1. Mario Kart Deluxe 8.
Mario Kart is a video game behemoth, an unbeatable experience that consistently claims the top spot on the podium. Let the racing clichés abound: Mario Kart is deserving of pole position, first place, and the title of best driver. Nintendo's magnificent karting brand must be remembered as the greatest social multiplayer franchise of all time, surpassing FIFA and Call of Duty. Mario Kart is without a doubt the undisputed king of the racing games for kids.

The franchise's best game to date is most likely Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. No matter your age, MK8D is an aeons-worth of entertainment and a wonderful, gorgeous, brilliant racing experience. In fact, it's so fantastic that you could essentially justify buying the Nintendo Switch (for you or your kids) just to access the finest karter now in use.
By the end of the week, your child will be the most popular kid at school if you have them invite three of their friends over for a session.

2. Forza Horizon 5
Being treated like a child is something that kids don't like, especially those who are in their teenage years. Kids will eventually want to switch from solely kid-focused programming to more adult experiences, even if those experiences don't necessarily need to involve shooting, profanity, or excessive violence just yet.

A stunning modern classic that is simultaneously rewardingly in-depth and brilliantly approachable, Forza Horizon 5 is the ideal game for individuals who are now straddling the age gap between children and teenagers.

We can't really extol Horizon's virtues enough, and with a Hot Wheels tie-in enhancing its kid-friendly accessibility even more, you can be confident that your kids won't be seduced by console gaming for at least a few more months. But you never know when they'll start pressuring you to buy a Lamborghini Huracán Evo.

3. Team Sonic Racing
While the current state of real ring-chasing, high-speed rolling Sonic games is pretty bleak (although Frontiers may very well change that), the Blue Blur is finding greater success and acclaim when branching out from his platforming roots to pursue other lines of work.

Sonic is not simply a character in his own (both excellent) movie adaptations, but he is also a competent race car driver. Team Sonic Racing never truly addressed the philosophical question of why the fastest animal in existence would need to operate a vehicle. Maybe it's to give the other racers an equal chance to compete.

TSR, although appearing to be a thick blockbuster racer, is a welcome addition to the Mario Kart tribute pantheon. With its forgiving gameplay, colorful, varied courses, and smooth karting, it should entertain both young and old minds. You won't find many better pick-up-and-play games than this one, yet it isn't the most in-depth or complicated racing you'll ever encounter.

4. Hot Wheels Unleashed

Hot Wheels Unleashed's signage seems comparatively unlucky. Some people may have thought it was more business than artistic motivation to release a digital tie-in for a well-known brand of toys that were distinctly non-digital and brought to life by children's imaginations.

Thankfully, these concerns were (largely) unjustified. On miniature tracks spread throughout a range of wonderfully domestic settings, players take control of different Hot Wheels vehicles and compete against rivals. It brilliantly captures that sense of wonder experienced when the mundane becomes remarkable as a result of being observed from a completely different angle. It is somewhat reminiscent of a racing simulator mixed with a clip from Toy Story.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is one of the best racing games for kids, whether or not they are familiar with the original toys. It is incredibly entertaining, extremely imaginative, and has surprising complexity and customizability.

5. Drive Mad

Even while the quality of the many licensed karting tie-in games available varies slightly, Drive Mad is unquestionably a respectable option for parents of very young kids who wish their kids to have a less harmful gaming experience. Grand Prix is among the best racing games for young children. It is cheerful, breezy, and, most importantly, incredibly accessible to a much younger audience.

In Drive Mad, you'll have to master 100 different levels while driving a broad range of automobiles. Each stage has the same end objective but different means of getting there. If you don't want to flip your vehicle, slow down! You won't discover as many generic challenges as you may think. Given this, finishing the project will be significantly more challenging than it already is. The best we could manage was Sebastian Vettel and Bark Webber.