8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

From co-op careers to fun in-game challenges, there are a lot of great features in racing games. But some of them need to be in more racing titles. Here are just a few examples...
8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

1. Split screen

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

OK, so split screen is still featured on a lot of racing games, but, it’s weird that this basic but enjoyable offline game mode is not available on all console releases. For example, Forza Horizon 3 doesn’t feature split screen, nor does the latest F1 game – F1 2016 by Codemasters.

Racing games are focusing more on online multiplayer but offline competitions from the same console are still pretty popular. It doesn’t seem like too much of a task to fit it into games either, but then again, we aren’t racing game developers.

2. Open world

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

Having an open-world element in a racing game may seem a little pointless, but adding a walk-around feature would bring added fun and depth to something like Forza Horizon 3 and a fascinating ‘live the life’ component to motorsport titles like Project CARS.

Imagine jumping out of your F1 or GT car and being able to walk around race track paddocks, interacting with people and influencing your career. It’s something that Grand Theft Auto V has done well.

Some racing games like (to bring it up again) Forza Horizon have large maps but aren’t fully open world. The newest F1 game features a motorhome environment but building on that aspect would be really good fun.

3. Junior categories

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

The thing I really love about Project CARS’ career mode is the fact you work your way up through the ranks. It’s something GRID Autosport had going for it too. You create your own motorsport path and move through the championships, just like in real life.

It’s a shame other motorsport games don’t follow this, especially the official F1 games. Imagine having the option of racing in GP3 and GP2 before F1, having to fight your way to the top – almost like in Motorsport Manager, but you’re the driver.

4. Flashback

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

Maybe this proves what a rubbish racing gamer I am, but having the chance to rewind in a replay and go back to a time before your car was destroyed by a barrier or wall is a life-saver.

Flashbacks save a lot of time and make games more accessible for new and not-so-talented players. Most of the games that include something like this give the option to turn it off too, for more experienced/gifted players.

5. More historic content

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

Racing games often focus on the exotic and exciting cars of modern times, but few really include a wide range of historic automotive machines.

Whether it’s an F1 game where we can drive classic cars from the 50s, or a street racing title that would be fun with added 60s performance metal, it’d add a nice, new element to these sort of games.

6. Random mini challenges

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

I don’t know about you, but I miss weird and wonderful in-game challenges. Not enough games feature these kind of things, where you stray off the storyline but at the benefit of your career or progress.

Something like Top Gear Car Football in Forza Motorsport 4 is a good example, or the ‘Bucket List’ challenges in Forza Horizon 3. These kind of non-racing features can be fun and mix things up, making things less boring.

For example, in F1 game career mode, it’d be interesting if a press conference sprung up where you could improve or worsen your reputation depending on your answers.

7. Damage (in general)

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

By this, I mean not only more realistic car damage (if it’s on realistic damage, that means a hit with the wall will cause some kind of issue with the car) but also on the maps and tracks.

Racing games need to realise that hitting a street light pole, bush or tyre stack will move, destroy or bring down those things. It won’t completely stop the car.

8. More interaction

8 Features We’d Like To See More In Racing Games

For games with an open-world or map element, it’d be nice to have more interaction with the real-world elements like houses, people, buildings and businesses. Maybe this is a pretty niche request, but it’d add something fresh to games like Need for Speed.

What other features do you want to see more often in racing games? Let us know in the comments below!

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Comments

Anonymous

Drivers license like you’d do in gran turismo 2 before you could drive fast cars or tracks

12/30/2016 - 14:19 |
6 | 0
RodriguezRacer456 (Aventador SV) (Lambo Squad)

I completely agree with #5. As much as I love driving a Ferrari FXX K in Driveclub I really want to drive a 330 P3/4

12/30/2016 - 14:22 |
6 | 0
Anonymous

removable car parts

12/30/2016 - 14:39 |
8 | 0
suchdoge

Trying to park the 600 grösser in Forza 4 would be cool

12/30/2016 - 14:42 |
0 | 0
TheMindGarage

FM6 has rewind, but I feel there should be a setting in between “On” and “Off” that only allows you a set number of rewinds in a race (depending on distance) so you have the chance to save your butt when you need to, but you can’t abuse the system to replay each corner 5 times to get the best line.

12/30/2016 - 15:13 |
4 | 0

The regulation is that your lap is dirty if you replay, so it’ll never be considered better than someone who took the turn in one shot. I liked the FM5 method of penalizing you every time you used it in the post-race rewards. Not sure if that’s a feature on FM6, I haven’t used the rewind since at the latest FM4

12/30/2016 - 17:30 |
2 | 0
Matt O'Neill

I want damage like Beam.ng drive in more games. The soft body physics

12/30/2016 - 15:52 |
0 | 0
Clint 1

Strange motor swaps, like a rotory mini or something. Also if they could get burned outs on the correct end of the car would be nice.

12/30/2016 - 16:22 |
8 | 0
Jax Rhapsody

In reply to by Clint 1

A local shop here tossed a…I wanna say…Porsche 928 motor in the front of an old Morris Mini.

12/31/2016 - 03:25 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

“Realistic Physics”

12/30/2016 - 16:34 |
2 | 2
slevo beavo

Mechanical failures such as turbos blowing, cambelts breaking, run to much kerb Punctures or blowing the welds on your intake.

12/30/2016 - 17:25 |
10 | 0
Anonymous

I still don’t get what’s the point of not having split screen, what if you have terrible online connection? What if you have no friends who own the game? Split screen just asks you to have another controller, which would also give the companies (like Sony or Microsoft) more money, being able to play the game without having to worry about internet connection and a-hole high level players is just so much better, plus, you actually get to play with your friends without them having to buy the game on their own.

12/30/2016 - 17:49 |
2 | 0