Racing with the ultimate sense of speed

Key conclusions

• Driving club
  was a technical marvel with an unmatched sense of speed thanks to the sound design and weather effects.
• Need for Speed ​​​​Heat
  perfectly delivers high-speed adrenaline with intense police chases.
• Split/Second
  captivates with impeccable sound design, destruction and an unprecedented sense of speed.

In racing games, players always want to experience the thrill of driving the fastest cars at crazy speeds. However, not all racing games convey this sense of speed equally. While developers of hardcore driving simulators rarely use special tricks to enhance the feeling of speed, the arcade racing genre is known for using various methods to give an exaggerated adrenaline rush.

Key elements that enhance the sense of speed include adjusting the field of view (FOV), adding motion blur, dynamic camera shake, and enabling sound effects for passing objects. Motion blur, once a staple of arcade racers, has become less common in recent years, as developers now use other methods to enhance the sense of speed while still maintaining crisp visuals. Let's take a look at some of the best arcade racing games of recent years that perfectly make players feel the rush of high-speed driving.

1 Driving club

A forgotten PlayStation game that excels at bitrates

Driving club is one of those hidden gems that players can no longer purchase, which is a shame given its technical brilliance. While the racing itself wasn't always the most exciting, the game stood out for its top-notch graphics and incredible sound design, which made it a marvel when it came out – and still impresses today. Driving club often comes up in discussions among racing fans for exactly these reasons.

The sense of speed of the game is second to none, especially when combined with exciting weather effects such as heavy rain. Driving a supercar at high speeds in treacherous weather conditions felt truly intense, with motion blur, dynamic camera shake and immersive sound design all working together to effectively convey the sense of danger.

2 Need For Speed ​​​​Heat

High-speed police chases create an adrenaline rush

The Need for Speed series has long been a staple of arcade racing, and even at its lowest points, the games have always stood out in style and sound. Among the recent entries, Need for Speed ​​​​Heat stands out as one of the best for evoking a heart-pounding sense of speed. The bright neon aesthetic and intense nighttime police chases won't take long to get your adrenaline pumping.

Driving a hypercar, Need for Speed ​​​​Heat makes players feel like they're riding a rocket through clever use of motion blur, dynamic camera shake, and perfectly calibrated viewing angles at key angles. Although it may not be as heavy on effects as the classics Underground, Carbonor Most Wanted, Heat still creates an exhilarating sense of speed.

3 Split/Second

A sense of speed amidst destruction brought to life by flawless sound design

Split/Second was one of the last attempts to revive the destruction racing sub-genre, standing out for its unique mechanics of destructible, route-changing environments and the TV show aesthetic. Although the game never achieved widespread success, it was a technical marvel, immersing players in a world of chaos, massive explosions and smoking wreckage on the road.

Split/Second flawlessly conveyed a sense of speed that made many other racing games feel slow in comparison. Its most outstanding feature was its impeccable sound design, which elevated every devastating moment on screen. Coupled with a constant sense of imminent danger – especially when leading a pack of aggressive rivals – each race in Split/Second provided a great adrenaline rush.

4 Need For Speed ​​Unbound

Crisp visual styling and smooth handling make for a high-octane driving experience

Need for Speed ​​​​Unbound – the latest installment in the series unsurprisingly provides a very satisfying sense of speed. Relying on Heatbase, Without a garter stands out with its unique anime-inspired visual style and incredibly smooth driving, even when driving at top speed.

Removing support for older hardware was a smart move that allowed Without a garter to achieve smoother operation and management on modern platforms. Dodging traffic on the highway while trying to escape the police makes for some unforgettable heart-pounding moments. At times, the intensity of Unbound can feel almost exhausting – but in the best way.

5 Shift 2: Released

The shift to realism brings a new appeal

As a continuation Need for Speed: Shift, Shift 2: Released took a bold step away from its predecessor's arcade roots, even abandoning the Need for Speed a title to signal a shift towards realism. The game emphasizes a more serious, grounded approach to racing, and features an immersive first-person cockpit camera.

Fast ride to Shift 2: Released truly intense, with subtle camera movements that mimic the perspective of a real driver, enhancing the sense of immersion. This game stands out for making the feeling of speed terrifyingly real, especially during crashes, where distortions, blackouts and motion blur add to the visceral sensation. It's the combination of realistic driving mechanics and a strong sense of speed that makes Shift 2 notable entry in the racing genre.

6 Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

It's not the best in the genre, but it gets the basics right

For now Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has yet to establish itself as a heavyweight in the racing genre, it still excels in key areas. The game shows impressive attention to detail in the wide world and offers a wide range of cars to collect, making it a strong competitor in speed racing.

Solar crown effectively manages the sense of speed using a combination of techniques such as motion blur, dynamic camera shake, and impactful sound design. Driving through the narrow streets of Hong Kong in a luxury car at top speed is a visual and auditory spectacle. While it may not be groundbreaking, Solar crown does the basics of speed and excitement just right.