The SNES was home to some phenomenal racing games, and in a genre that’s quite diverse it can be hard to delineate the best ones. Yet, we’ve had a go at choosing the best SNES racing games.
Check out our top 5 racing games for the SNES and let us know if you agree with our list in the comment section below.
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5. Top Gear (1992)
Top Gear is an awesome driving game in which you have to make your way from the back of the pack at the start of the race, to the front by the end of it.
The game is split into two screens, one displays your car and the other displays your CPU nemesis, or whoever joins in on multiplayer.
The actual gameplay can be tricky and takes some time to get used to, it can be very rewarding once you finally start flying past the cars in front of you. In short, what you have to do is get up to a top speed in your racing car and maintain it for as long as possible. That might sound obvious, but you really have to time your top speeds and know the maps well. Crashing or bumping into any obstacles will slow your car down dramatically, and seriously hinder your chances of victory.
What really makes the game, though, is the music. This is one of the iconic soundtracks for the console, and contributes greatly to Top Gear being one of the best SNES racing games out there.
4. F-Zero (1991)
F-Zero is one of the classic SNES racing games and was released as a launch title for the console.
Racing in futuristic vehicles, the game is set in 2560 and has a lore far more detailed than necessary, but that’s not a bad thing. There are different drivers and cars to choose from and each have their own advantages. Dr Stuart, for example, drives the Golden Fox and has a good balance between engine power and turning. Whereas Pico drives the Wild Goose, a heavy machine that is designed to take damage.
It’s the attention to detail that makes F-Zero one of the best racing games for the SNES because, in reality, the racing aspect of the game is pretty standard. That’s not to say that it’s bad, because the opposite is true, but it is very much a run-of-the-mill racing game for the era. Granted, with some nice, colorful visuals.
3. Uniracers (1994)
Uniracers, or Unirally for those in PAL regions, is a racing game that is fairly unique in the world of SNES racing games. It’s unique in the sense that it takes a 2D side-scrolling platform approach to the genre, something very rare for the time.
The game entails racing around on an unmanned unicycle in arenas that very much resemble the stages of a Sonic game. You have to perform stunts with the unicycle, using different combinations of buttons to perform the appropriate stunt for the size of the jump and the speed of which you are travelling at.
There are sprint, loop, and stunt courses to choose from, leading to a varied gameplay and a lot of skill to be developed. The colors on the track are worth learning, too, as they indicate whether you are approaching a jump, a loop, or various other types of changes in the track.
Uniracers is one that requires a bit of dedication to master, but it really is a rewarding experience once you get the hang of it.
2. Rock n’ Roll Racing’ (1993)
Rock n’ Roll Racing is an isometric game that marries an awesome soundtrack with some awesome combat racing and an insanely fun multiplayer mode.
Rock n’ Roll Racing pits you against 3 other vehicles, all of whom will be computer controlled unless you are playing in the multiplayer mode. To defeat your opponents you have to outpace them, or use force in the form of guns and missiles. Winning races will give you prize money and points, which can be put towards upgrading your vehicle with more powerful weapons.
All in all, Rock n’ Roll Racing is a blast, and it’s easy to see why so many people consider it to be the best SNES racing game of all time.
1. Super Mario Kart (1992)
For many, it’ll be no surprise to see Super Mario Kart top this list of the best SNES racing games. Not only is it a phenomenal game in its own right, but it also gave rise to one of the greatest series of all time.
Super Mario Kart has it all, cutesy aesthetics, a charming sound system, and a simplistic gameplay style that just keeps you coming back for more.
There’s not much I can say about Super Mario Kart that hasn’t been said already. I’d only just say that if you haven’t played this first one in the series for the SNES, I’d highly recommend that you do so. Just have some patience when it comes to Rainbow Road…
Get in Touch
Do you agree with our list of the best SNES racing games? Maybe we missed some of your favorite racing games on the SNES console. If so, let us know in the comment section below!
For any enquiries, contact me at richard@blogofgames.com
To see Super Mario Kart in action, check out the great YouTube video below by SNES drunk.