The Best Gran Turismo Games (Ranked)

What are the best Gran Turismo games?

The Gran Turismo franchise has been captivating fans of the racing genre since 1997, and it is still going strong today.

However, some games in the series have been bigger hits than others, and it’s these installments we’re looking at today.

So, buckle up and get ready to find out where your favorite Gran Turismo game ranks on our list!

The Best Gran Turismo Games

To make this list, we looked at the content of each game as well as its popularity and sales data.

This has allowed us to accurately determine which games have been the best in the series’ history.

So, get ready to put the pedal to the metal with our list of the best Gran Turismo games:

9. Gran Turismo Sport

Kicking off our list, we have Gran Turismo Sport, a competitive online racing game that was released in 2014.

One of the best PS4 games to play, Gran Turismo Sport is fairly similar to others in the series, though it has a larger focus on online play.

There are two primary game modes: Sports Mode and Arcade Mode, which give players a good bit of variety.

In Sports Mode, there are three daily races that are reset every week, with every player being given a rating based on their skills.

Gran Turismo Sport also features an Online Championship that is held during specific times of the year.

For these championships, there are the Nations Cup, where players represent their countries, and the Manufacturer Cup, where players represent specific vehicle makers.

This emphasis on competition is much greater than it was in previous games, though the smaller selection of tracks was criticized.

However, the controls felt realistic, and the visual designs are simply stunning and still hold up very well.

As of 2019, Gran Turismo Sport has sold over 8 million copies, making it easily one of the best Gran Turismo games.

8. Gran Turismo 6

Released a year before Sport, Gran Turismo 6 raced onto the PS3 as an overwhelming success with both fans and critics.

This video game features 30 unique tracks and 1,200 cars to choose from, as well as variable weather and a day/night cycle.

Interestingly, there is even a dynamic celestial system, so the stars you see at night in the game are in their real-world positions!

This especially shines when players are given the ability to race on the Hadley-Apennine region of the moon in a Lunar Rover.

A course maker was also added in the form of an app that allows players to design custom courses to upload to the PS3.

However, this app has since been removed from app stores following the game’s servers being shut down.

Online servers for this game shut down in 2018, removing all digital versions of this game from the PlayStation store.

While this game was never made playable on any other console, it can still be played on the PS3 or using one of the best PS3 emulators for your computer.

It’s really a shame that Gran Turismo 6 was never made backward compatible with modern consoles, as it is one of the best games in the series.

7. Gran Turismo (2009)

Easily one of the best PSP games of all time,  Gran Turismo 2009 is an open-ended racing sim that sold nearly 5 million copies worldwide.

Gran Turismo features 45 tracks, 833 vehicles, and three modes, including Time Trial, Drift Trial, and Single Race.

This game also marks the first time in the main series that Bugatti and Lamborghini were introduced and fully licensed for the title.

While this game doesn’t have an online play option on its own, it can be turned on using the PS3 Ad hoc Party application.

However, a local wireless multiplier is supported for up to four players which features many different modes.

In 2010, Gran Turismo was re-released as part of Sony’s Greatest Hits, thanks to having been one of the best-selling PSP games.

Although this game isn’t as sophisticated as others, it allows fans to be able to get behind the wheel absolutely anywhere.

This portability, coupled with the quality of the game itself, easily makes this one of the best entries in the Gran Turismo series.

6. Gran Turismo 7

The newest installment in the racing franchise, Gran Turismo 7, was released for the PS4 and 5 in 2022 as the first multi-console game in the series.

Gran Turismo 7 was the first new release since 2017, and it was well worth the wait, given its amazing visuals and superior controls.

Perfect for playing with one of the best PS5 racing wheels, this game brings back the single-player campaign and GT simulation mode.

Championships, parts tuning, used car dealerships and special events also made a return, alongside some impressive features.

Along with dynamic weather and time effects, Gran Turismo 7 takes full advantage of the increased power of the PS5.

This means the game is able to support ray tracing, 4k resolution, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and much faster load times.

There is also an impressive photo mode that uses over 2500 locations from around the world that allows you to take stunning photos of your cars.

With high definition, ray tracing, and the ability to add dust or damage, these photos literally look like they came from real life!

Although there are only slightly more than 420 cars, they look simply amazing, and they all drive like a dream.

Gran Turismo 7 is definitely a game you don’t want to miss out on if you are a fan of the racing genre.

5. Gran Turismo 5

Gran Turismo 5 was released in 2010 for the PS3, and it was the first game in the series to support up to 16 online players.

This game stood out for having 31 locations, 81 different tracks, and over 1,000 cars, as well as a track generator.

Players could even take a spin around the Dunsfold Aerodrome, the test track for the UK TV show Top Gear!

Dynamic time and weather effects also made their debut in this installment, helping it become more realistic than ever.

If that wasn’t enough, GT5 included a damage model which would simulate various types of damage depending on the vehicle.

While the online play was closed in 2014, before its closure, players could meet in lounges and share or give away cars.

Although the graphics aren’t quite as good as the latest in GT7, they still manage to be impressive.

The fog effects appear realistic, soaking in the light and making it harder to navigate at night, while rain streaks impressively across windscreens as you speed through storms.

For being released in 2010, the particle effects hold up really well, so much so that playing this game today doesn’t feel like a downgrade.

Despite a few issues with frame rate drops and screen tearing, Gran Turismo 5 is a fantastic racing game all around.

4. Gran Turismo 4

Gran Turismo 4 made its debut in 2005, featuring over 721 cars and 51 tracks, many of which are modified from earlier games.

In this game, players are able to accumulate points by taking first place in A-Spec mode races, with each event providing 200 points.

There is also a new B-Spec mode that allows players to become crew chiefs, instructing drivers how to drive, when to pass, and when to take a pit stop.

Another addition is Driving Missions, which award players 250 points and 1000 or more credits depending on performance.

Gran Turismo 4 was also the debut of photo mode, which allows players to control a freely moving camera to take photos of their cars.

Compared to prior games, this installment also boasts vastly improved graphics and physics that allow for car body movement.

While a lack of rendered damage and collision mechanics was criticized, the overall mechanics and handling of cars were praised.

Now considered one of the best racing games of all time, Gran Turismo 4 has sold around 11 million copies total, making it the third-highest-selling game in the franchise.

3. Gran Turismo 2

Gran Turismo 2 was released in 1999 for the PlayStation as a sequel to the wildly successful first game in the series.

This game comes with an Arcade and a Simulation mode, which provide two different ways to play.

In Arcade Mode, players can choose any vehicle and enable damage if they want.

However, in Simulation Mode, players have to take license tests, pay for different vehicles, and earn trophies to unlock courses.

Gran Turismo 2 features almost 650 vehicles and 27 unique tracks, both returning classics and new ones.

Compared to the first game, GT2 features improvements in gameplay, graphics, and an expanded number of tracks, races, and cars.

Players no longer need to qualify in order to enter races, and each can be undertaken separately.

Often considered one of the best racing sequels ever made, in total, 9.37 million copies of GT2 have been sold.

It certainly more than lived up to the hype surrounding its release, making it one of the best in the series!

2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

Released in 2001, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec was released after GT2 and quickly became a critical success.

The main objective of this game is to complete all of the races and corresponding championships.

However, as in GT2, in Simulation Mode, you will still need to complete license tests.

There are a ton of races to choose from in this game, from short, easy tracks to endurance races that last for hours.

Arcade Mode also makes a return with different stages comprised of a handful of tracks.

In order to advance, players must complete all tracks, but completing them on higher difficulties unlocks additional car models.

There are 19 total race courses, 14 of which come with their own reverse variants.

While it does feature fewer cars, only 180 to GT2’s 650, that did little to hinder its popularity.

When released, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec became the third-highest-selling game launched for any console at the time.

It is also the highest-selling game in the franchise, with a total of 14.89 copies being sold.

1. Gran Turismo (1998)

Taking our number one spot is the original Gran Turismo, one of the best video games of all time that debuted in 1998.

The first Gran Turismo, this game holds up incredibly well and has had a huge impact on the racing genre.

Like later games, this OG has Arcade and Simulation modes that provide different gameplay styles.

In Arcade, players can take on any races they want, while in Simulation, different driver’s licenses are needed.

Each of the 11 tracks has reverse variants, and there are 140 cars to choose from.

Players can also use credits earned by completing races to buy new vehicles or parts to improve their cars.

What made this game even more exceptional was that it stood out as the first game designed with full support for the DualShock controller.

This allowed for a much greater level of feedback, making every race feel more realistic than ever before.

Gran Turismo truly did redefine the racing game up to that point and has impacted every title in the genre since.

While it is only the fourth-best-selling game in the series, having sold 10.8 million copies, there is no denying the significance of GT.

Despite never getting a remaster, the original Gran Turismo remains the best racing game in the series, if only due to its immense impact!

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the best Gran Turismo games and learned a bit more about the franchise!

Although some of these games have never been made playable on newer consoles, they remain some of the best ever created.

However, we still hold out hope that at least some of these greats will receive updates so that we can re-experience them in full HD glory!

Here’s a quick recap of the best Gran Turismo games:

1. Gran Turismo (1998)
2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
3. Gran Turismo 2
4. Gran Turismo 4
5. Gran Turismo 5
6. Gran Turismo 7
7. Gran Turismo (2009)
8. Gran Turismo 6
9. Gran Turismo Sport

Which Gran Turismo game is your favorite? Leave a comment below.