Horse Racing in Video Games: From Classics to Modern Simulations

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Horse racing is a surprisingly overlooked gaming market. While it’s one of the oldest sports, with a massive historical fanbase exceeding many others, video games based on it aren’t as popular as those featuring sports like football or basketball.

Perhaps the reason for this is a lack of quality games. While several horse racing games have been released over the years, they haven’t received the attention they deserve. Horse racing is a major industry, and creating a good video game about it involves more than just a single button press – it requires features like horse breeding, care, and training.

Thankfully, horse racing still appears in video games in various forms. Sometimes it’s just a small activity within a larger game, but other times it’s a dedicated simulation that closely mirrors the real-world sport.

The Arcade Days and Quirky Classics

If you spent time in arcades during the 80s or 90s, you probably remember those simple horse racing games. They weren’t known for being realistic – the graphics were so pixelated you could barely see the jockeys, who often looked like a blob on top of the horse! But despite the basic gameplay, they were surprisingly fun.

These older horse racing games weren’t very sophisticated. They usually involved just rapidly pressing a button, giving players the illusion their horse was running faster – even though it didn’t actually change the speed.

Looking for a classic horse racing game? Check out Final Furlong, created by Namco in 1997. What made it really special was the arcade cabinet – instead of using a controller, you actually sat on a plastic horse!

Gallop Racer was a hugely popular Japanese horse racing game that set the standard in the late 90s and early 2000s. Even today, it’s remarkably advanced, with graphics that were incredible for their time. It was one of the first games to truly simulate the real horse racing experience, and I’d happily choose it over some newer titles released recently.

The Era of Management Sims

As video games became more sophisticated, so did horse racing games. The Sega Derby Owners Club series, for instance, went beyond simple racing and created a game that felt like a role-playing game. Players could breed horses, train them, and plan strategies – it wasn’t just about winning the race.

It wasn’t about rushing things or taking shortcuts; it was about strategic, long-term planning. Think of it like managing a football team, but instead of players, you’re managing racehorses.

Japanese gamers loved this type of game, and titles like Winning Post and Derby Stallion became popular for their incredibly detailed simulations.

These games closely mirror real horse racing. They can actually help you improve your betting strategy by giving you insight into how the sport works. If you enjoy things like studying the Breeders’ Cup, reading expert advice, and analyzing racing data, trying a horse racing simulation game might be a good place to start.

These games allow players to experience all aspects of horse racing, from breeding and training to monitoring a horse’s energy and the impact of weather. While it might seem detailed for those unfamiliar with the sport, it’s a perfect simulation for racing enthusiasts.

Modern Horse Racing Games

There are many horse racing games available today. While they don’t reach the visual quality or depth of top-tier games like Red Dead Redemption 2 – which features stunning horses and lots to discover – they still offer the most realistic experience of modern horse racing.

Looking for fun games to play? Winning Post 10 is a long-standing favorite in the horse racing world. The newest version boasts incredible graphics, gameplay modes, and overall mechanics. However, it’s currently only available in Japanese, with no option to change the language.

There are also console games like Phar Lap, released a couple of years ago, that still look good and offer a lot of gameplay, including online multiplayer so you can race against friends. Rival Stars Horse Racing is another popular option, available on both computers and mobile devices.

A VR version of Rival Stars Horse Racing is now available, and it offers the most immersive, hands-on experience with horses we’ve seen so far.

We offer other horse racing games such as Champion Jockey, G1 Jockey, and Gallop Racer, but this particular one feels a little old now.

Why Horse Racing Works So Well in Games

Horse racing is a fascinating but complex sport that many people don’t fully understand. This lack of knowledge is a big reason why horse racing video games are so popular – players are curious about everything from a horse’s birth and training to the complete racing process and what it takes to become a winner.

Horse racing games often involve more than just the race itself. You typically manage your finances, enter competitions, and breed horses – making them a type of strategy game. And, of course, the races are thrilling, especially when you have a really fast horse and are playing with friends! Just remember to be a good sport, even if you win.

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2025-09-23 13:08