There are so many arcade racer’s out there that it can get a little confusing on which one is right for you. We decided to compile our favourites for the PS3 into a handy Top 10 list. Note these are our favourites (Sam & Danial) and not necessarily the best compared to review scores. Enjoy.

Ridge Racer: Unbounded

Ridge Racer is a huge departure from the 12 previous entries in the saga. You’ll crash through buildings and crush your opponents as you drift around Shatter City. The game features Burnout’s takedowns, Split/Second’s destructive environments and Need For Speed’s customization, and is incredibly unforgiving. Theres a lot of different vehicles in Ridge Racer: Unbounded and they all wreak insane amounts of havoc.

DiRT 3

Rally and so much more. DiRT 3 is a game that does Rally right. The various locations and vehicle types provide a welcome challenge while not being unfair. It feels so good to be able to take complete control of the vehicle and send it hurling through the winding Rally courses. The game also includes other race modes such as Trailblazer, RallyCross and Gymkhana. Each race type also requires a different racing style which helps keep things fresh. This game also manages to look quite stunning even when you’re driving at full speed. Better keep an eye on the pace notes or you might just end up half way up a tree.

Hamsterball

Not quite your typical racing game, Hamsterball trades in super cars for plastic balls and turns your driver into a furry little bastard. I had to include this as it’s predecessors on the PS2 caused me to want to make hamsters extinct. Hamsterball makes me agitated, competitive and my reflexes accelerate through the roof when I play it. That’s everything I expect from a stellar racing title, even if it is incredibly budget and short. It has some of the most innovative track design I’ve ever played too, with multiple routes and special abilities to boot.

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

This is not your everyday arcade racing game. The races take place on an island with no real roads which means players can choose between multiple routes to go about reaching the finish line. Depending on the route you choose, you could drive on beaches, through jungles, shallow rivers or even on narrow paths with sheer drops on both sides. The vehicles range from small motorcycles to massive tankers, each with their own unique characteristics which will require different tactics in order to emerge victorious.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed

An example of a classic kart racing game being given a tasteful update. This game utilizes familiar mechanics with some exciting new additions. In this game every vehicle can transform into 3 modes. This is because the tracks incorporate, ground, water and air sections which require different vehicle modes to traverse. On the ground you would drive as you normally would in a kart racing game, in the water you would be buffeted by waves and have slightly less control of your movements and in the air you would fly through rings and swoop down to gain more speed. Add all that to the traditional power ups and speed boosts and you have yourself one hell of a fun time!

Midnight Club: Los Angeles

I love using the analog sticks to accelerate, its a small thing but adds to the experience so much and gives you a lot more control over the steering. Midnight Club requires a lot more skill than a lot of these other games but also rewards you a hell of a lot more. The customization is unrivaled, even by the NFS games. There are hundreds of different spoilers, engines, paint jobs, rims, exhausts and just about everything else you can think of. Midnight Club is a difficult game, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be racing for pink slips forever. MC: LA never loses its charm.

Need For Speed: Carbon

This game is a classic example of a street racing game. You manage your garage of tuners, muscles and exotics, take on races and challenges to conquer enemy territory and evade the pursuing cops. Takeover a high enough percentage of the Area and you’ll attract the attention of the Area’s boss who will challenge you to a duel which, in Palmont City, means a race in the canyon. Racing in the canyon takes a lot more focus that a regular race. One slip up could send you flying off into the depths of the canyon. It’s a very interesting concept which makes Boss races much more terrifying. This game provides one of the most thrilling experiences in any racing game to date.

Split/Second: Velocity

Split/Second: Velocity is one of the most innovative racing games I’ve ever played. Even though it was made by Disney it doesn’t fail to impress, with collapsing tracks and toppling towers, exploding trucks and crash-landing airplanes. Split/Second really gives you the feeling of driving fast and you’re left breathless at the beautiful graphics and high intensity events. If you want your heart to stop for a full five minute race, this is your go to guy.

Blur

If pure fun is what you’re looking for in a racing game, Blur is the game for you. Mixing realistic visuals with cartoonish power ups, this game just oozes fun. Imagine Mario Kart but with real cars, that’s basically what Blur is. Take your brand new BMW, start a race, ram your opponents, shoot missiles at them, block their attacks with your shield, destroy them and win the race. That’s what a typical race would be like in Blur. The game also rewards these actions by providing unlockable content when you’ve done a particular maneuver enough times. There’s also a mode called “Destruction Mode” which, as the name suggests, focuses more on the barbaric destruction craved by the more exuberant racer, like Sam.

Burnout: Paradise

The only Burnout game on the PS3 (Other than the bad tasting Burnout Crash!) and the best arcade racer on the PS3. Burnout Paradise has a huge open world and a tonne of variety. The Road Rage mode is a series standout and is so well refined in this entry. Crash mode is unfortunately replaced with the new Showtime mode but it does its job and gives you even more to do as DJ Atomika rambles on at you through your TV. Burnout is a long game too, you’ll be playing this for a couple of hundred hours at least, and it never gets boring.