With time, racing games have become more challenging and mind-engaging, having transformed from simple racing tracks with pixels to more realistic ones. Gaming technology has also advanced to meet the demands of players in pursuit of a real-life gaming experience. Hence, over the years, some game titles became benchmarks and with their influence, changed the course for games and gamers alike. In this discussion, we focus on six legendary racing games that we can consider to be the pioneers in this particular genre of the game industry. Keep reading:

Gran Turismo (1997)

The release of Gran Turismo in 1997 was initially felt as the most awaited game changer in the world of racing simulation games. This game was developed by Polyphony Digital Company and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was the result of five years of hard work. It provided minimal standards for realistic racing games that put much effort into examining the car models and the realistic driving mechanism.

Undoubtedly, the first thing that struck the eye in “Gran Turismo” was its immense list of cars available for purchase. The game was packed with more than 140 finely rendered vehicles from different brands. Hence, players were never left with a shortage of vehicle types to use, and each vehicle had its own attributes and behaviors.

Need for Speed: Underground (2003)

For every player fascinated by speed, “Underground” intensified the essence of street racing games by taking you into a different style of racing in a colorful world of underground culture. Created by EA, this series was launched in 2003 and broke from the usual racing pattern of earlier titles. It was initiated by presenting players with the world of unlawful street racing and night-time chases. Streets in the urban racing sequences were lit at night with rain falling and traffic, giving the real feel of adrenaline rush of actual street racing.

Forza Motorsport (2005)

Considered the major competitor to the famous Gran Turismo, which had previously been released for PlayStation, “Forza Motorsport” was released in 2005. It was created by a group known as Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. “Forza Motorsport” was designed to offer training to each console system’s gaming limits.

Its advanced visuals and graphics made it stand out among other racing games of that time. The game produced incredible, near-life-like images of both the cars and the racing tracks. It was designed with realistic lighting effects techniques, sharp texturing, and high-polygon models.

Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 in Initial D Arcade Stage (2002)

Released in 2002, Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 game managed to capture the thrilling experience of Japanese street racing and drift culture for arcade-goers around the world. Set in the fictional world of ‘Initial D’ based on an anime and manga series, the game challenges players to race on mountain passes.

Players who engaged in the game tended to compare the attention that they needed to extend to their automobiles in the game. They devoted this attention to looking after their automobiles in real life situations such as using Toyota car covers to guard their vehicles from harsh weather conditions or regular oil changes to reduce friction. This focus on automobiles helped players interact with their counterparts in a more exciting manner. It emphasized the cultural relevance of the game and the franchise from which it was drawn.

Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)

The racing video game created by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts in 2004 was unique in its own ways. First, unlike earlier racing games that tried to depict a realistic simulation of the real world and precise controlling of car’s movements, “Burnout 3” was all about fun and mindless destruction.

Secondly, it was the car’s unique crash mode, in which the player was given a specific incentive to create as many traffic pile-ups as he could. This mode changed crashes into entertainment and rewarded players for the extent of the mess made and how they used the surroundings’ items and infrastructure to increase it.

Mario Kart 64 (1996)

Although Mario Kart 64, released by Nintendo in 1996, fails to qualify as a racing simulation, millions of players were formally introduced to the world of kart racing. This game was based on the groundwork created by the previous game, “Super Mario Kart,” but it added many touches that fascinated players all around the world.

The move to 3D graphics led to much more complex and creative track layouts featuring everything from the dangerous Rainbow Road to the slippery curves of Sherbet Land. These tracks were designed strategically to invite challenges in the form of obstacles.

Conclusion

The six racing games played a key role in shaping the racing genre. Whether through realistic simulations, chaotic arcade fun, or cultural authenticity, these titles not only defined their respective eras but also left a lasting legacy that continues to influence modern racing games.

As we see technology develop more and more every year it’s no surprise that many industries that rely heavily on it have grown and changed a lot over past decades. One such industry that has changed a lot, especially for younger generations is the old concept of entertainment. While you may be used to watching your favorite TV show or movie online and assume that this is the top of the line the reality is that there is something even newer and more groundbreaking that has taken the younger generations by storm. This concept of course is the concept of video live streaming. Whether you’re watching streams on Twitch or YouTube there is no denying the fact that many people have been watching and tuning in more and more every year. This is especially true for those who love to live-stream video games. But if you’re a gamer yourself how can you start streaming? Where do you even start? Here is a simple guide.

The equipment

Contrary to what many people believe this starting streaming you don’t need a very expensive setup and a high-quality camera to be able to produce great content. Many of the biggest streamers out there currently started using their $15 mic some even started with no camera. The most important thing you need before you start streaming is a good Internet connection to be able to upload your streams a basic microphone or camera and of course, a computer on which to play video games or a console with a capture card. This is of course the very basics since you might see streamers who spend a lot on props and sets which also means that they have to figure out how much is a storage unit or the cost of hiring more people to help them on stream like Jerma for example.

The persona

This is perhaps as important or even more important than the equipment. You need to take into account that even if you are playing video games you need to find a way to make people want to watch you for hours on end. When we talk about persona we don’t necessarily mean finding yourself a gimmick but rather finding what makes you you and makes your content appealing. This is incredibly important especially if you’re playing video games considering that there are a lot of streamers who produce video game-centred content. So as you start setting up your streaming setup you need to keep in mind that you have to be entertaining and to be entertaining you have to give something out that people want to see. It is just that simple.

Engagement

Like anything done on social media, the most important thing for your stream is to be able to get eyes on your stream as well as people who will come back for every other stream. This is perhaps the hardest part. The best way to do so is of course to farm engagement on social media by engaging with people but also by promoting your stream. Whether you choose to engage in drama or try to hop on trends to boost your numbers there is no wrong way to go about it. This is why for example on YouTube clickbait content is so popular even amongst YouTubers who are genuine and entertaining. The artist’s part when it comes to content creation is to convince someone to open your content and see what you’re made of. This is why being present on platforms like Twitter or Instagram is a really good way to reach out to new people.

The Money

If you get into streaming you are of course doing it partly because you want to get money out of it and this is normal. While getting a contract is the 1st and best way to make money out of streaming it is not the only one. The biggest money maker for most streamers is of course sponsors and doing sponsored streams whether it is for a video game company or products that you will show on stream or aware on stream. Once you manage to get your partner status on Twitch for example what you want to do is to be able to get the sponsors so you can start making money.