Dustin Hunsberger

In 1993, Namco released Ridge Racer, an arcade title that was also a launch title for the original PlayStation. It featured revolutionary polygonal graphics, that which rivaled arcade machines at the time, and the monumental success of this title led to numerous sequels. There was a long period of time where an entry in the franchise would symbolize the launch of a new console, and as a result, the franchise saw steady growth, until at some random point, the series, ironically, fell off.

One of the best things about racing games is that a lot of them have really good soundtracks. Ones that echo through the memories of our favorite games, and I’m counting down some of the most iconic songs in racing games. Now, this list is a list that I feel is the best. If you think I missed a song, let me know down in the comments, and be sure to leave a like down below, and maybe subscribe for more!

Yup. You heard me. Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) is the most overrated game in the series. However, overrated doesn’t mean bad. Far from it. The car list, the amazing police chases, the great customization, the fantastic, edgy Hot Topic wearing and pierced earing, teenager focused, soundtrack. The overall tone of the game is something that NFS and EA hasn’t touched on since it came out, and that’s sad. However, that doesn’t make this the best game in the series. Far from it.

The video game industry is something that has its highs and lows. With IP’s being brought back from the dead nearly every day, and with an industry nearly reliant on nostalgia and growing fanbases, rather than new ideas and products that break the mold. To be fair however, it makes sense why companies would rather bank on an old series to back-up new material. Making a new series from scratch is very risky, but sometimes, these breaks from the norm end up creating hidden gems. Today, I’m covering my top 10 racing games that deserve a second chance.

Gran Turismo Sport is the latest incarnation in a line of historic simulation racing games, for those who don’t know. It all started back in late 1997 on the original Playstation, and ever since it’s conception, the world has seen over 15 years of the “Real Driving Simulator”, despite its several rivals (especially Forza). But, before we begin talking about the latest GT game, let me address something right off the bat. I don’t believe that Forza is better than GT, nor is it the other way around.

The PS2 was my console of choice for nearly my entire childhood, and so I’m counting down my top 10 all-time favorite racing games for the greatest selling console of all time (with over 155 MILLION UNITS!). As usual, only one per franchise (though I might make some exceptions…), I haven’t played every single PS2 racing game in existence so I might miss some of your favorites and despite it being on CAR throttle, it’s not going to just include car based games, so keep that in mind. And so, on with the list! #10 - Ridge Racer V

The holidays are here, and with it comes Christmas, and the Blizzard Mountain expansion for Forza Horizon 3, which comes out TOMMOROW. To get hype for Forza’s first winter endeavor, I’m counting down my top 10 all-time favorite winter themed courses. What defines a winter course? It must have winter elements, including lots of snow and ice, but it also doesn’t just consist of off-road courses. Whether it has off-road elements or some snow to the side, it doesnt matter, if it looks like Snow Miser had arrived, then it counts.

Gran Turismo is a series that’s been around for most of my life. It’s a series that’s graced my PsOne, blessed my PS2, disappointed my PSP, and rose like a phoenix for my PS3 nearly 2 years later. It’s a series that has seen spick and span for nearly 15 years and throughout, it’s had several rivals grow from the success. Despite the rise of Forza and a plethora of PC simulators that have brought the series down, Gran Turismo will still be a favorite for me. Why? Because the team behind the GT series knows how to make a damn good race track, and here are 10 of them.

Before we begin, I’d like to point out that I’ll be heading back to college for the next few months so posting these “My thoughts on” pieces are really going to become more of a challenge to pull off every week. I’m not going to give up on my channel, but I might need more time for school and because of this, my reviews may be coming a bit late. Just bear with me, and we’ll see what happens.

Before we start talking about the game that revolutionized racing games with “Powered-up racing”, let’s go back all the way to 2010. I was an 8th grader at the time, and schools nearing to an end. I decided to find a game to play to help pass the time during the summer. So, I decided to pre-order the one game I thought was best. Mod nation Racers. The PSP version…

Before we begin, let’s take a journey back a good week to see how this review suddenly came about. Last week, I had published my review on Tokyo Drift, and ever since that upload, I had received up to 10 new followers, and a lot of up votes and positive comments from other CTzens. I then realized that through this app, I am able to express myself and what I believe in through reviews. I am able to really let loose and go out and be myself, regardless of what the topic is, or what my true opinion is. This app really can listen to you and give positive feedback when you open yourself to it.

Note: I know this isn’t a game, but I don’t really know where else to post it. I hope no one minds…

As I am typing this, I’m currently taking my 400 hp Shelby GT350R and making an attempt at the 4th “1000 miles!” event. It’s been a rough journey through the Ring’, Opera Paris and Cote D’azur, and Le Mans is proving no different. Trust me, it’s so hard to sit back, chill behind a fan and watch the entire Back to The Future trilogy at 11 at night. It’s a hard life working as a part time Driver/Mechanic/Accountant/Manager (and crew chief, which will explain how I’m typing all this sarcasm and racing at the same time), but it’s all worth it when you’re playing Gran Turismo 4.