Games Like Need for Speed™ Payback

Hustle by day and risk it all at night in Need for Speed™ Heat Deluxe Edition, a white-knuckle street racer, where the lines of the law fade as the sun starts to set.

Why similar: Racing 28.4%, Combat Racing 14.7% ★, Open World 12.8%, Multiplayer 9.3%, Co-op 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: It is the closest modern match to Payback, with open-world street racing, aggressive cops, night-time risk-reward progression, and deep car customization.

Race to the top, definitely don’t flop. Outsmart the cops, and enter weekly qualifiers for The Grand: the ultimate street race. Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides, and light up the streets with your style.

Why similar: Racing 39.1%, Combat Racing 18.6% ★, Open World 14.6%, Multiplayer 10.9%, Online Co-Op 4.2%

Why You'll Like It: It keeps the same open-world street-racing loop and tuning-heavy progression as Payback, just with a more stylized presentation and tighter handling.

Erase the line between single player and multiplayer in this street-racing rivalry between Cops and Racers. Seamlessly join a world where your friends are already racing and chasing

Why similar: Combat Racing 22.2% ★, Racing 17.7%, Open World 9.6%, Sports 8.9%, PvP 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: Its cop-versus-racer pursuits and weaponized arcade racing capture Payback’s high-speed cat-and-mouse energy better than almost anything else.

Ready to own the streets? Get behind the wheel of iconic cars and floor it through Ventura Bay, a sprawling urban playground. Explore overlapping stories as you build your reputation – and your dream car – and become the ultimate racing icon.

Why similar: Racing 33.5%, Combat Racing 15.9% ★, Open World 13.9%, Multiplayer 10.4%, Third Person 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: If Payback’s crew-driven illegal street racing and customization hooked you, this doubles down on nighttime city vibes and tuner culture.

The open-world action in Need for Speed Most Wanted gives you the freedom to drive your way. Hit jumps and shortcuts, switch cars, lie low or head for terrain that plays to your vehicle’s unique strengths. Fight your way past cops and rivals using skill, high-end car tech and tons of nitrous.

Why similar: Racing 27.2%, Combat Racing 19% ★, Vehicular Combat 13.4%, Open World 13.4%, Multiplayer 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: Open-world pursuits, takedowns, and a constant sense of being hunted make it a natural fit for Payback fans.

Feel the thrill of the chase and the rush of escape behind the wheels of the world’s hottest high-performance cars in Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit Remastered– a heart-pumping, socially competitive racing experience.

Why similar: Combat Racing 29% ★, Racing 22.1%, Vehicular Combat 18.6%, Open World 11.6%, Multiplayer 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: It has less customization and story, but its police chases and gadget-fueled arcade races hit the same blockbuster action side of Payback.

Conquer mountain roads, highways, and city streets. Build your dream car with detailed tuning that unleashes the potential of “CarX Technology”© physics. Take part in thrilling races, enjoying realistic gameplay and dynamic driving.

Why similar: Racing 22.2%, Open World 12.8%, Sports 12.1%, Sandbox 9.9%, PvP 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: This is one of the closest non-EA alternatives for open-world street racing, customization, and after-dark urban cruising.

Burnout Paradise Remastered provides the ultimate driving playground for you and your friends to play online. This remaster includes all add-ons from the Year of Paradise, including the Big Surf Island update, meticulously recreated and ready to wreck in 4K.

Why similar: Racing 41.7%, Multiplayer 10.6%, Open World 10%, Arcade 9.3%, Combat Racing 7.9% ★

Why You'll Like It: Its open-world event structure and spectacular crash-heavy arcade handling match Payback’s love of speed and chaos.

Welcome to Motorfest, the ultimate open-world driving experience. Explore the Hawaiian islands of O'ahu and Maui. Celebrate the best of car culture through 20+ themed campaigns (street racing, offroad, drift...) and collect hundreds of iconic vehicles. Enjoy the game free for five hours!

Why similar: Racing 27%, Open World 14.7%, Sports 10.3%, Sandbox 9.2%, Multiplayer 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: It trades Payback’s revenge plot for a festival setup, but the accessible open-world racing and car-collecting loop feel immediately familiar.

Explore the vibrant open world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in the world’s greatest cars.

Why similar: Racing 33.3%, Open World 16.7%, Multiplayer 9.9%, Sports 7.9%, Online Co-Op 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: It delivers polished open-world arcade driving, a huge car roster, and constant event variety for players who mostly loved Payback’s free-roam progression.

Take on the American motorsports scene as you explore and dominate the land, air, and sea across the entire USA. New: play The Crew 2 offline or online with the new Hybrid mode, available now!

Why similar: Racing 39.2%, Open World 18.9%, Multiplayer 11.6%, Co-op 5.6%, Sports 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: The giant map and social open-world structure make it great if your favorite part of Payback was just driving, upgrading, and hopping between events.

Descend into the underworld of Japanese street racing. Set between 1990-2009, join the local street racing crews in their battle for territory control. Explore the real location open world(s), compete in wager races, battle other crews and upgrade your vehicles with detailed car customization.

Why similar: Racing 39.2%, Sports 20.9%, Arcade 10.5%, Open World 9.4%, Third Person 8%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on stylish nighttime street racing, car culture, and customization over sim realism, making it a strong underground-racing alternative.

GRID Legends delivers thrilling wheel-to-wheel motorsport action. Create dream race events, hop into live races, experience a dramatic virtual production story, and embrace the sensation of spectacular racing.

Why similar: Racing 22.3%, Vehicular Combat 15.7%, Sports 15%, Combat Racing 14.5% ★, PvP 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: The story framing and accessible simcade handling make it a good pick if you liked Payback’s cinematic single-player structure more than its open world.

The raw, high-stakes world of illegal street racing comes to life in Street Racing Syndicate. Trick out over 40 authentic licensed cars with parts from over 15 real-world manufacturers, then turn your customized ride loose on the streets of 3 cities across the USA.

Why similar: Racing 68.9%, Open World 18.9%, Multiplayer 5.9%, Arcade 5.2%, Singleplayer 1.1%

Why You'll Like It: An older but fitting pick if you want illegal night racing, tuner customization, and the early-2000s street scene that Payback echoes.

DIRT 5 is a fun, amplified, off-road arcade racing experience created by Codemasters. Blaze a trail on routes across the world, covering gravel, ice, snow and sand, with a roster of cars ranging from rally icons to trucks, to GT heroes.

Why similar: Offroad 32.6% ★, Racing 20.9%, Sports 11.8%, Multiplayer 7.7%, Arcade 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: This keeps the pick-up-and-play handling and event spectacle, just with off-road tracks instead of street-racing pursuits.

Gas Guzzlers Extreme is a fast, furious, armed-to-the-teeth, trigger-happy shooter, shifted into top gear! Take a white knuckle ride in this crazily addictive combat racing game.

Why similar: Combat Racing 39.4% ★, Vehicular Combat 26.2%, Racing 20.7%, Sports 4.7%, Multiplayer 4.1%

Why You'll Like It: This is a scrappier but satisfying mix of arcade racing, vehicle combat, and customization.

Welcome to the festival of explosive races, TRAIL OUT! Reckless racing around the world! Crashes, explosions, destruction, and screaming drivers!

Why similar: Combat Racing 26.6% ★, Vehicular Combat 20.6%, Racing 18.2%, Sports 12%, Third Person 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: This pushes the crash-and-smash side much harder, but it still delivers rowdy arcade races with a lot of impact.

Split/Second is an intense action racing game set within a reality TV show. Competitors vie to be the first to the finish line in a set rigged to blow. Players don’t just collide with other vehicles to knock them from the track, but can also trigger devastating events that alter the race dynamics.

Why similar: Racing 68.1%, Multiplayer 15.8%, Arcade 9.8%, Action 5%, Singleplayer 1.3%

Why You'll Like It: Its races are built around explosive environmental set-pieces, delivering the same over-the-top blockbuster energy that makes Payback fun.

Wreckfest is a demolition derby themed racing game with soft-body damage modeling, sophisticated driving dynamics and in-depth vehicle upgrading, featuring both demolition derbies and more traditional track races. It’s all about fun, breakneck racing and over-the-top crashes.

Why similar: Racing 54.3%, Multiplayer 12.2%, Sports 10.2%, Simulation 6.6%, Sandbox 3.7%

Why You'll Like It: It is less about street culture, but the heavy collisions and aggressive pack racing scratch Payback’s destructive arcade edge.

The world’s raddest cars are back and taking the fun to the next level! Race over 130 vehicles with crazy new mechanics and even more vehicle types. Plus, build your tracks with stunning new environments and different game modes to have fun off and online!

Why similar: Racing 28.1%, PvP 17.7%, Multiplayer 13.9%, Arcade 13%, Sports 11.2%

Why You'll Like It: The toy theme is different, but the fast, drifty arcade handling and stunt-heavy races suit players who want Payback’s accessible speed without sim depth.

The latest title in the RIDGE RACER franchise, RIDGE RACER Unbounded gears up to carve its own destructive path with a new breed of arcade racing.

Why similar: Racing 79.3%, Arcade 8.6%, Open World 6.9%, Multiplayer 3%, Action 1.4%

Why You'll Like It: It blends arcade drifting with destructive city racing for a louder, more chaotic take on the same pick-up-and-play thrill.

The Hokuta City streets await your engine rev. Can you beat everyone in this race for first place? Upgrade your car, take care of its appearance and defeat everyone on the streets of the Hokuta City.

Why similar: Combat Racing 30.2% ★, Racing 23.9%, Open World 13.8%, PvP 11%, Multiplayer 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: Its open map, arcade driving, and chaotic event mix make it a niche but relevant alternative for players who want more sandbox car action.

Harness gravity-defying speed in classic combat racing taken to the EXTREME. Master wall-riding, ceiling-surfing tracks, and unleash devastating weapons across 29 blistering circuits. Race solo, split-screen, or online with up to 10 players. GRIP delivers white-knuckle racing like nothing else.

Why similar: Racing 49%, Combat Racing 27% ★, Vehicular Combat 8.9%, Multiplayer 7.7%, Arcade 3.8%

Why You'll Like It: If Payback’s combat-racing side appeals to you, GRIP leans fully into weaponized, high-speed arcade battles.

Master realistic drift physics, tune 120+ cars and drift online with up to 16 players across platforms. Compete in TOP-32, build unique setups and explore hundreds of community-made Workshop maps.

Why similar: Racing 22.2%, Sandbox 13.6%, Multiplayer 10%, PvP 9.4%, Sports 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: Go here if Payback’s tuning and sideways driving mattered more to you than story or police chases.

Experience the drive of your life as you throw yourself around on and off the track causing fences to shatter, tyre walls explode, water tanks and barrels fly across the track into other cars.

Why similar: Combat Racing 36.1% ★, Racing 24%, Vehicular Combat 18.6%, Multiplayer 7.4%, Third Person 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: Another strong choice if the part you loved was rough, contact-heavy arcade racing rather than strict realism.

Discover the breathtaking landscapes of Japan in over 550 real-world cars and become a racing Legend in Forza Horizon's biggest open world driving adventure yet.

Why similar: Racing 27%, Open World 14.2%, Sports 11.3%, Multiplayer 8.7%, Online Co-Op 5.9%

Spark your competitive soul with Asphalt Legends and feel the collective heartbeat of the road! Join forces with other players to speed through intense arcade races, perform jaw-dropping stunts, and charge towards victory while driving the finest hypercars!

Why similar: Racing 43%, Multiplayer 15.3%, Open World 8.1%, Sports 7.9%, Third Person 7.7%

Strategy. Speed. Story. These are the core pillars of Battlefield™ Hardline, a cops vs. criminals experience unlike any other.

Why similar: Multiplayer 39.7%, PvP 21.2%, First-Person 16.2%, Action 9.9%, Atmospheric 7.4%

Road Redemption lets you lead a biker gang on an epic journey across the country in this driving combat road rage adventure. Huge campaign, dozens of weapons, full 4-player co-op splitscreen.

Why similar: Vehicular Combat 29.6%, Racing 21.9%, Combat Racing 18.1% ★, PvP 6.5%, Co-op 5.9%

The title of “fastest” never fades. Race through the sealed future Tokyo night highways in your customized car. Defeat rivals in “SP Battle,” where drivers clash by draining Spirit Points. A unique racing game where only the rules for victory matter.

Why similar: Racing 53.6%, Vehicular Combat 15.2%, Combat Racing 14.7% ★, Open World 6.8%, Arcade 5.7%

Welcome to Disney Speedstorm! Drift into the ultimate hero-based combat racing game, set on high-speed circuits inspired by Disney and Pixar worlds. Master each character’s unique skills and claim victory in this thrilling arcade racing experience from the creators of the Asphalt series!

Why similar: Combat Racing 25.5% ★, Racing 20.9%, Vehicular Combat 12.8%, Sports 8.9%, Multiplayer 8.8%

You were the fastest wheelman on the street. You were a legend. You were money. Until they set you up and sent you down. Twenty-eight years inside for someone else's crime. Now you're getting out. Guess what? You got a new job, it's called getting revenge.

Why similar: Racing 57.4%, Open World 30.1%, Third Person 6%, Action 5%, Singleplayer 1.5%

Collect the best vehicles in the Hot Wheels™ universe, build spectacular tracks and dive into breathtaking races.

Why similar: Racing 49.1%, Multiplayer 13.6%, Arcade 13%, PvP 10.9%, Third Person 10.2%

With the pedal to the metal, race along more than 3,000 kilometers of tracks that await you! On the mountainside, through a nature park, in the middle of the desert or along the coast, defend your position in more than 250 races, with championships, exhibition races and Grand Prix.

Why similar: Racing 33.7%, Combat Racing 29.3% ★, Vehicular Combat 13.7%, Third Person 8.6%, PvP 7.7%

Ram through pile-ups and smash through your windshield as you push racing to the edge! FlatOut™ delivers more heart-stopping thrills than any sane driver can handle!

Why similar: Combat Racing 33.8% ★, Racing 20.9%, Offroad 17.3% ★, Vehicular Combat 11.5%, Multiplayer 4.5%

High-octane action and anime aesthetics collide in this arcade racing game, featuring fighting mechanics and a storyline that hits hard. In this world, some race for glory while others seek power or revenge. Every race is a fight and every battle is personal.

Why similar: Combat Racing 30% ★, Racing 23.8%, Vehicular Combat 19.8%, Arcade 7.8%, Third Person 5.3%

TDUSC is a lifestyle and social experience that redefines what an open-world racing game can be. Explore a fully recreated Hong Kong Island. Take to the road behind the wheel of exceptional cars and live the ultimate life of luxury.

Why similar: Racing 47.3%, Open World 22.8%, Multiplayer 11.1%, Third Person 7%, First-Person 5%

Take on all the challenges of the 2017 World Rally Championship: the official cars and drivers, 13 countries, 52 Special Stages, every surface, more powerful cars, more demanding physics, longer races, and an eSports mode to keep you on the edge of your seat all year round.

Why similar: Racing 31.3%, Offroad 29.6% ★, Sports 9.4%, Multiplayer 8.5%, Open World 7.6%

You inherit your dad’s beaten up car and rebuild it piece by piece, swapping engine parts, upgrading the suspension, fitting new wheels and more until it becomes a high performance race car. Beat your opponents and earn revenge for your dad.

Why similar: Racing 40.4%, Combat Racing 25.3% ★, Sandbox 15.1%, Open World 11.7%, Simulation 3.6%

Build a resistance as you fight to take back a near-future London facing its downfall. Welcome to the Resistance.

Why similar: Open World 25%, Co-op 17.9%, Online Co-Op 17.8%, Multiplayer 17.3%, Third Person 15.3%

Embrace unrivaled destruction in Battlefield 4™. Revel in the glorious chaos of all-out war packed with rewarding, tactical challenges in an interactive environment.

Why similar: Multiplayer 32.5%, PvP 17.8%, Co-op 12.8%, First-Person 12.1%, Open World 7.3%

Race at the speed of sound and beyond in the great XF Extreme Formula championship! Taking place in the year 3000, you will tour trough the solar system proving you’re worthy of the title of champion.

Why similar: Combat Racing 30.9% ★, Racing 20.3%, Vehicular Combat 20%, PvP 8.1%, Third Person 7.7%

It’s the year 2030, the era of flying vehicles. A one-off championship for wheel based vehicles has been organised, with cutting-edge electric cars boosted by Xenon gas. Drift through cities like Tokyo and Dubai as fast as you can and claim eternal glory!

Why similar: Racing 27.4%, Sports 18.2%, Co-op 9.7%, Multiplayer 9.4%, Online Co-Op 9.3%

The mayor of Rockhaven threw you down a hole into the Undercity. Why? Net worth too low. In this open-world simulation, you and up to 3 pals will steal, fight, and scheme to reclaim the city. Customise your rides, buy businesses, and take on the Mayor’s forces. Rockhaven is yours for the taking!

Why similar: Open World 22.8%, Sandbox 18.5%, Co-op 14.9%, Multiplayer 13.4%, Third Person 13.3%

Build your car, earn sponsors, and compete in online multiplayer drift battles!

Why similar: Racing 38.9%, Open World 15.3%, Sports 14.7%, Multiplayer 14.5%, PvP 9.8%

Gravel is the ultimate off-road experience. The most extreme racing game that will let you try out amazing stunts in the wildest places on the planet!

Why similar: Racing 37.5%, Offroad 29.2% ★, Sports 22.8%, Multiplayer 4.3%, Open World 3.2%

PACER is high-octane anti-gravity racing at its most destructive. Customise your craft and weapons then engage in the campaign, a single-player race or compete against your rivals in explosive online multiplayer for the ultimate combat racing experience.

Why similar: Combat Racing 26.4% ★, Vehicular Combat 18.5%, Racing 15.7%, Sports 12.8%, PvP 7.7%

Mirror's Edge™ Catalyst raises the action-adventure bar through fluid, first person action and immerses players in Faith's story as she fights for freedom.

Why similar: Open World 44.6%, First-Person 22%, Multiplayer 14.7%, Atmospheric 10%, Action 6.3%

Re-Volt lets you guide one of 28 remote control cars through insane race tracks set in unusual environments. Curbs become huge walls, toys are obstacles, and everything is fair game to drive on, through, or over.

Why similar: Combat Racing 37.9% ★, Racing 27.2%, PvP 10.3%, Multiplayer 8.5%, Arcade 7.7%

Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is a high intensity arcade combat racer set in a neon future. Compete in ranked online races, unleash tactical abilities and outdrive rivals across chaotic circuits. Choose your ride, customize your style and dominate the track.

Why similar: Combat Racing 27.3% ★, Vehicular Combat 21.8%, Racing 18.4%, PvP 9.3%, Multiplayer 7.2%