The racing genre in video games is stacked with franchises that have been active for decades. The Fast & Furious movies appealed to this fanbase due to their sports car races, action sequences, and a whole lot of style. Interestingly, there are titles that can replicate the Fast & Furious experience in gaming.
While players won’t have Dominic Toretto and his crew on hand, these games do have similar elements that go into the average Fast & Furious movie. With F9 close to release, it’s worth getting into gear and playing a few games that are sure to hype every F&F fan up before the next Vin Diesel movie arrives onscreen.
Juiced (71)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is about the main character becoming the Drift King, requiring him to compete with rivals to attain the position. Juiced is along the same lines, with the main character hoping to conquer all the districts of California by beating their champions.
The races are arcade-style, in that the rules are relatively loose and the focus is on winning, rather than the spirit of competition. This was the case in the Fast & Furious movies as well, where the stakes were the main reward.
Driveclub (71)
This game isn’t much grounded in illegal activities, as seen in the Fast & Furious movies, but the likeness comes from the presence of drive clubs, resembling the loyalty that Dom’s crew had and their tendency to work together to win their races.
In addition, Driveclub features a globe-trotting premise that sees players go off in a number of countries like Norway, India, Japan, among others. Fast & Furious fans will enjoy this aspect since the movie series similarly places the characters around the world in a variety of different cars.
The Crew (72)
The Crew is a massive game that has more than 20 hours worth of gameplay material simply in its campaign mode alone. The open-world can feel frustrating at times, due to how huge it is, and navigation can be a challenge, but this should be overlooked in favor of the overarching story.
In this mode, players are taken into a Fast & Furious-style story where the main character has to evade capture from the police and battle a rival with similar abilities. Racing is a key component of the proceedings, as everything is on the line and based on who comes out on top.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles (82)
All the flash and pizazz from Fast & Furious movies can be found in Midnight Club: Los Angeles, where racing isn’t as big a factor as the thrill of riding cars. A number of creative techniques are available, such as using EMP to disable other cars and sending out sound waves to clear roads.
Another appeal of the game comes from its police chases, which are thrilling sequences where evasion requires players to use the more stylish elements of the gameplay.
Grand Theft Auto Online (83)
There’s no other game quite like the Fast & Furious reboot series as Grand Theft Auto Online. This is due to the game’s multifaceted quality, as players aren’t restricted to their cars and have to use the characters’ melee skills, as well.
Grand Theft Auto Online also requires players to use their smarts to gain the upper hand over others, with heist sequences ranging in quality based on how a player approaches them. There are a number of cars available, including a host of some of the best JDM models to turn this into a street racing affair and the no-holds-barred nature of GTA shines through.
Project Gotham Racing 4 (85)
While this title lacks the same notoriety in the characters and storyline as Fast & Furious, it will satisfy fans who check out the latter series for its cars. As it is, Project Gotham Racing 4 has upwards of 130 cars to select from, with options to choose motorbikes, as well.
Those who love the gorgeous display of cars seen in Fast & Furious will have a great time browsing through the ones available in Project Gotham Racing 4, as just about every line is available. In addition, there’s the choice to select from a number of international locations to drive through with the cars.
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (86)
Back when this game was released for the original PlayStation as one of the best racing games on the platform, it took the world by storm due to its police pursuits. At the time, it was almost unheard of to have this level of realism, as cars were chased after by cops who players had to evade by making use of the cars’ immense speed.
One of Fast & Furious’s main points of action is the characters’ escape from the authorities, with movies like Fast Five featuring the protagonists driving sports cars for this effect. Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit is a similar adrenaline-rushing affair where trouble with the law brings most of the entertainment factor.
Need For Speed: Most Wanted (86)
Most Wanted was such a groundbreaking installment for the Need for Speed franchise and one of the best games in the series that it was remade for later consoles. The game’s creative aspect was the fact that players could use whatever routes they wanted to finish races and weren’t limited by the map.
It’s reminiscent of the Fast & Furious franchise’s no-rules apply format, in that characters use whatever strategy they can improvise to come away with the win. The open world is its greatest strength, as players can choose wherever they want to cause mischief and race their troubles away.
Asphalt 8: Airborne (91)
Mobile racers remain one of the most underrated games out there, as people generally don’t consider them on par with console and PC titles. And yet, Asphalt 8: Airborne is one of the highest-rated racing games released, due in part to having all the elements needed, down pat.
With more than 300 vehicles, there’s pretty much no limit to the racing experience, and Fast & Furious fans will enjoy the stunt work that can be done with the cars. The game allows players to showcase each car’s individual skill during races, with the nitro boost making it very similar to the experience of being in a Fast & Furious movie.
Burnout 3: Takedown (94)
Considered one of the greatest video games of all time, there’s little doubt that Burnout 3: Takedown will satisfy Fast & Furious enthusiasts. The movies feature the characters crashing into one another through a variety of car stunts, and all that can come to life in this game.
Everything from the intense races, nitro boosting, skidding off roads, drifting, and the general Fast & Furious formula can be found here and then some. Things can escalate into total destruction, yet that’s what makes it so appealing, as the high-octane experience is guaranteed to bring thrills.