Most cars in video games stem from the racing genre, but there are plenty of vehicles that play major roles in shooters and action games. Cars in games range from the licensed offerings of games like Gran Turismo and Forza to the power-up using karts in Mario Kart and even the turret-mounted Jeeps of Halo.
In racing games, players get to fill their garage with whatever cars they fancy and often pick the best performers or coolest-looking ones. When it comes to video game cars, there are no limiting factors. They can be as realistic or as extravagant as they need to be to suit the game and the purpose. There are, however, some cars in games that stand atop the podium due to their looks, function, or character.
10 Gears of War's Armadillo Is A Tank
The Armadillo only saw brief bits of action throughout the first three Gears of War games. It features side-mounted turrets, four mounted grenade launchers, and a rear-mounted rotational gun turret.
There is also a front-mounted shovel attachment for when the Armadillo plows through abandoned cars on a deserted street or blasts through enemy barricades. The heavily armored transport is sleek and destructive and was also an Xbox-exclusive vehicle in Rocket League.
9 Captain Falcon's Blue Falcon Is a Future Worth Visiting
In the broadest sense of a car, Captain Falcon's futuristic vehicle could be considered a "flying car," and all players can agree that having a flying car would be amazing. The F-Zero franchise features racing games set in the future where racers drive high-velocity hovering jet-powered vehicles.
Captain Falcon's "Blue Falcon" is fast, agile, and dominant in the world of F-Zero. The thrum of the engine coming to life fills the driver with excitement and anticipation. The car itself looks like the cockpit of a fighter jet with rear fins on either side and the dark blue exudes an aura of cool elegance.
8 Axel's Taxi Delivers Much Fan-Fare
Many comedians have bits saying that taxi drivers are reckless, but that stereotype was put into overdrive in Sega's Crazy Taxi series. In the first game, cabbie Axel drives a long, boxy, convertible taxi that was pictured on most of the game art and is often the car of choice for players.
The cab blasts down cities, drifting and, in Crazy Taxi 2, even jumping, so players can deliver their fare to the location in record time. The iconic yellow paint with black decals stands out against the rest of the NPC cars in Crazy Taxi, and parks itself in the memory of every gamer who gets behind its wheel.
7 Sweet Tooth's Ice Cream Truck Is An Explosive & Fun Ride
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Twisted Metal is a vehicular combat game where players destroy other cars with their own. The title's mascot is a clown named Sweet Tooth who drives an ice cream truck. The iconic white van with pink spots and a flaming clown head on top is a ridiculous sight to see in an all-out destruction derby.
The van is equipped with napalm ice cream cones, one of the most powerful special weapons in the game. The van is also an absolute tank with very strong durability, though that does make it handle rather sluggishly.
6 BMW M3 GTR Gave Gamers The Need For Speed
The BMW M3 GTR E46 made its debut in Need For Speed: Most Wanted, one of the series' better entries. The car was a limited edition production in real life, but it had such a cool aesthetic that players fell in love with it. Plus, it was featured as the cover car for the game.
The car gained such popularity with its pleasing engine sound, sharp steering, and blazing speed that it appeared in several more Need For Speed games. The blue and silver livery added sleekness to the design and an overall cool factor that won over gamers once they drove it out of their garages.
5 AE-86 Trueno Drifts From Initial D Into Other Games
The black and white "panda" paint on the Toyota AE-86 Trueno hatchback is an iconic livery and anyone who has seen the anime Initial-D recognizes it instantly, especially when they can choose it in the arcade games. Teenager Takumi Fujiwara races the downhill course of Akina, taking on challenges from other street racers, and eventually traveling to other courses to challenge the drivers there.
Throughout the series, the black-and-white Eight-Six becomes a legend that goes undefeated. While fans of Initial-D can play the series through the arcade games, the Eight-Six often appears in other racing games like Need For Speed and Forza.
4 Mario's Kart Is Simple But Effective
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The series that causes more arguments than any other, Mario Kart is an iconic entry in the Super Mario franchise. Mario's kart — and frankly any of the other character's karts — is a simple four-wheeled go-kart with the ability to collect power-ups, use them, and carry its driver to victory.
In Mario Kart: Double Dash, the kart got an upgrade to have a spot on the back, so a partner could stand and distribute power-ups. The kart itself is a reminder of childhood go-karting, but with added flair and extravagance.
3 The Warthog Is Any Super Soldier's Car Of Choice
The M-12 Warthog from the Halo games is the best way to quickly traverse terrain and dominate enemies. The common Warthog has a chain gun on the back that mows down enemies with ease, whether in the campaign or online against fellow Spartans.
In Halo 2, the "GaussHog" was introduced as the Warthog's brother. The rear-mounted chain gun was replaced with a Gauss Cannon that quickly dispatched large enemy ground troops and vehicles with explosive bursts. The Warthog is so iconic that it is an Xbox exclusive car in Rocket League.
2 Rocket League's Toy Car Roster
Cars that are used to play an automotive form of soccer should not be grounded in reality, and, in Rocket League, they are not. The designs on all the base versions of the cars in each player's garage seem based on old Hot Wheels toy cars. They are whimsical, cool, flamboyant, and futuristic.
Players can customize the cars with different paints, wheels, rims, antennas, toppers, and other adornments. The cars have the ability to boost, jump up, go sideways, and, in the case of the Rumble mode, use power-ups. These cars are what every kid playing with toy cars growing up imagined they could be.
1 The Batmobile Is The Quintessential Video Game Car
Simply put, it's the Batmobile. Throughout the Batman comics, movies, TV shows, and other video games, the Batmobile has changed in design and function, but the basic form still remains. The car is a jet-engine propelled tank that Batman uses to navigate the streets of Gotham City and battle against his toughest rivals.
In the Batman Arkham series of games, the Batmobile is equipped with all the standard gadgets that a vigilante might need. It is the car of a superhero, and it looks totally badass with its sleek design and explosive capabilities.