10 Best Nintendo Wii Racing Games

Even though the Nintendo Wii is almost in its second decade, it still has an abundance of iconic gaming experiences players will undoubtedly re-visit later down the line. Racing games, in particular, became a fan favorite due to the inventive use of motion control, letting you carelessly take the wheel in a huge variety of tracks and courses with an eclectic array of characters, so regardless of whether or not you’re a pro-driver or looking for a fun yet competitive game to praise with friends, racing games on the Nintendo Wii are a gold-mine. So if you’re looking to make the most of your dated yet darling console, read on to discover the best Nintendo Wii racing games you can play.

Best Racing Games on Nintendo Wii

Due to the age of the console, picking the best of the best usually comes down to games you’ve played for a good few years. The Nintendo Wii is home to a spectrum of widely loved video games, so there have been numerous titles players have poured hours into, which makes compiling a list of the best games from a specific genre slightly more challenging. However, we’ve narrowed down the top racing games on the console for you to play either as a solo driver or with some pals.

Mario Kart Wii

It would be impossible to list the best racing games on the Wii without mentioning Mario Kart Wii. This iconic yet incredibly competitive game has been one of Nintendo’s most loved franchises, and Mario Kart Wii rapidly became one of the most popular games. Offering several courses and a variety of loveable characters to choose from, there’s just so much to love about this game, and even with a version released on the Nintendo Switch, there’s no topping the expectations that the Nintendo Wii set in stone.

DreamWorks Super Star Kartz

Similarly to Mario Kart Wii, DreamWorks Super Star Kartz offers a cast of loveable, family-friendly characters in a tense, exciting race to the finish line. Although it’s not as popular as Mario Kart, there is still a lot to love, and if you grew up watching Dreamworks films, you’d be familiar with the cast and settings of this game. In addition, since it was less popular than Nintendo’s first-party release, it can be found relatively cheaply these days, so is worth picking up if you want to scratch that racing game itch and already own a version of MK.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Once again, lovable characters in a fast and furious setting; you can’t go wrong. The Nintendo Wii was home to several Sonic games, so it comes as no surprise that a racer was thrown into the mix, but this one is more than just a rehash of everyone’s favorite hedgehog. Rather than restricting itself to just Sonic characters, loveable Sega faces like Super Monkey Ball join the bill of drivers, so you can relive your Dreamcast days while driving.

Excitebots: Trick Racing

Rather than restricting you to a track, Excitebots Trick Racing introduces ridiculous vehicles and unbelievable stunts to attempt to pull off during each game. There is a huge variety of ways to participate, but the main appeal of this game is spending hours trying to pull off challenges that seem impossible to the standard driver. There’s a lot to love about the Excitebots franchise, which explains why there are so many installments, but Trick Racing is usually the one to come out on top.

Need for Speed: Nitro

The Need for Speed franchise is one of the most popular in racing game history, so once again, it would seem unfair to construct a list of racing games without including something from the timeline. But, Need for Speed: Nitro wasn’t the only NFS game to release on the Wii, and there were numerous launches under the franchise name, but Nitro was arguably one of the most valued additions, especially since controls were compatible with racing wheels for that all-important immersion.

Driver: San Franciso

Driver: San Franciso marked the fifth release into the Driver series, and while it was launched across multiple platforms, there was something special about the Wii version. Offering Urban driving and a more action-adventure approach to gameplay rather than just your standard track-based experience, there is a lot to love about the title, which is why it’s been so favored over the years; in addition to this, its online servers were renowned for being incredibly popular during its online days, but have since shut down. So even though you won’t be able to experience its online gameplay anymore, there’s still a lot on offer.

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

Similarly to Sonic & Sega All-Stars, Sonic Riders is praised for its lovable cast, but the predominant focus drifts from all-inclusive Sega characters to a more refined selection of Sonic and friends. In addition, the sky is the limit with this hoverboard-themed racing game. It’s the fifth racing game from the Sonic franchise, and arguably one of the most inventive with its physics and plot, plus any game where Dr. Robotnik channels his inner Tony Hawk is a game worth playing.

Speed Racer: The Videogame

Speed Racer: The Videogame is another to adopt a more action-based approach to its gameplay mechanics, where the inventive creation of “car-fu” is used to evade attacks from other drivers and ensure you are the fastest on the track. Driving well rewards players with a boost, so there’s an incentive to do your best to succeed. For anyone searching for a fast-paced and action-packed adventure, there’s a lot about this game which keeps players coming back time and time again.

Cars: Race-O-Rama

Cars may not be the first thing you consider when considering some of the best racing games, but Lightning McQueen and co are bound to spring to mind at some point. So after an incredibly enjoyable game on Nintendo DS, it’s not surprising that Cars got a second lease on life with a new racing gaming on Nintendo Wii. Here, you can fight for the piston cup, play as some of your favorite automobiles, and see who is the fastest.

Off Road

As the final game for the Ford Racing Series, any players of its predecessors expected a lot from Off Road. Much like Excitebots, it strays from the traditional formula of driving around a track as fast as possible and challenges the players to explore more challenging and treacherous landscapes with various popular vehicles, including Land Rovers. So, it is what it says on the tin, and it offers the chance to explore more challenging landscapes while still racing, which could be fun if you’re looking to distance from tradition.