The 18 best racing & sports games 2022

In this guide to the best racing and sports games 2022, we want to show you

  • Which racing and sports games you shouldn't miss.
  • Where you should expect microtransactions.

The genre of racing and sports games is usually dominated by a few perennial favorites, which are constantly improved in new editions every year. However, there are always surprises that are worth taking a look at. The following list is therefore meant to be a healthy mixture of both and offers something for every sports taste.

Need for Speed Heat

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • Genre: Racing game
  • Addons: Car Pack 1 with two additional cars, one of which is chargeable
  • Suitablefor: Street racing and Florida fans

Heat () finally helps the Need for Speed series, which has been flagging for many years, to make a comeback: In legal day and illegal night races you either collect money or reputation in the street racing scene. The setting Palm City is strongly based on Miami and Florida.

While the story is predictably thin, the tuning and especially the activities on the large map and the police chases are a lot of fun. Plus, of course, there are plenty of licensed dream cars to at least put in your virtual garage. How to drive them safely to the finish line first, you can find out in our tips & tricks for NFS Heat.

More articles & guides about Need for Speed Heat:

Automobilista 2

  • Platform: PC
  • Genre: Racing Simulation
  • Addons: None
  • Suitable for: Fans of challenging or exotic racing simulations

If you like demanding racing simulations in the Brazilian sun, Automobilista 2 is the right choice for you. Compared to its predecessor, the latest offshoot plays even more realistically thanks to physical improvements. Automoblisita 2 is aimed at experienced drivers who are looking for a fun challenge. The dynamic track condition and weather system also contributes to this.

On more than 40 official tracks, such as Silverstone or Imola, you'll race across the asphalt with prominent sports and noble cars. Among them are formula cars, touring cars or prototypes. You can also experience the spectacle up close in VR via Valve Index, HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.

F1 2021

  • Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • Genre: Racing simulation, F1 game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Optional microtransactions in the form of Pitcoins.
  • Suitable for: Formula 1 and racing fans

F1 2021 is a pure racing simulation and the most comprehensive as well asbest Formula 1 game of all time. In the latest installment, developer Codemasters has made many gameplay improvements, but the My Team mode is also back. In it, you can manage your own racing team in the top class of motorsports. In addition, all Grand Prix circuits as well as countless classic and current F1 cars, including various paint schemes, are represented in the racing simulation.

All F1 2021 guides from GAMEZ at a glance:

MLB The Show 21

  • Platform: PS4. PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • Genre: Baseball sports game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Optional microtransactions in Diamond Dynasty mode
  • Suitable for: Fans of tactical sports games

Despite the Super Bowl and the NFL, baseball is still the US sport par excellence. MLB The Show 21 brings pitchers, batters and catchers to your home. And that's not a bad choice, because a lot of love has been put into the details. Every game mode here is worth its time, and even the Diamond Dynasty mode doesn't take the last penny out of players' pockets. All that's really missing is Hot Dog or Popcorn.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 2 (Remake)

  • Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
  • Genre: Skate game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Anyone who played the originals in the '90s

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 (Remake) is the remake of two skating games that shaped an entire generation some 20 years ago. From now on, you'll be able to spend your nights again honing your combos and achieving new high scores in contemporary graphics. New is the online mode, where you can finally compete with players from all over the world. Are you as good as you always thought?

All articles & guides for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 2 (Remake)

Wreckfest

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Google Stadia
  • Genre: Stockcar racing game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: No
  • Suitable for: Gamers who are into stock car racing or are fans of the Burnout as well as Flatout series

The spiritual successor to the FlatOut series is fast, loud and destructive. Wreckfest is a stock car simulation in which you can even race trucks, RVs or off-road vehicles. Realistic damage models play an important role, because every damage has a direct effect on the driving experience. Thus, it's not only crucial to be the fastest, but also to keep the damage to the car as low as possible.

Added to this are the unusual trackswhich sometimes look more like an arena. Whether you attack opponents aggressively or avoid jostling depends more than ever on your choice of car. Between mud, oil, and wrecked vehicles, the last driver left standing can also win.

Creed: Rise to Glory (VR)

  • Platform: PlayStation 4, PC
  • Supported VR glasses: PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest
  • Genre: Sports game, Boxing
  • Addons: Regular updates with new content
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Sports game fans who also like to exercise themselves.

In Creed: Rise to Glory, you take on the role of an aspiring boxer named Adonis Creed to fight your way to the top of the boxing elite. The developers based the action on the Creed boxing movies with Sylvester Stallone, from which you will also meet some familiar characters.

The VR boxing experience includes a career mode, various training sessions, and a freeplay mode where you can get into the ring just for fun. If you're eventually fit - not only how the game works, but also physically, as the boxing sessions are sweaty - then you can also compete against other Creed players in multiplayer mode.

iRacing

  • Platform: PC
  • Supported VR glasses: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift
  • Genre: Racing simulation
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Monthly subscription required, starting at $13 per month
  • Suitable for: Racing game fans who like realism.

If you're looking for a racing simulation that's as authentic as possible, then you should definitely take a closer look at iRacing. The game has been available since 2008 and has set itself the goal of recreating car races as detailed as possible.

Accordingly, it is recommended that you also play iRacing with a force feedback steering wheel and gearshift, because users who rely on a gamepad will otherwise quickly lose out. iRacing focuses on multiplayer races, which you compete against other players.

But don't worry: When you start your career as a pilot of virtual racing cars, you'll first have to complete several training sessions and learn about licenses to make sure you're fit for the real competitions.

Articles & Guides on iRacing:

NHL 22

  • Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • Genre: Sports game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Optional microtransactions in Ultimate Team mode
  • Suitable for: Hockey fans who like games like FIFA.

Publisher and developer EA Sports is especially known for its sports games in the FIFA and Madden series. In addition, a new ice hockey simulation is also released every year. NHL 22 recreates the action-packed sport on the ice enormously close to reality, since it impressively implements the players' movements and relies on realistic physics.

The career mode called World of Chel lets you start as an unknown nobody and gradually work your way up to the NHL. You can also slip into the skin of any number of hockey legends or compete against other players on the Internet in Ultimate Team mode.

BOXVR (VR)

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4
  • Supported VR glasses: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR
  • Genre: Sports game, Boxing
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Motion-happy gamers

Another boxing game, and again in VR. But BOXVR is more of a rhythm-based workout in which you box than a classic sports game with a sophisticated career mode and such.

However, if you want to improve your own physical fitness, this title is ideal, since it offers different workouts that support different training objectives. Besides, you can include your own music to motivate you during the workouts.

NBA 2K22

  • Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
  • Genre: Sports game, Basketball
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Items in the game can be purchased for virtual currency. This can be earned slowly or purchased quickly with real money.
  • Suitable for: Basketball fans who are not put off by the many microtransaction options.

Although NBA 2K22 is often criticized for its microtransactions, it is still the best basketball game you can find on the market. Not only does it have the NBA's official teams on board, but it also implements the sport accurately and credibly.

Like most sports games, NBA 2K22 includes different single-player modes, such as a career or single matches, but also multiplayer variants. You pay for the microtransactions with so-called virtual currency (VC), which you can buy for real money or slowly earn in the game. With VC, you can buy cosmetic items or open so-called packs in MyTeam mode, which can contain new players.

All NBA 2K22 guides at GameZ:

FIFA 22

  • Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
  • Genre: Sports game, Soccer simulation
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Optional microtransactions in Ultimate Team mode (FUT 20) and VOLTA mode.
  • Suitable for: Soccer fans who are primarily looking for a sports game that has just about all the official licenses on board.

As in NBA 2K22, you can spend real money on FIFA Points within FIFA Ultimate Team or the new VOLTA game mode in FIFA 22 's multiplayer mode. However, this is not absolutely necessary to be successful in FIFA 22. That's why we'll tell you how to earn lots of coins and tokens in FIFA Ultimate Team without spending real money.

Furthermore, FIFA 22 includes almost all the licenses of the soccer world, so you can choose from an almost infinite number of teams to play your matches. Besides, you'll have numerous stadiums at your disposal that you know from real soccer. The sports game is also impressive in terms of game modes. In FIFA 22's career mode you'll prove your skills as a club manager.

Furthermore, you can choose between different single and multiplayer modes. The popular FIFA Ultimate Team mode will keep you playing for days, weeks and months.

All FIFA 22 guides at GameZ:

Project Cars 3

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • Supported VR glasses: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality
  • Genre: Racing simulation
  • Addons: DLCs with new cars or tracks
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Gamers looking for a realistic racing game experience.

Project Cars 3 is once again a racing simulation that wants to challenge you on 120 track layouts in different locations around the world. However, it's not just this variety of track layouts to memorize that should keep you a bit busy.

In addition, there is a system that can dynamically change the weather in the background, for example, which in turn affects the temperature of the track and thus the driving behavior of your racer.

Apart from that, Project Cars 3 of course offers everything you would expect from a racing game, such as career mode, single races and multiplayer variants.

All articles & guides on the Project Cars series:

Dirt Rally 2.0

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • Supported VR glasses: Oculus Rift
  • Genre: Racing simulation
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Rally fans looking for a realistic challenge.

Those who like racing games, but don't always want to race boringly over perfectly prepared race tracks, can dare to go off-road in Dirt Rally 2.0. The latest spin-off from the long-lived rally series sticks to the tried and tested virtues: pretty graphics, great simulated racers and impressive tracks, whose course you have to memorize well in order to experience best times and not wrap your car around the next tree.

However, Dirt Rally 2.0 is not for racing game newbies or arcade fans. To help you master the challenging gameplay, we'll tell you the best Dirt Rally tips for getting started. Dirt Rally 2.0 has also been given a VR mode.

Rocket League

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
  • Genre: Sports game, soccer racing game mix
  • Addons: Regular DLCs
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: Paid, but optional "Rocket Pass"
  • Suitable for: Gamers who like wacky sports games and online matches.

This list has already included quite a few racing games, most of which were more concerned with capturing racing realistically. Rocket League, on the other hand, is all about fun, as it's basically soccer with cars.

It's a ton of fun and has quickly become one of the most popular online games, which is also the main game mode. The longer you play, the further you advance in the levels of the so-called Rocket Pass.

This is available in a free version and a paid premium version, which costs around 10 euros. Players with the Premium Pass get special extra rewards in addition to the rewards of the free version.

Echo Arena (VR)

  • Platform: PC
  • Supported VR glasses: Oculus Rift
  • Genre: Sports game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Motion-happy gamers with a fondness for the movie Tron.

In the VR sports game Echo Arena, you virtually throw yourself into Frisbee matches. In weightless space, two teams with two players each compete against each other and have to throw a disc into the opponent's goal. To make the matches more exciting, the players are equipped with weapons and various abilities.

Forza Horizon 5

  • Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • Genre: Racing game
  • Addons: Regular DLCs
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable forfor racing game lovers who are looking for a large, freely drivable game world.

The racing game Forza Horizon 5 offers you Mexico as an open game world, which not only looks great, but also offers different seasons and thus weather conditions.

In the game world you can compete in various events, whether classic races, drift events and much more. In the online mode, there are also up to 72 other players in the game world with you, against whom you can compete at any time.

In addition to the immensely large game world, Forza Horizon 5 also comes with more than 500 cars, and developer Playground Games keeps expanding the game with DLCs.

All articles & guides on Forza Horizon 5:

Art of Rally

  • Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
  • Genre: Racing game
  • Addons: None
  • Subscription / Microtransactions: None
  • Suitable for: Rally lovers who warm up to the unusual graphic style.

Art of Rally is a classic rally game in which you control your cars from a bird's eye view through 72 different stages. Even though the racing game seems quite simple at first sight due to the playful graphic style, it takes some practice to safely control the different cars over the tracks. Each of the mainly oldschool rally cars has its own driving behavior.

Especially those who have already played the dirt series up and down should definitely give Art of Rally a try.

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