To be honest right from the start, I never liked free online racing games because most of them are filled with annoying ads that get on my last nerves. Anyway, a friend of mine was bored one day and while browsing the Internet he stumbled upon a video game called Racing Kingdom. At first, I was reluctant to his recommendation but I decided to give it a try.
The first thing I liked about it is that they didn’t ask me to make an account because you can join for free by using a Facebook account and let’s face it, there aren’t that many people left who don’t have an account.
The game offers you 40 cars to choose from, ranging from exotics, concepts to sports cars. You have the possibility to connect and play with your friends in drag races, drift racing as well as circuit racing. The Bayside City in which the game takes place consists of 5 areas: Downtown, Rosewood Hill (unlocked at Level 4), Castaway Hill (unlocked at Level 7), Maple Hill (unlocked at level 10) and Castle Hill (unlocked at level 14). This means that there is a lengthy career waiting for you so you won’t get bored very easily and this can only be a good thing.
To unlock the areas you will have to increase your level and you can do this by gaining respect. How you can respect? Simple, by winning races. This isn’t really a novelty in car video games so you should be quite familiar with this system. There are tournaments in which you can participate but only after you reach Level 5. In addition, you get a garage once you reach 28 respect points in which you will be able to store your cars.
Needless to say, with the money that you earn you can buy one of the licensed cars available. Speaking of, there aren’t many online free racing games that have licensed cars. Most of them have a bunch of vehicles that look roughly the same as the originals but they have some odd names so this is a nice touch to actually buy a Mercedes CLS or an Audi RS4, not a bizarrely-named car. Aside from acquiring a vehicle, Racing Kingdom gives you the possibility to purchase upgrade to make the cars better, like improving performance or handling, just like a proper (and paid for) PC / Xbox 360 / PS3 game does.
A nice feature of the game is the Crew section in which you can hire a bunch of your friends in order to build a concept car and after that convert it into credits. You can hire an engine tech, a brakes tuner, electrician, welder, test drive and a crew leader. During the process, once you achieve certain steps you get rewards like gas, cash, cars and so on, quite cool actually.
All things considered, Racing Kingdom really surprised me with its rich selection of features that you would normally expect to get for a retail game and since I’ve played it I began to change my mind about online free racing video games because at least this one doesn’t invade you with annoying ads.
If you’re a car lover and you’d like to play during office hours, you can start with just a click here. Have fun!
Post tags: Tags: online browser racing game, online racing game, racing kingdom, racking kingdom game, reviews, Video Games
There have been many great video games with cars launched in the last 15 years, and in this article we are going to talk about some of the most important examples in this genre. Sit back and relax as we dive into the recent history of racing video games.
Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now (Nov 30, 1998)
Subject to a lot of criticism due to its high level of violence, Carmageddon II will go down in history as one of the most entertaining car games ever made. Despite the fact that it is quite tasteless, the game is extremely fun. You can pick up a wide array of power-ups that you will unleash on the helpless pedestrians, killing them in the most violent and outrageous ways possible. You can make them dance, make their heads bigger, fly away, stumble like drunks, just about anything that you can think of! You’ll do these while listening to the great soundtrack provided by Iron Maiden.
Project Gotham Racing 4 (Oct 2, 2007)
PGR4 features some of the most beautiful environments ever seen in a game, despite the fact that it was launched almost four years ago. It has spot-on control and a fun driving model, while the rain effects are epic. You will earn medals for beating challenges in the arcade made and the Gotham career will offer plenty of hours of gameplay. Locations like Quebec, Macau and Shanghai are reproduced very well in the game, where you will be able to drive some of the fastest and most exclusive cars in the world.
Midnight Club L.A. (Oct 20, 2008)
Featuring excellent graphics and very intense racing that takes place day or night, the latest installment in the Midnight Club series offers a pretty good package: a rich collection of cars, day/night transition, police, lots of customization options and a lengthy career mode. The multiplayer is also great, supporting up to 16 racers via system link, as well as online. You have the possibility to make your own races or play one of the game’s exciting modes, like Keepaway and Capture the Flag.
Split/Second (May 18, 2010)
Indeed, it is a shallow arcade racer, but thanks to its power plays, the action is pretty entertaining throughout the entire race. Flooring the car down an airport runway in a cool-looking sports car never gets old and while you race, you can destroy your opponents by triggering destructive hot spots that are spread all over the track. With its more than frequent explosions, tumbling debris and other similar goodies, the action is pretty intense, but unfortunately the game gets boring after several hours of gameplay. Nevertheless, it’s still a great game.
Blur (May 25, 2010)
It is a fast and exciting racer, offering smooth and responsive driving, along with a lot of weapons that add a little bit of spice to the racing action. The reward system implemented makes the game difficult to put down, while the wide array of cars and tracks should be enough for most enthusiasts. In addition, the multiplayer mode is very complex and you will certainly spend lots of hours taking down your buddy with the various power-ups available. The graphics are quite good too, but the music will eventually become annoying after several hours of gameplay. If you’re tired of Burnout Paradise, this is the game to buy.
Burnout Paradise (Jan 22, 2008)
Speaking of, the latest iteration of the Burnout franchise combines racing and wrecking in a way in which no other video game has ever managed to do. The open-world design offers a lot of opportunities to destroy your opponents, while the showtime mode is epic. With great visuals and excellent online functionality that is both addicting and seamless, no wonder it received high scores from just about every video game reviewer out there. The soundtrack is also very good, but the DJ gets annoying only after 1-2 hours of gameplay.
Need For Speed High Stakes (Sep 29, 1999)
Without any doubt, NFS: HS was the best racing game of the 90s and it is my favorite all-time NFS game. The first thing that I liked about the game was the menu, very modern for those days. With a rich selection of cars and a wide array of locations, it offered just about anyone could want, including damage modeling. Another great feature of the game was the career mode which forced you to make hard choices regarding how to manage your car inventory and money. Plus, the night driving was awesome.
Grand Theft Auto IV (Sep 8, 2009)
GameSpot gave it a “10” so it definitely is one of the greatest games of all time. Offering a superb character-driven story and an epic “Liberty City” that looks so alive, GTA4 is a game for everyone. The wide selection of cars and motorcycles available, along with planes, boats and helicopters, make this game truly remarkable.
Forza Motorsport 3 (Oct 27, 2009)
Offering hundreds of cars to drive, tune and paint, along with a varied selection of tracks to race on, Forza 3 will keep you interested for hundreds of hours. It has probably the longest career mode ever seen in a racing game and a great online multiplayer support. The storefront allows you to buy and sell cars, contributing to the immense world of racing that the game offers. To name some of its weak points, the forgiving AI and the possibility to use cars that exceed event restrictions.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 (Feb 8, 2011)
The game offers a huge, attractive, open and online world, combining the steady progression of the career world with a very enjoyable open-world driving mode. The graphics are astonishing and the wide selection of cars offers plenty of possibilities to choose from. The multiplayer mode is immense, you can create and edit custom challenges, share them in the Community Racing Centre and other nice goodies. On the downside, there are no pedestrians, no motorbikes and the control of the car is rather funky. However, it still is a good reason to increase your video games collection.
Gran Turismo 5 (Nov 24, 2010)
GT5 is probably the most popular racing video game ever made, being rewarding and accessible for both newcomers and experienced players. The realistic handling really lives up to all expectations, while the selection of cars is incredible, with more than 1,000 models to choose from. You can race during the night, in rain or snow, and the lengthy career should hold you a couple of weeks. After that, dive in the multiplayer world and spend countless hours racing with your favorite friends as well as strangers from all over the world.
GRID (June 3, 2008)
We’ve saved the best for last. In our humble opinion, GRID is the best racing game ever made. The realism in this game is truly astonishing. Although this is an arcade game, you will really feel like you’re behind the wheel of the car. The game offers plenty of racing locations and disciplines to choose from, while the exquisite presentation and the excellent graphics offer a very appealing visual aspect. The career mode is accessible and rewarding, while the great online lobby system will suit all tastes. In addition, it has the best car damage model ever seen.
Feel free to recommend other games that should be added to this list.
Source & Photos: GameSpot
Post tags: Tags: Video Games
Another trailer of the latest installment in the DiRT franchise developed by Codemasters has been revealed at the beginning of this month, preparing us for May 24th when the game will hit the shelves, for the PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 platforms.
[youtube width="470" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Y6_N23tJo[/youtube]
This trailer showcases the newest additions to the game, like Gymkhana, night racing, weather conditions and a wide array of breathtaking locations. Codemasters has also revealed the fact that some retailers will offer a Superteams Pack, as a pre-order incentive, which features four exclusive teams: Texaco Racing Team, Brembo Racing Team, Team Yokohama and the Mobil 1 Performance Team; along with 14 cars, like the Fiat 131 Abarth, the legendary Ford RS200 Rallycross and the epic Lancia Delta HF Integrale.
Source: Codemasters via YouTube
Post tags: Tags: dirt3, Video Games
The third iteration of the very popular DiRT video game franchise will be launched on May 24 this year. A copy will set you back $59,99, which sounds a little bit steep if you ask me, but looking at the price tags of other video games you’ll notice that it has just about the same pricing. If you are willing to spare $299, GameStop has a cool product bundle for you: a copy of the game, plus a Traxxas Ken Block R/C Ford Fiesta.
This is very good news for those that already wanted to buy the radio-controlled gymkhana machine as you basically get the game for free.
[youtube width="470" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRtCQ2yPLWo[/youtube]
Source: GameStop via MotorworldHype, YouTube, AutoBlog
Post tags: Tags: dirt3, Video Games
Our wait will soon come to an end as Dirt 3 will be out on all platforms on the 24th of May. To increase the game’s popularity, the developers over at Codemasters have revealed a couple of details about a very interesting three-game party mode. This mode consists of mini games and will serve for those players that want to try something a little bit more different. This means that the game will have a very good multiplayer setup, making it probably one of the best in the racing genre.
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Post tags: Tags: dirt 3, Video Games
[youtube width="470" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yoyvJX6s0Y[/youtube]
Ever since Turn 10 launched Forza 2 I’ve been a big fan of the series. This year, we’ll be able to play the fourth iteration of this game, which should hit the retail stores sometime in October. Probably the most important addition to this game is the Kinect support, which will allow players to open the car’s doors and hoods with hand motions and fire up the engine from the driver’s seat. During a race, with the help of Kinect, players will be able to look around corners every time they move their heads. Pretty interesting, but irrelevant for a game of this magnitude.
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Post tags: Tags: forza motorsport 4
[youtube width="470" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFAhxpQS7jk[/youtube]
One of the best racing games I’ve played lately is the Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit. Although Shift 2 Unleashed is just around the corner, the developers of the franchise did not forget about last year’s game and they’ve launched three DLCs.
The first one, dubbed “Armed & Dangerous” went live on February 22nd. At the beginning of this month, the second downloadable content was launched, named “Lamborghini Untamed”. Two days ago the third one was released – “Hot Pursuit Porsche Unleashed”.
Armed & Dangerous brings two new online game modes: Most Wanted and Arms Race.
Lamborghini Untamed adds three of the world’s most famous Lamborghini’s to the game: Diablo SV, Countach LP5000 QV and the Sesto Elemento. In addition, this DLC includes ten new events and four new trophies and achievements. The price for this DLC is $6, 99 (560 Microsoft Points).
Last, Hot Pursuit Porsche Unleashed packs three new cars: 911 Turbo (1982 Edition), 959 and 911 Speedster. Also included in this downloadable content are the ten new events and four new trophies and achievements. The price of this DLC is $6, 99 (560 Microsoft Points).
Post tags: Tags: need for speed hot pursuit
As previously mentioned, the new Pagani Huayra will have a base price of $1,368,800 and the company will make only a few units. This means that most of us will not be able to drive one in real life, unless we have a very wealthy friend. The next best thing would be to buy Shift 2 Unleashed which will feature Pagani’s new supercar.
The Need For Speed SHIFT 2 Unleashed video game will be released on March 29th and the Huayra will be available only in this game. It will be available on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and the PC platform.
If you’ve already pre-ordered the game, check out this video to see the Huayra in all its carbon-fiber glory.
[youtube width="470" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y79dZWILitE[/youtube]
Post tags: Tags: need for speed shift 2 unleashed, pagani huayra, video game
Activision has announced yesterday that the videogame Transformers: Dark of the Moon is in development by High Moon Studios.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon the game
Based on Hasbro’s Transformers property and featuring a brand-new ‘Stealth Force’ conversion mode, the game thrusts players directly into an original prologue storyline to experience the ultimate battle between the Autobots and Decepticons that reveals another face of evil, Shockwave. So, the game allows players to fight through the epic battles on Earth that will shape the events of this year homonym film. Transformers: Dark of the Moon sets the players into a variety of locations including the jungles of South America, Siberian military facilities, Detroit Cityscapes and more.
In the news release, Activision promises the game lets the fans to harness the power of Stealth Force to instantly convert to a third, hybrid state that combines the weapons and firepower of robot mode with the agility and maneuverability of vehicle mode. “Additionally, fans can play the game with or against their friends through intense, online multiplayer game modes as their favorite iconic characters”.
The Transformers: Dark of the Moon video game is currently in development by High Moon Studios for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation3 computer entertainment system. Behaviour Interactive is developing distinct versions for the Wii system, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS hand-held systems.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon the film will be released in New Zealand cinemas June 30.
Here it is the Transformers: Dark of the Moon video game trailer. Click to watch it!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdHMVCgLHdM[/youtube]
Post tags: Tags: car video games, Video Games
Good news! Test Drive Unlimited 2 is now available for the PC/PS3/XBOX360 platforms and you can find it at your local retail store for $50.
I managed to grab an early copy (legal) of the game and I spent a couple of hours in single player mode. First of all, the island is huge and very well thought – combining both city and rural roads. What I have been missing most from driving games is the transition between night and day. There are a couple of games that have this feature but Atari did one hell of a job on TDU2 with this effect. I shouldn’t even call it an effect because the transition is very natural, like in real life.
TDU2 has also a whole bunch of other features that make it stand out from the rest of the crowd, like the possibility to buy clothing, properties as well as other accouterments of a luxurious international lifestyle – think Grand Theft Auto.
It has just about every car you’d ever wanted, here are a few examples: Pagani Zonda, Ferrari California, Nissan GT-R, Ford Mustang Fastback, Spyker C12 Zagato, Aston Martin One-77, McLaren MP4-12C and my personal favorite, the exquisite Lotus Evora.
Another thing that I like about Test Drive Unlimited 2 is that all the cars have an interior view and the cockpits are pretty good, not as good as in Gran Turismo 5 or Forza 3, but can’t complain. They look very nice during the night, something that you won’t in Forza 3 and only a few tracks in GT5 have night mode.
From what I’ve played, the career seems to be pretty long and it was a nice surprise to see that they managed to blend on-road races with off-road ones.
Moving on to what I don’t like. First of all, the conversations between the characters in the game are borderline embarrassing. Second, if you haven’t played many arcade racing games before; it will be quite difficult for you to control the cars. In addition, sometimes they behave rather unusual and can get a little bit annoying, but give it time and you’ll get the hang of it.
I’ve noticed that it has only two radio stations, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. Although I can’t complain with the lack of other stations, I do believe that they should have added more tracks as pretty soon they can become repetitive. I still can’t understand why video game developers don’t introduce a feature that allows you to copy MP3s to the HDD of the XBOX360/PS3 so that you can listen to your favorite songs while playing the games. I am not a video game developer, but I don’t think that this is a hard thing to do – again, correct me if I’m wrong.
Another feature of the game is gaining XP points in the Social, Discovery, Competition and Collection categories by doing related activities, like making a community challenge – Social, finishing photography assignments – Discovery, beating other races in competitions – Competition, purchasing houses – Collection, and a lot more. These four categories make up your overall rank in the game.
Although these categories are separated, they actually feed into each other. To give you a relevant example, if you drive around and find new roads and manufacturer-specific upgrade shops, you’ll earn Discovery points. By exploring the vast island you will find various showrooms that may be necessary to compete in a race as well as further your burgeoning car collection for the Collection category.
I haven’t tried out the online gameplay due to lack of time, but taking into consideration that the game has plenty to offer even in single player mode, online it should be even more impressive.
Despite of all these flaws, the game is pretty good and it’s most important asset is the beautiful and complex island, complemented by the day/night transition I’ve mentioned before. I think that the control of the cars could have been better – maybe, with a steering wheel it is more pleasurable.
Although it was launched in October, 2007, GRID remains my favorite racing game of all times, the level of realism is just amazing. I’m eager to play DIRT 3 (which from what I’ve heard will be the last game from the franchise) and Forza 4. As far as Shift 2 is concerned, I hope that it will be the simulator that the first one should have been in the first place.
In a world dominated by the Need For Speed games that keep coming out year after year (like CODs), it is good to have something else to play. If you’ve played the first part of the game, TDU2 follows the same recipe, but improves it here and there.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFlHOCLqt7Y[/youtube]
Post tags: Tags: test drive unlimited 2, video game
Forza Motorsport 4 Screenshot
According to a study conducted by Continental Tires, gamers have the tendency to take more risks while driving a car. On average, 22% of gaming drivers reported being pulled over by the cops, in comparison to 13% on non-gamers. 31% of the gamers have run a red light in the last 12 months while only 14% of non-gamers did it. More than that, it seems that 45% of the drivers that enjoy video games suffer from road rage while only 22% of the people that don’t play games stated the same.
Comparison between people that play / don’t play video games:
DO DON’T
% stopped by police 22 13
% who use mobile when driving 19 12
% ever made a claim for an accident 30 15
% run a red light in last 12mnths 31 14
% driven wrong way down 1-way street 13 10
% hit stationary object when parking 22 13
% accidently clipped a car but kept quiet 19 11
% take risks (accelerate too quickly, overtake) 44 21
% suffer road rage 45 22
% who speed 25 13
% scare others with their driving 26 11
Attempts before passing test 2 3
No. of prangs to their vehicle in last 12months 1 2
However, the researchers at the University of Rochester don’t seem to agree with these figures as they believe that playing video games can help speed up reaction times and make a driver more sensitive to the environment around him. The same researchers also said that people that enjoy playing video games are better at multi-tasking, meaning that they will do a better job behind the wheel.
Source: Jalopnik.com
Post tags: Tags: study, Video Games
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB3pSFSoJtw[/youtube]
Originally created only for the highly-acclaimed PS3-exclusive Gran Turismo 5 video game, Red Bull decided to do a real version of the X2010 vehicle, also known as X1 prototype. The design of this car was made by Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer and the vehicle was built by Industrial Design Consultancy, the result is a pretty cool looking car.
Although this mock up does not have a powertrain, the Gran Turismo 5 version of the X2010 is equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 unit that churns an impressive number of 1479 ponies (1103 kW / 1500 PS) and a whopping 527 lb-ft (714 Nm) of torque. This tremendous power combined with the fan installed in the floor that is capable of creating a suction effect with massive downforce allows this futuristic vehicle to reach 60 mph in 1.4 seconds, 200 mph in 6.1 seconds, onto an impressive to speed of 450 km/h.
The lateral acceleration of the GT5-based X2010 can reach 8.75 G, which is at the limit of what our bodies can withstand.
I for one am really curious to see if the car will be developed even further by adding an engine. Although it will certainly not be that 1479 hp unit, let’s hope that the engineers at Red Bull will install something just as great as the looks of this car.
Post tags: Tags: gran turismo 5, red bull
Gran Turismo 5 Screenshot
One of the most anticipated video games of all time is without any doubt Gran Turismo 5 developed by Polyphony Digital, exclusively for Sony’s PlayStation 3 console. After several delays, the game will finally be available this week at a MSRP of $59, 99. GT5 will feature more than 1,000 licensed cars from almost all top manufacturers, except for Porsche because the Need For Speed series have bought the license for these cars. Gamers will have the possibility to choose from one of the 20 tracks available with more than 70 variations that will include city courses, famous world circuits as well as other environments plus a track creator.
A premiere for the Gran Turismo franchise will be the very complex online and community feature set that will allow up to 16 players through the Playstation Network. Another innovation brought to the game is the real-time visual damage with adaptive and accurate car deformations, based upon the point of impact and velocity. Gamers will now be able to drive the cars in various weather conditions including rain and snow (only available for certain tracks) as well as the ability to play during the night (also available for selected circuits).
GT 5 will have licensed NASCAR and WRC cars, plus a couple of karts. The game will feature an improved Photo travel mode that will allow the players to take pictures of their favorite cars with the help of a virtual digital SLR camera that works in both 2D and stereoscopic 3D for enhanced realism. The Arcade Mode of the game will include the regular single player mode as well as a split screen 2 player mod for you and your closest friend. The GT Mode will feature a World Map, My Garage, Car Dealer, Tuning Shop, Championship Race and a License Test.
Gran Turismo 5 Screenshot
For online players, Polyphony Digital added an Open Lobby, Text / Voice Chat, Private Room, Online Photo Album, Online Replay Album and the possibility to export replays directly to YouTube. The game will feature some memorable cars like the Citroen GT, WWII VW Kubelwagen, VW Schwimmwagen and the X1 Prototype.
For those of you interested in purchasing the game you already know that it will be available in three editions: standard, collector and signature. The Standard Edition is the regular one, without any of the extras available for the other two configurations. The Collector’s Edition has a 100$ price tag and will include an exclusive Special Edition inlay sleeve art; a 200+ page “Apex” driver’s magazine with hints on driving techniques, car tuning, future technologies and a lot more. Other extras include the in-game “Chrome Line” vehicle pack which consists of five performance-enhanced cars ready to race. The last bonus is an exclusive dynamic theme to customize your PlayStation 3 XMB.
For those of willing to pay even more, PD will be offering the Signature Edition that features a steel case, colored with the “Obsidian Black”, available for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Besides the game, the ChromeLine car pack and the “Apex” driver’s magazine, you will also get the following: an exclusive, branded SLS AMG 1:43 scale model, bespoke GT 5 USB key, SE coffee table book and the list goes on. The most important feature is the possibility to win a real-life Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG equipped with a 6.3-liter engine. The contest is available for selected countries.
In the following days we will be offering an in-depth review about the most anticipated racing game of all times.
Post tags: Tags: gran, sony, turismo
Gran Turismo 5 is definitely one of the most expected games of this fall, and unlike previous times, it actually looks like it will come out, and with a whole array of features and modes.
Besides offering the most realistic driving experience besides getting into an actual car, its developer, Polyphony Digital, has decided to throw in something extra, just for the kicks.
As such, it has partnered up with Red Bull Racing, in order to create the fastest (virtual) race car, set to be used in an environment without any technical specifications or regulations. The car has been built just for pure performance, but still able to obey the laws of physics (meaning no rocket strapped to its back).
The result is currently being teased at the Tokyo Games Show, and is called the X1 Prototype. Basically, the model is a cross between the Formula 1 RB06 race car and a Le Mans prototype, but with the power cranked up to 11 (and then some).
Check it out in an HD video after the jump.
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Post tags: Tags: gran turismo, gran turismo 5, polyphony digital, red bull, red bull racing, Video, Video Games, x1 prototype
A few months still keep us from enjoying big racing video games like Gran Turismo 5 or Need For Speed Hot Pursuit.
Luckily, EA has decided that since over 1 million players have registered for the Need For Speed World online video game, it will make the game completely free to play, without any restrictions.
Up until now, gamers could play NFS World for free until they reached level 10. Afterwards, it they wanted to keep on progressing until the level 50 cap, they had to buy a special Starter Pack.
Now though, all restrictions have been raised, and all players can access new areas, new cars and a special co-op pursuit mode, without any purchases necessary. Those who already bought the Starter Pack will be rewarded free 7-day car rental vouchers for the BMW M3 GTR, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and the Audi R8.
You can register for the Need For Speed World online racing video game at this website.
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Post tags: Tags: need for speed world, need-for-speed, online, racing, Video Games
