While there are some great Formula 1 games to play on console machines and PC gamers aren’t short of options either in 2026, not every racing game we’ve been exposed to over the years has been worth dedicating yourself to. In fact, there have been some seriously shoddy products, many of which are worth avoiding at all costs if you ever see them listed online or on display at a retro gaming store.
From some more recent disasters to an array of terrible products from the past, racing games haven’t always delivered. As an enticing area of gaming, players don’t hold back if a highly anticipated release fails to hit the spot either. While some titles serve up straightforward offerings that rarely let you down, be it the endless adventures on offer in Minecraft or undeniable classics like DraftKings online blackjack, racing games can turn players off after a few minutes. From poor controls and boring narratives to painfully bad graphics and unrealistic features, we’ve seen some forgettable titles.
To ensure you don’t waste your time revisiting these undoubted duds, below we highlight some truly horrific racing games, many of which are still being discussed today for all the wrong reasons.
Fast And The Furious: Showdown
We’ve seen enough Fast And The Furious movies, right? Well, the same applies to the games. In 2013, gamers were certainly left feeling deflated after diving in to sample Fast And The Furious: Showdown. A game that was highly anticipated turned out to be a horrible mess, with nothing exciting about it and frankly appalling graphics that could have been so much better. While it did have some redeeming qualities, such as its fun co-op battles, Fast And The Furious: Showdown was a disaster.
Test Drive Unlimited
Released in 2006, Test Drive Unlimited promised a lot initially, but it delivered very little in the end. The ninth game from a series of titles that many racing games adore was a massive letdown, as players were left feeling angry by a distinct lack of new vehicles to drive, while the game’s mechanics didn’t work at all. Not only was controlling a vehicle smoothly a tougher challenge than it needed to be, but Test Drive Unlimited quickly became outdated given the hit games that soon came to the fore following its release.
Asphalt 8: Airborne
It’s hard to be too critical of a mobile game from this category, given smartphone gaming’s limitations, but Asphalt 8: Airborne was bad. While it achieved plenty of downloads on iOS and Android devices, they weren’t really justified. Not only did the game feel like nothing more than a poor runner, but it also offered aggressive monetization that gamers didn’t warm to, plus an all-around uninspiring package that failed to build on the success of its predecessors. Overall, Asphalt 8: Airborne is definitely worth avoiding.
Need for Speed
There have been some excellent Need for Speed games over the years, but the 2015 version of the game was a major disappointment for many. From the limited car upgrades on offer, to the game’s understeer racing, gamers struggled to cope with the title’s terrible driving physics, it didn’t have much going for it. Throw in the game’s dull map, and Need for Speed is probably the worst installment from the entire series.
Yaris
Finally, we have Yaris, a title with a Toyota license for fans of the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer to enjoy. However, it wasn’t a pleasurable gaming experience at all. From its awful graphics and its endless tunnels, to its comical vehicles and the weapons they possessed, Yaris was horrendous in more ways than one.