The world of rallying is not only mythical, but also emblematic, especially during the 80s.

In sim-racing, there are many games dealing with rallying, and on different platforms. There are officially licensed titles, and others aimed at satisfying the largest possible number of virtual drivers. Of course, rally-specific setups also exist, as the community is well represented among the pool of drivers.

Today we’re going to talk about the best rally games on today’s platforms, namely Xbox, Playstation and PC. I’m going to tackle the subject by generation, i.e. PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, PS4 and Xbox One, in order to reach a wider audience of racers, even if those still with last-gen consoles are rare.

The best rally games on today’s platforms

EA Sport WRC

EA Sport WRC is an officially licensed World Rally Championship title, published by EA, or Electronic Arts, and developed by Codemasters. The game saw the light of day around 2 years ago on current platforms, i.e. PS5, Xbox Series and PC.

You take on the role of a young driver launching his rallying career, as you climb the championship ladder in race after race, aiming for the title. WRC features dozens of cars entered in rallies, with special stages from all over the world. It’s a title that relies on realism, with a driving school and several championship categories too. Basically, you start small and gradually work your way up the rankings and categories.

In terms of graphics and realism, you’re well served, with an engine that handles the car’s physics and behavior very well, as well as the terrain. You can play with a joystick or a sim-racing setup, the latter being highly recommended.

Dirt 5

Dirt 5 is also published by EA and developed by Codemasters, but I don’t know if the same teams are working on both games. For Dirt 5, the approach is different from WRC, with the emphasis on fun.

Dirt 5 is a rather arcadey title, I think, with a wide selection of cars that are not only entered in rally, but also in rally-cross, off-road, buggies, trucks and so on. It’s a generalist game for off-road fans.

This title was released in November 2020, both on current platforms, and last gen too. The game system allows the racer to cross the world to take part in various events. You’ve got races on ice, in the desert, you name it. The landscapes are beautiful, as are the graphics, especially if you drive during sunsets.

You can play Dirt 5 in solo, split-screen or career mode, with a championship that includes numerous events that the driver must win. It’s not really a WRC game, as it adds other rally-related disciplines of a sort, but I feel it has its place in this ranking.

The best rally games on older platforms

Dirt Rally 2.0

Dirt Rally 2.0 is also developed by Codemasters, but is aimed at drivers who are rally fans. You have several game modes, including one that can be seen as training. You’re behind the wheel of a rally car in a kind of closed domain, which is quite large, and with several types of track available to you.

The idea here is to train in the open world, learning how the vehicle behaves on different types of terrain. There are dozens of cars to choose from, a variety of different game modes and some stunning graphics effects.

Although Dirt Rally 2.0 is classified as an older sim-racing title, because it was technically released on last-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), you’ll still find it on PS5, Xbox Series and PC. The graphics engine handles polygons very well, with cars each more beautiful than the last.

Dirt 4

Dirt 4 is quite simply the predecessor to Dirt 5, which we saw above, and this time on last-gen consoles, as it was released in 2017. Still developed by Codemasters, this title plunges you into the rally championship, with special stages all over the world, graphics that are very beautiful for the era and the platforms, and several cars at your disposal, including those from the golden age of Group B (Audi Quattro S1, Lancia 037, etc.), Ford Focus RSs, and a host of other cars from the 80s to mid-2010.

I think the title is complete, especially for those who still have a last-gen console or PC. You’ll be able to find it for a reasonable price if your budget is limited.

Which rally title to choose?

Before answering this question, we need to know which generation of platform to choose. If you’re on a PC, the question doesn’t really arise as to platform, as you’ll be spoilt for choice given that all the titles mentioned are compatible with Windows, and some even with Linux.

Otherwise, as far as I’m concerned, you have 2 options:

• The realistic approach
• The fun approach

With the former, you have titles that are officially FIA licensed, such as WRC from EA and Codemasters. You’ll have all the cars entered in the championship, the special stages and a host of challenges to tackle in the career mode. The game is realistic, engaging and, above all, modern.

In terms of fun, I’m leaning more towards Dirt 5, which touches on a bit of everything in rallying: off-road, ice, desert, buggies and so on. It’s a title with a much broader spectrum of virtual drivers than the others, and one that will appeal to rally fans and those looking for some late-afternoon fun.

And finally: the setup. If you want to get the most out of rally racing, I’d advise you to have a rally setup. You’ll find many manufacturers offering rally-style steering wheels, some of them with official WRC licenses, as is the case with Fanatec. With a good Direct Drive base, a specific steering wheel and a Load Cell sim-racing pedal, plus a handbrake and shifter, you’ll be blasting through the stages without leaving your living room.