Along with platformers, shooters, and puzzle games, driving games have been with us almost since the beginning of video games. There’s something about the sense of speed and intensely competitive nature of racing titles that resonates with gamers in every console generation. Regardless of your tastes in driving games, 2009 offered excellent driving games for almost every type of gamer. Fans of over-the-top driving action had Excitebots: Trick Racing, with its insane vehicles and stunts, while off-road fans could immerse themselves in world of Dirt 2. On the handheld side, Motorstorm: Arctic Edge put the blinding speed of the Motorstorm series in gamers’ hands, and Gran Turismo PSP offered a more realistic racing experience than we’ve ever seen on a portable console. Every race must have a winner, though, and while all these games were great racing experiences, they paled in comparison to our champion.

Not only does Forza Motorsport 3 offer the best combination of simulated and arcade-style racing, it’s also the best-looking driving game of 2009. It also introduced a revolutionary in-game economy that rewards and benefits from the game’s massive community of painters, tuners and customizers. With physics that feel more perfect than reality, hundreds of cars and tracks, an excellent, streamlined career mode, nearly infinite content, and enough gameplay tweaks and options to satisfy drivers of any level, Forza 3 smoked the competition on the first turn and never looked back, earning the title of Best Ever Driving Game of 2009.