences that people look back fondly on.

Related
8 Best Xbox 360 Racing Games, Ranked
The Xbox 360 was home to some incredibly fun, fast-paced, and unique racing games, and these were among some of the best.
One genre that was super popular during the PS2 era was racing games. From arcade experiences to simulations, there were tons of popular racing titles that left an impact, some of which led to many racing games down the line. But while there are a ton that players can choose from, only a handful stand out above the rest.
Updated January 21, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra: The PlayStation 2 was a natural step forward for Sony that they took in stride. The appealing price point coupled with the incredible hardware upgrade helped this console stand out as one of the best gaming platforms that players could get their hands on.
Tightening up on third-party games ensured that the PlayStation 2 was littered with quality titles, with some of the best PS2 racing games ensuring that players could enjoy some fun competitive gameplay as they made high-speed passes and attained victory across a wealth of game modes.
15
Jak X: Combat Racing
Action-Packed Gameplay Meets Arcade Racing For A Winning Combination
Jak X: Combat Racing

- Released
-
October 18, 2005
Any racing game with combat as one of its priorities makes for a great time, and Jak X: Combat Racing is no exception. This brilliant game wasted no time in roping players in with a wealth of familiar characters and racing gameplay that’s incredibly satisfying.
There were times when the difficulty spikes could get rather overbearing, but players who put their heads down and used the tools at their disposal in an efficient manner were able to take out most opponents with relative ease. The story mode was a huge bonus that compelled players to perfect their skills with this game.
14
Midnight Club: Street Racing
Competitive Street Racing That’s As Atmospheric As They Come
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance
- Release Date: October 26, 2000
- Developers: Angel Studios, Rebellion Developments
It’s a shame that Rockstar Studios has effectively binned the Midnight Club series. These racing games let players engage in atmospheric races against tough opposition as they tried to attain victory in night races that were soaked in a well-crafted atmosphere.
For a first outing, Midnight Club: Street Racing was one of the best PS2 racing games and showed a ton of potential for this franchise. The graphics were impressive and helped the quality of this racing game stand out even more, immersing players in an arcade racer that was a ton of fun to play.
13
Splashdown
Racing On Jet Skis Is A Blast
Splashdown


- Released
-
November 5, 2001
Water racing is not as widely popular in video games as it once was in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That era saw a lot of major franchises come to fruition, but one that snuck under the radar is Splashdown. However, the Atari-published racing experience is one of the best racing games on PS2.
5:21

Related
Racing Games With The Best Vehicle Customization
Vehicle customization is a big part of any racing game. These titles do it the absolute best.
Players take control of professional jet ski racers as they take part in races across many tracks. Much like adjacent jet ski-focused racers, Splashdown has players navigating tracks by staying on the correct side of buoys that are laid out. A penalty is assigned if players do not stick with the correct path.
12
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition
An Atmospheric Racing Game Made By Rockstar
Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition


- Released
-
April 12, 2005
- Developer(s)
-
Rockstar San Diego
, Rockstar Leeds
There was a time when Rockstar used to make racing games with a lot of style. The Midnight Club series may be nothing more than a figment of history at this point, but there was a time when players couldn’t get enough of this amazing series and the racing goodness it brought to the table.
Midnight Club 3 was another excellent entry in the series, full to the brim with three amazing open-world environments to explore. The collection of cars is impressive and lets players slowly progress from halfway-decent vehicles to speed demons that leave most enemies in the dirt.
11
Midnight Club 2
One Of The Best Street Racing Games Of All Time
Midnight Club 2


- Released
-
April 9, 2003
- Developer(s)
-
Rockstar San Diego
Rockstar is known for implementing some great racing mechanics in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, but they also used to publish their racing games. During the PS2 era, they published some of the best racing games the console has seen with one of the greatest being Midnight Club 2.
One of the better open-world street racing experiences on PS2, Midnight Club 2 builds on its predecessor by unlocking three new locations for racers to explore: Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo. In addition, this edition of the game is the first to feature motorcycles, expanding an otherwise solid roster to 31 vehicles.
10
NASCAR Thunder 2002
A Racing Simulation That’s Beloved By Hardcore NASCAR Fans
NASCAR Thunder 2002


- Released
-
October 15, 2001
While games around the popular racing product continue to come out, it has been years since NASCAR has had a consistent series of games coming out from a major publisher. The biggest name to put out NASCAR games is EA, with NASCAR Thunder 2002 being one of the best PS2 racing games EA has put out.

Related
Best NASCAR Games
There are plenty of great NASCAR games for fans of racing to enjoy. Here are the best ones.
The first NASCAR game to have the moniker “Thunder,” NASCAR Thunder 2002 features many modes for those who either want to have a quick race or those who want to play an entire season’s worth of races. There is also an extended career mode where players can compete in multiple seasons as well as a create-a-car mode that allows players to customize their vehicle.
9
Burnout Dominator
Causing Flashy Wrecks And Engaging In Some Fun Arcade Racing Is A Blast Every Single Time
The Burnout series stands out in the eyes of many as one of the greatest racing game franchises of all time. Players loved the high-speed action and arcade racing goodness prevalent in these titles, with players figuring out the most creative ways to take down their opponents without getting wrecked themselves. Burnout Dominator is no exception here and is a fun PS2 racing game players can check out for themselves.
The classic Burnout gameplay is intact in this fun arcade racing title, and it’s a shame that this game flew under most people’s radar. However, the series wouldn’t remain dormant for too long, eventually wowing players with the release of Burnout Paradise. It’s a sequel whose legacy speaks for itself and can still be enjoyed to this day on modern systems courtesy of a remastered edition.
8
Need For Speed: Underground
One Of The Best NFS Games That Fans Still Love To This Day
- Released
-
November 17, 2003
Another popular EA racing series is Need for Speed, a franchise that made a name for itself on the original PlayStation before releasing on more platforms and becoming such a massive success that it got its film adaption. When looking back on the series, many fans point to Need for Speed: Underground as one of the best.
While not coming out long after its previous entry, Need for Speed: Underground is considered a reboot by many as it shifts the focus of the franchise from high-end sports cars to vehicles in the import scene. The game is the first in the franchise that has a career mode with a substantial story to it.
7
Colin McRae Rally 3
Dirty Rally Racing Feels Great In This Racing Sim
Colin McRae Rally 3
- Released
-
February 18, 2002
Codemasters has long been a game developer known for its racing titles. They have been the creators of many known racing franchises that continue to get entries today. One of the best PS2 racing games they had an active hand in developing is Colin McRae Rally 3.

Related
14 Best Rally Racing Games, Ranked
Rally racing is the most thrilling of all motorsports, and these are the best games that emulate those thrills.
Taking place after the 2002 World Rally Championship, players can utilize most of the vehicles used in the massive tournament. In addition, there are numerous customization options to make the vehicle as sturdy or speedy as you would like. In terms of modes, there are both quick races and three-season tours that players can choose between.
6
Burnout Revenge
A Stellar Entry In A Series Where Causing Chaos During Races Is The Best Part Of The Game


- Released
-
September 13, 2005
The Burnout series combines high-octane racing with spectacular crashes to make for a compelling gameplay loop that never ceases to be engaging. Burnout Revenge aimed to improve the established gameplay of the series, letting players perform a wealth of mind-blowing moves to take out opponents and rack up points.
The improvements to the series’ formula were well-received, with players being able to perform more flashier takedowns than ever before. Burnout Revenge‘s tantalizing gameplay made it a hit on the PS2 that most fans couldn’t get enough of.
5
Need For Speed: Underground 2
The First Game In The Series To Feature An Open World
- Released
-
November 9, 2004
- Developer(s)
-
Electronic Arts
The Need for Speed series had already established itself as one of the greatest street racing franchises in the world, but it needed to do something more to attract new fans. With open-world gaming slowly becoming one of the most attractive genres in the industry, EA decided that their flagship racing series needed to take this plunge too.
This led to the development of Need for Speed: Underground 2, one of the best PS2 racing games that expanded the scope of the previous title tremendously and let players enjoy the first-ever open world in an NFS game. It set the standard that future Need for Speed games would follow, with players loving the freeform exploration of this sandbox as they took on races that let them experience familiar environments with a new twist.
4
Burnout 3: Takedown
A Legendary Entry In The Burnout Series


- Released
-
September 7, 2004
Criterion Games, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts, has also made a name for itself making racing games. But no game by this UK-based developer is looked back on more fondly than Burnout 3: Takedown. While there were a handful of Burnout games during the PS2 era, none felt as good as a game all about destroying the competition.
6:11

Related
The Best Street Racing Games of All Time, Ranked
Street racing games let players enjoy an adrenaline-pumping thrill from the comfort of their homes.
The arcade racer has many modes with different objectives that can all be played together in World Tour mode. But the primary gameplay mechanic of Takedown is how players can race against their opponents while simultaneously trying to drive them off the road or destroy their vehicle. From Road Rage mode to Crash mode, the game is all about creating as much destruction as possible with highly detailed collisions that had never been seen in games before.
3
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
One Of The Best Gran Turismo Games With Ahead-Of-Their-Time Racing Physics

PlayStation has not had a lot of first-party racing franchises, but there has been one that has stood the test of five console generations. The Gran Turismo franchise is a racing simulation series meant to be a celebration of cars with realistic gameplay. The best Gran Turismo on PS2 is Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec.
While most games don’t force the players to try for 100 percent completion, Gran Turismo 3 almost demands it with the game tasking players to complete as many tournaments and individual races as possible to keep earning new vehicles. There are two major modes in the game: Simulation and Arcade.
2
Gran Turismo 4
A Game Jam-Packed With Content That Fans Love

- Released
-
December 28, 2004
Players who loved Gran Turismo 3 but felt like the game could evolve and reach even greater heights love what Gran Turismo 4 brought to the table. It refined all the ideas from its predecessor while letting players enjoy a ton of content to let them race around in their preferred vehicle in style.
This made Gran Turismo 4 one of the best PS2 racing games players could get their hands on for this console. The incredible racing gameplay felt very satisfying in the right hands, and players didn’t have to spend too much time playing the game before they understood how the driving mechanics worked, letting them zoom past their opponents and reach incredibly high speeds.
1
Need For Speed: Most Wanted
Making Progress In The Blacklist Is Cathartic All The Time
One of the most legendary video games that needs no introduction, Need for Speed: Most Wanted was a revolution for this long-running racing franchise that refined every element from previous games to make for an amazing time. Players loved the intense racing gameplay as players used their nitrous to overtake opponents and employ the Speedbreaker ability to slow down time for precise movement.
What made Most Wanted one of the best PS2 racing games was its undeniable style, with players loving the act of climbing up the Blacklist to eventually take on legendary racers and earn street cred. Starting from an average machine to eventually getting one’s hand on an amazing sports car made for some satisfying progression and lets players evade cops with ease.

More
7 Best PS1 Racing Games, Ranked
The PS1 was home to several popular racing franchises. These games, however, tend to stand above the rest.