The cart racer is one of gaming’s most approachable subgenres. Typically signified by their stylized graphics and deceptively simple gameplay, these arcade twists on racing sims are fast-paced party games. Your cousin and grandfather aren’t going to play Forza together, but they can both hang in a round of Mario Kart.
When Bizarre Creations, the developer of the critically acclaimed Project Gotham Racing series, was purchased by Activision in 2007, the last thing anyone expected was a hard break from their semi-realistic street racing. But while their first game under the Activision banner was a forgettable third-person shooter, their 2010 follow-up, released 15 years ago today, was one of the greatest arcade racers ever made. Bizarre’s magnum opus masterfully balanced realism and fun, yet tragically led to the developer’s demise.
