Summary
Racing games have long been in the gaming industry and have a certain audience. These players enjoy the intense competition and high-speed pursuits these racing games provide, thus making it an enjoyable experience for all. Many racing games in recent times have focused onimproving their game modes, such as multiplayerand co-op mode, which allows fans to play together with friends and family, be it online or couch co-op.
Specific racing games dive deep into the co-op element, making unique game modes that promote strategic planning and teamwork to succeed.
Updated on May 6th, 2024, by Waseem Muhammad: Cooperative racing games offer a unique alternate experience to the traditional solo-focused gameplay of the racing genre. There are different co-operative games that suit different play styles, such as off-road or arcade-style racers. Being able to play racing games with friends or online acquaintances brings a sense of competition, but in a healthy way. Split-screen co-op racing games allow friends and family to spend time together while also being entertained throughout the session. This list’s recent update adds a new entry to the catalogue of co-op racers, as well as some minor changes to the existing entries.
Team Sonic Racingis a game published by Sega and has a ton of cooperative game modes. The game hasTeam Adventure Mode, which is a cooperative campaign where players team up to save the world fromDr. Eggman. The game mode has a local co-op where players defeat rivals while also completing the challenges in the race. With an engaging narrative, friends and family alike can stay immersed.
Other game modes includeTeam Grand PrixandTeam Races. Each race can be played on different and unique maps, and they have power-ups that must be used strategically to give an advantage over the rival racers.
Hot Wheels Unleashedbrought cool and funky cars onto the track, capturing the essence of the toy brand. The 2021 game is fast-paced and competitive-focused, allowing players to challenge others to see who is at the top. Features such asTrack EditorandCar Customizationare the main things the game is known for.The Track Editor allows the players to make their tracks and invite their friends to play on them together. For the 2023 sequel, Milestone generally built on the first entry’s very solid foundations, fine-tuning the gameplay, adding a couple of new online modes, and also separating the 100+ vehicles into six classes to differentiate them.
There are tons of cars inHot Wheels Unleashed 2to choose from, and the game allows players to customize these cars even further, making them a wholly different and unique design. The players can then share their designs with the community and their friends to exchange ideas and tips to make the car better.
Like the first title,Turbochargedoffers Split Screen co-op racing for players who want to opt for couch multiplayer. In addition to this, the game also has multiplayer races where players can compete against each other in a competitive spirit or with friends. Admittedly, co-op is a fairly small part of bothHot Wheels Unleashedgames and is overshadowed by the single-player campaign, track editor, and competitive multiplayer; nevertheless, it rounds off both titles well.
Horizon Chase Turbois the go-to option when someone wants to play a cooperative racing game. The main purpose of the game is to bring in multiple co-op modes that allow the players to work as a team and complete the challenge as a group. TheWorld Tourmode is the campaign in the game where the players choose one race at a time to advance through the countries. This can be done solo, but in co-op, scoring will be cooperative, allowing the players to work together and have fun.
TheTournament Modehas four races in which the scores of the players are calculated. At the end, the score of all the races is totaled, and the player with the highest wins. Playing the Tournament mode also unlocks new cars. There is also theEndurance Mode, where players race and score individually, but one of the players has to finish fifth position or higher to proceed further. Having such an amazing cooperative mode allows this racing game to be enjoyable while also providing variety.
F1 23is known for the fun driving mechanics it brings to the racing genre. The cars and the maps in the game allow the players to immerse themselves in the world of Formula 1. Aside from the split-screen co-op races, which a lot of the games have, the game also has a cooperative campaign mode where friends can compete against AI. The goal of the campaign focuses on winning individual races in major competitions to win it all.
The game also has a My Team mode where players make their own F1 team and manage it. Players can take on the role of a manager and get to make strategic decisions while also focusing on the finances.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueledhas a diverse range of co-op modes that allow players to join forces and rely on their teamwork to lead them to victory. The game has a split-screen mode and entertaining online co-op, making it a fun experience for family and friends alike. Like many of the other entries on this list,Crash Team Racingalso has an engaging multiplayer mode where players can team up to tackle various events against other players.
One of the most entertaining modes in the game is theRing Rallymode, in which players have to drive through large tracks collecting rings before time runs out. The game also features anAdventure Modethat acts as the main campaign, which players can also play in co-operative mode.
When it comes to local party games, where else to look than Mario games? Be it family-friendly party games or local racing, Mario has everything covered.Mario Kart 8 Deluxeoffers numerous game modes, most of which are all cooperative and involve players competing against each other.There is theTeam Battle, which consists of fun modes like theBalloon Battle,Coin Runners, and more. Local and online co-op are common features in the game that allow a group of players to play together.The game supports up to four players in a split screen. Meanwhile, there can be a whopping 12 players in a single lobby.
As the game is only available on the Nintendo Switch, one of the great features is theShared Joy-Conmode, where two players can play the game using the same console. Each player, in this case, will have to hold one Joy-Con controller and enjoy the cooperative experience.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxealso has some of the best accessibility features in the genre, such asSmart SteeringandAuto-Accelerate, which allow the game to move and turn the car for the player if they are young or not quite used to the genre in general.
Forza Horizon 5is known for its single-player experience but also offers great cooperative modes as well as its well-knownOpen World mode. The open world inForzafeatures a co-op story campaign and an arcade mode. Inside the Arcade, there are multiple challenges and mini-games that players can take part in.Capture the Flagand taking down bowling pins are some of the great mini-gamesForzahas to offer.
The game also allows the players to explore the open world to meet and interact with other players that can be found in different areas.Players can engage in friendly racing to test out their skillsas well.
