Recommendation for kids' racing gameXBOne 

  • Thread starter Bob Evans
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Warm greetings.

After seeing a racing sim PC setup at my friend's house (and having no end of fun when he's lucky enough to get in an arcade racing machine), my five year old got really fired up at the prospect of having such hardware of his own.

So I decided what the heck. I'm an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, so I've accumulated all manner of free racing games over the years. I got a Logitech C920 setup for his birthday, and off we went.

Problem is, while I've been having a ball playing various Forzas and DiRTs, the games that are tuned for the wheel control are still a little bit on the difficult side for him. We have Cars 2, Crazy Taxi, and Sonic All Stars racing. He plays those and likes them, and they're not too hard for him, but they're not set up to work with the wheel and pedals. You can play them, but it doesn't really work, and they're absolutely better with a controller.

What I am looking for is a game on Xbox One, tuned to work with the wheel controller, that is appropriate for little ones and works on the a difficulty level to match. Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
Hi mate! I’ve racked my brain a bit trying to think what would work best for your son... you say you have tried some Forza titles, however have you tried any of the “Forza Horizon” games? They tend to be easier to drive than the main series numbered titles, and offer more of a fun and silly sandbox type environment that could be perfect. I do believe they also have decent wheel support.
 
I second the Horizon suggestion. I used to have a roommate with a kid that age and he loved playing it with the wheel. There are also Hot Wheels (H3) and Lego (H4, although the Hot Wheels cars are in it as well, the map is not) expansions which may increase the appeal.
 
Dude, what are you doing! You should make him practice on iRacing and rFactor 8 hours a day so he can be the next Max Verstappen! J/k :P

Seriously though, apart from the ones already suggested I'm thinking Wreckfest. If that's too violent, since you mentioned Crazy Taxi I'm thinking similar arcade remasters (Outrun Online Arcade, Daytona USA, Sega Rally Revo) though I'm not sure if they are all still listed in Xbox store now. IIRC Outrun got pulled due to Ferrari license expiring so tough luck if you haven't bought it already.
 
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The Crew 2 has wheel support and is more arcade like. While not the most amazing game, kids seem to like the sandbox style, while there’s also track racing in game.
Flying planes, driving monster trucks, etc, also adds to their excitement
 
The Crew 2 has wheel support and is more arcade like. While not the most amazing game, kids seem to like the sandbox style, while there’s also track racing in game.
Flying planes, driving monster trucks, etc, also adds to their excitement
Perhaps a soccer ball, basketball or something a little more mind consuming.
 
Thanks for these suggestions, guys. I am pleased to report that he does have many interests, including soccer balls, basketballs, legos and books.

I got Forza Horizon 3 with the Hot Wheels expansion, and he is enjoying that. While still a bit on the difficult side, it's not hard enough to turn him off it with so much built-in wackiness. Also loaded up Burnout Paradise (for XBox 360 - backward compatible, which I forgot I had), and that seems to hit a sweet spot on the difficulty level.
 
Dude, what are you doing! You should make him practice on iRacing and rFactor 8 hours a day so he can be the next Max Verstappen! J/k :P

I sat my (at the time) 4 year old daughter on my lap on my sim rig to do some laps around Bathurst in a GT3 car on iRacing.
I did the gas, brakes and gear shifts, she did the steering, I didnt even really take it that easy, was accelerating and braking reasonably hard...We almost made it around a whole lap without contact, she actually really surprised me, she was very smooth on the wheel, looking ahead to next corners etc etc..... I want to build a 'baby' rig now too, keen to see how she goes adding gas and brake pedals in the mix, she is 5 now so must be about time :lol:.
 
A game that I have found works well for kids with a wheel is Driveclub, although it is PS4 only. You can choose to use slow cars and the road circuits have hard walls that you bounce off.

Baja: Edge of Control is also pretty fun for kids in free roam.
 
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