Summary
The British developerCodemastersis certainly a powerhouse when it comes to racing games, having left behind some of the best games ever in this genre. Absorbed by EA a few years ago,Codemasterscontinued working alongside them in multiple racing games like theF1franchise. However, for this list, the focus is set on their standalone era, and more specifically, thebest racing games of all time.
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Codemasters was founded in 1986, and despite being mostly known for their racing games, they also have some successful RPGs such as theOverlordseries. It was around the late ’90s when they pivoted towards racing as their main focus with sagas likeTOCAorColin McRae. Since then, they have left behind some of the best racing simulation games ever, but which one of those is their best?
10F1 Race Stars
What better way to start the list than with some controversy? Some very valuable games may have been snubbed, like their first-ever racing gameBMX Simulator, however,F1 Race Starsdoes not deserve to be one of those “forgotten” titles.This attempt at aMario Kartwith the F1 license came out pretty well and deserves some consideration as the best of the rest in this category.
The circuits had great and fun designs, and racing with current and legendary F1 drivers was obviously great. Overall it was a good game, but the decision to not add sliding as it usually works for this type of game didn’t sit well. Although to be fair sliding with an F1 car shouldn’t really be in the cards. It came out in 2012 with another edition for Wii U in 2013. An idea that could use a comeback for this generation.
Going back to their expertise for the rest of this list, what Codemasters really mastered was the finest racing simulation, always ahead of their time and an example to follow for other developers. WithGrid 2, they showed off mesmerizing graphics of damage modeling and physics.
The career mode in which players would get more fans according to their performances in races, the selection of cars and tracks, and the overall gameplay turned this game into a very solid sequel of a saga that threatenedto challenge the greatness ofGran Turismo.
8TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Driving Simulator
IfGrid 2was trying to challenge the greats,TOCA Race Driver 2actually did it. One of the best and most refined racing games at the time, an all-time classic especially for PlayStation 2.
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Released in 2004, it featureda ton of different contentwith once again great graphics and the possibility to set the game in a Hardcore simulation mode which brings one of the most realistic racing simulators at the time.
7DiRT Rally
Apart from F1, street racing and driving simulators what Codemasters really excelled at was their rally games.DiRT Rallylaunched in 2015 for PC, and a little later in consoles. It felt like the culmination of theDiRTsaga. Truth is,the game was so realisticthat it turned out to be extremely difficult for beginners.
A game that sets the casuals from the true pilots. Like it or not, when a racing game succeeds at portraying the sport in such a faithful and detailed manner, it has to be considered one of the best, even if the public doesn’t feel welcome.
6Race Driver: Grid
Back in 2008,Codemasters seemed to grow tiredof the collecting cars trend and made a game that focused solely on racing, plain and simple. The first entry of theGridfranchise is still one of their best-rated games in Metacritic. A highly acclaimed racing game that knows how to stick to the basics and perfect them.
Others might try to do too much and fail to make some of the content worthwhile. InGrid, every car and track, physics, and gameplay were right on point. Hard to find games as polished as this one at launch these days.
5Colin McRae Rally 2.0
An absolute classic masterpiece, remembered by anyone into racing games or just rallying.Colin McRae Rally 2.0came out in the year 2000 for PlayStation and PC and Game Boy Advance, although its graphics could easily be mistaken for a PlayStation 2 game, and not a bad one.
At the time, this game was by far the best and most realistic rallying video game, the only issues that could be found were tracks, a little short.
4F1 2017
It couldn’t be different. The top of the list is almost limited to the F1 franchise that Codemasters built out of thin air. The king of Motorsports deserved an annual game that couldrival with all the other major sports gameslikeNBA 2K,FIFA,orMadden, and they did it.
However,F1 2017makes the list as one of their best after almost a decade of work and continued progress. The increasing popularity and respected gameplay of the franchise made this the first F1 game in the eSports competitions.
3Colin McRae: DiRT 2
One of the most highly acclaimed games they ever made, and worthy of a podium finish. Released in 2009,Colin McRae DiRT 2had a unique feel to it. It was one of the few times were Codemasters decided to fusion arcade-like physics with simulation gameplay. The introduction of a few different modes also helped to bring different types of public to the game, as well as maintaining a place for the hardcore fans.The only downside to be foundwas perhaps the absence of weather and track deterioration.
The last entry of the F1 franchise before EA took over. Codemasters went all out onF1 2020as if they were saving something for the end.
They brought new gameplay, customization, the introduction of the My Team mode, awide range of accessibility options, driver changes in career mode, and classic cars but also classic drivers to be added to your team. Probably, the only reason it stands at second place is nostalgia.
1F1 2010
Sitting right at the top, F1 2010 was a game that changed the racing genre forever. It was Codemasters' first attempt at the F1 series and the first time the competition had a licensed product for a few years. The leap forward was massive. It built a huge fan base for F1 games almost overnight thanks greatly to the career mode.
This mode would make the player start from a top-bottom team and build their way up with results, becoming the first driver,improving and developing the carduring practice sessions, and testing skills to the limit. Simply, special.
