Racing simulations can be a hard sell for many people, but there's a reason why this niche is such a popular one. A sense of speed is easy to achieve in most competent racing titles, but racing simulations need to ensure that each and every part of the gameplay is tuned properly and gives a satisfying game feel without feeling either too simplistic or overly complicated. It's the fine line that racing simulations need to tow that makes them such fun titles to play through.
That being said, the fact that racing simulations aren't all that popular means that some games end up going under the radar. The PlayStation 2 had several racing games that are fondly remembered to this day, but there are others that many people don't really talk about nowadays. When it comes to racing simulations, there are numerous forgotten titles on the PS2, with the most notable ones of the bunch mentioned below.
10 RS3: Racing Simulation 3
Before Codemasters took over the helm of official F1 games, the popular racing series had several developers scrambling to make their own realistic video game interpretations of the same. One such title was RS3: Racing Simulation 3.
The interpretation of Formula 1 without any licensed materials is certainly quite novel, although this lack of licensing makes the entire game feel somewhat less authentic than it should. As a result, most people aren't even aware of this game in modern times.
9 Tourist Trophy: The Real Riding Simulator
This game is made by the developers of the Gran Turismo series, so it's only to be expected that the game is quite competent in its own right. Tourist Trophy might not have turned many heads, but the few players who checked this brilliant motorcycle racing simulation out were quite surprised by its fidelity.
Gran Turismo 4 served as a template for this game, with almost all tracks, the physics engine, and even the UI being lifted from that title. Regardless, Tourist Trophy still has an identity of its own that makes it well worth checking out.
8 TT Superbikes Real Road Racing
Speaking of racing sims with bikes, another great title that comes to mind is TT Superbikes Real Road Racing. This game is based entirely around the infamous Isle of Man race and features an impressive amount of licensing content.
Unfortunately, the meat of the gameplay simply isn't enough for many racing fans. While the racing itself is pretty competent, it was clear that TT Superbikes Real Road Racing needed more content to be welcomed in the arms of many racing fans all over.
7 Grand Prix Challenge
Formula 1 is one of the most popular racing leagues around, with Grand Prix Challenge acquiring the rights for the 2002 season. It did a great job with this license and was appreciated quite a bit at the time.
Of course, as is the case with most racing sim titles that focus on just one season instead of a broad picture, Grand Prix Challenge was slowly forgotten over time. Players who have a PlayStation 2 can try and fish this game out if they want to experience a footnote in gaming history.
6 Formula One 06
Speaking of games that focus on just one season and are forgotten thereafter, another racing game that comes to mind is Formula One 06. The game is a fairly decent racing simulation that was promptly dropped as the years rolled on.
That being said, career mode is still fun, even if modern interpretations have expanded significantly on this mode. There are not really many reasons to play Formula One 06 in modern times unless players want to check out all the racing sims made for Formula 1.
5 NASCAR 2005: Chase For The Cup
NASCAR is one of the most popular racing authorities around, with this racing league being extremely popular in the United States. The sheer level of thought put into each and every NASCAR race is quite impressive, and it's easy to see why this league was ripe for a racing sim game.
NASCAR 2005: Chase For The Cup is one of the many games in the NASCAR video game series that was released on the PS2. It's a competent simulation, but like most annual entries, most people forgot about it within a year's time.
4 Enthusia Professional Racing
Konami has dabbled in several gaming genres over the course of time, and racing simulations are no exception here. Their first outing in this department was Enthusia Professional Racing. For a first effort, Enthusia was a decent if unremarkable affair. There's not really a lot to say about this run-of-the-mill racing simulation title, and it's easy to see why not many people remember this title.
3 Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2
Out of all the games on this list, Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2 is perhaps the most polarizing game of the lot. The critical reception to this game was average, but people who experienced this title found it to be a truly unique experience.
The focus on touge racing and drifting made for a fun time, with the career mode being a great addition too. Drifting around the mountains and country roads of Japan made was surprisingly engaging, and it's a shame that not many people know about this underground gem.
2 R: Racing Evolution
R: Racing Evolution aims to mix elements of both simulation and arcade racing to appeal to both sides of the spectrum. However, what this made for was a racing game that is somewhat shallow, leading to the title being a largely forgotten one.
Given that this title is a spin-off of the Ridge Racer series, it's surprising how R: Racing Evolution didn't build up on its potential. That being said, the game is worth experiencing for a pretty engaging story mode that is surprisingly emotional.
1 IndyCar Series
IndyCar is another popular racing series that many fans of the motorsport scene are quite familiar with. A simulation focused on this league was released by none other than Codemasters themselves.
While it was a competent racing sim, IndyCar Series didn't really have a lot of things going for it. As a result, many people didn't really bother to check this game out for themselves, leading to it becoming one of the many forgotten racing sims on the PS2.