Malaysia’s love for Formula 1 has a deep and intriguing history. After all, it was all the way back in 1962 when the first Malaysia Grand Prix was held. After getting revived in 2011, F1 fans in Malaysia were able to experience the Grand Prix till 2017, after which it was discontinued.
The reason for F1’s popularity here is simple – it is fast, exhilarating and full of drama. It’s a sport with more variables than just fast single-seater race cars zipping across scenic race tracks.
Video games are also popular in Malaysia, with Malaysia’s video gaming industry projected to hit USD 649 million in revenue in 2024.
Hence, when it comes to a Formula 1 video game, developers have a huge responsibility to create an authentic experience that does justice to the sport.
Thankfully, Codemasters, now under the umbrella of Electronic Arts (EA), has upheld this responsibility well and given us some of the best Formula 1 games the world has ever seen.
In fact, Codemaster’s F1 games have been good enough for real-life F1 stars to hone their skills on the simulator and participate in eSports tournaments.
However, not everything that comes out of Codemasters’ studios is gold. There have been several disappointing instalments, like F1 2014 and F1 22, that left F1 fans begging for other studios to take up the official Formula 1 video game. After the takeover of Electronic Arts, the situation has been tricky, considering the publisher’s records of ruining successful franchises for more profits (does anybody recall the Need For Speed franchise?).
That said, we have seen some gems in the midst of disastrous releases and that’s what we are here to discuss.
Spanning over a decade of evolving Formula 1 regulations, we take a stroll down the history lane and examine the finest Formula 1 games to have ever existed.
Best offline and online Formula 1 games for an adrenaline-filled experience
1. F1 23
Released in: 2023
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Sony PS5
Christening the most recent Formula 1 game as the best of the lot might seem like homework done in a hurry! However, F1 23 is currently one of the best Formula 1 experiences you can have on your PC and consoles today (until F1 24 comes out).
Celebrating the 2023 season of Formula 1 cars, EA’s F1 23 offers a realistic handling experience, which combined with meticulously detailed tracks and a superb physics engine make for exhilarating racing experiences. Whether you drive Max Verstappen’s championship-winning Red Bull RB19 or Fernando Alonso’s beautiful Aston Martin AMR23, you get to race a field of highly competitive AI drivers, while dealing with the Safety Car and red flags sessions.
The Braking Point 2 brings back the story mode from F1 2021 whereas the F1 Life online lobby lets you hang around and take our F1 cars for a spin against a grid full of online opponents.
The career mode is well-structured, whether you choose to be just a driver for an existing F1 team or a new team owner/driver combo starting from the back, midfield or front. Classic cars are missing here but you get to do the Pirelli Hot Laps in a couple of highly detailed supercars. You also get to race Formula 2 cars in both career mode and quick race.
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2. F1 2020
Released in: 2020
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Sony PS4
Considered by many as the best Formula 1 racing game ever made for PC and consoles, F1 2020 was Codemasters’ last F1 game before the studio went under the umbrella of Electronic Arts. Unlike its predecessors which were largely reskin jobs, F1 2020 introduced the Team owner/driver path into the Career mode.
Instead of driving for an existing team, you were allowed to create a new team and start from the back of the grid, managing the car and team development as well as hiring a good second driver to score more points.
This game also featured classic F1 cars from the V10 and V12 eras, legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna from the past seasons and a full-fledged Formula 2 championship. The driving model was vastly improved and the racing experience was authentic. The 2020 season featured the fastest F1 cars we ever saw and that gives us a great reason to recommend trying this out.
3. F1 Manager 23
Released in: 2023
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Have you ever wondered what life is like in the shoes of Toto Wolff, the team boss at Mercedes, and not Lewis Hamilton? F1 Manager 23 is where you can gain that experience.
Instead of putting you in the cockpit of a fire-breathing monster, F1 Manager 23 lets you take the role of a team principal and focus on the scenarios beyond the track. From managing new talent in your car development team to solving issues in the marketing department, this game makes you the boss calling all the shots.
As the team principal, you also get to keep an eye on the race strategies of your drivers and modify them while they are pushing for points positions. Keep in mind that this is a strategy-based game and hence, is best recommended for those who are deeply invested in the sport.
4. F1 2011
Released in: 2023
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3, iOS, PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS
F1 2011 comes from the golden era of Formula 1 when F1 cars had wailing V8 engines tearing through scenic race tracks across the world. If you are a fan of Sebastian Vettel and want to relive his experience of dominating the grid, F1 2011 is your game.
For a racing game built on a vintage game engine, F1 2011 is still a fun play. While you may not experience realistic and razor-sharp handling, the racing action is unparalleled for a video game of its time.
The game featured all the 19 circuits of the 2011 season, including the new Buddha International Circuit that hosted the Indian GP. The game introduced the concept of Safety Car and Red Flag to the modern era of F1 games. You also had KERS and DRS as tools to help your case while attaining superfast speeds.
5. F1 2013
Released in: 2013
Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox 360, PS3
F1 2013 marked the last year of the V8 era of Formula 1 and hence, is a must-play for all those who keep praying for a return of these non-hybrid powerhouses. Featuring the 2013 season’s race teams, cars and circuits, F1 2013 offered good-looking graphics and notable improvements in handling.
A Classic Edition of the game was released simultaneously, featuring classic F1 cars from the 1980s and 1990s along with several vintage circuits that hosted some of the most iconic on-track battles in the history of the sport. Murray Walker, the noted F1 commentator of the past, lent his voice to the in-game commentary.
6. F1 2017
Released in: 2017
Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox One, PS4
The 2017 season of Formula 1 produced some great on-track battles between Mercedes and Ferrari for most of the season. Codemasters’ F1 2017 did a great job capturing that spirit for its young audiences and added a complex new career mode that continues to be a core part of the current-day F1 games from EA Codemasters.
The game solely focused on racing and did away with all the non-essential extras plaguing its future iterations. Classic F1 cars were a part of the game and were used in the Invitational Events in the Career mode, offering exciting challenges.
If you are a fan of those massive no-halo F1 cars of the 2017 season, F1 2017 should be on your list of old games to try.
7. F1 2021
Released in: 2021
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5
We remember the 2021 Formula 1 season for its dramatic ending at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but coincidentally, it was also the year when fans got a feature-rich F1 game despite EA’s takeover of Codemasters. F1 2021 was essentially an improvement of the brilliant F1 2020 with updated graphics for the current generation consoles.
The introduction of a narrative-driven Braking Point story mode brought Netflix’s Drive To Survive vibes to the game, where you step into the shoes of a rookie and compete with an experienced teammate (Zhou-Kimi Raikonnen inspiration?) as well as a devil-ish rival from another team.
Sadly, the developers received a lot of backlash for not updating the circuits to the latest spec, especially after the breathtaking yet controversial finale that saw Max Verstappen clinch his first world championship.
8. F1 2016
Released in: 2016
Platforms: Android, iOS, PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One
F1 2016 laid the foundation of the modern-day Formula 1 game from EA Codemasters. As the successor to its flop predecessors, F1 2016 reintroduced a solid career mode design that focused on a new driver’s progression – you could be fired for not meeting your goals.
The game was able to replicate the handling of the 2016 narrow-body F1 cars and let the driver be in charge of crucial moments like pit entry, race starts and the formation lap. The Safety Car was also a prominent part of this video game, changing the dynamics of a long-format race.
While the PC and console versions were great, Codemasters was successful in porting the same experience to the Android and iOS versions.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy EA Codemasters)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Which is the best Formula 1 game to play online?
F1 23 is the best Formula 1 game to play online.
– Which is the best Formula 1 game for Android?
Real Racing 3 is the best Formula 1 game you can play on Android.
