Media post: The most popular cars to feature in games
Cars have been featured in games for decades now. One of the oldest car-themed games is actually the board game ‘Touring’.
This game was invented in the late 19th and early 20th century and released to the public in 1906. Its creator, William Janson Roche, based the game around the first gasoline-powered automobile.
A few years prior, in the late 1880s, the first gasoline-powered automobile had been revealed to the world. This invention would inspire game developers for decades.
As this article will explore, cars continue to inspire game developers to this day. Car-themed games are no longer limited to board games but are now widespread.
From slot games to console-based video games, cars are omnipresent in the gaming world. But which cars are particularly popular?
Most popular cars in the gaming world
Here are some of the cars most commonly found in games.
– Ford cars (particularly the Ford Crown Victoria)
The Ford Crown Victoria, also known as the ‘Crown Vic’, is one of the most popular cars in video games. It was made available to the public in 1992 but soon became used by US police and other US law enforcement agencies.
It is still depicted as a US police car in most video games. Some of the most famous games in which it appears include ‘The Last of Us’, ‘Call of Duty’, ‘MotorStorm: Apocalypse’, and ‘Dead Rising 3’.
– Ferrari cars
Ferrari is a world-renowned automobile company synonymous with luxury and quality. Because of its reputation, the iconic Italian brand is referred to in many games.
For example, the slot game ‘Car & Cash’ offers an entertaining gaming experience around its red Ferrari theme.
Other popular Ferrari-themed games include the ‘Ferrari GT series’, ‘Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli’, ‘F355 Challenge’, ‘Gran Turismo’ and ‘Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends’. There are many other popular Ferrari video games and board games as well.
Ferrari cars are always red in these games, despite the Italian brand having car models of different colors. That is because Ferrari is mostly known for its first models that made history.
These first models had to be red because red was Italy’s national racing color. Ferrari, being the manufacturer of race cars, had to abide by that rule.
Soon enough, the public began to associate red sports cars with Ferrari and it became the company’s trademark. To this day, the simple mention of Ferrari cars automatically evokes the color red in people’s imagination.
– Chevrolet (particularly the Chevrolet Camaro Mk.I)
The Chevrolet Camaro Mk.I was a very popular car after its release in 1966. It was a successful mid-size American automobile that was affordable but also stylish.
Because of these characteristics, it was classified as a pony car. This car model became very common in the suburbs and was mostly purchased by middle-class families.
It influenced US popular culture of the 60s and 70s and soon became an inspiration for game developers.
Some of the most famous games with the Chevrolet Camaro Mk.I model include ‘The Sims’, ‘Need for Speed’, ‘Dead Rising 3’, ‘Gran Turismo’, and ‘Forza Horizon/Motorsport’.
– Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle cars are other iconic cars of the 20th century. The Volkswagen Type 1 was first built in 1938 by the German company Volkswagen.
It was a popular economy car. An economy car is a light, small and inexpensive automobile. For a while, Volkswagen cars were mostly sold in Germany.
However, after WWII, the car was slowly brought to other countries and introduced to international markets. It became increasingly popular thanks to its affordability, small size and endearing design.
This car is now one of the most recognizable and iconic automobiles in history. Players can drive it in many games including in ‘Grand Theft Auto’, ‘Need for Speed’, ‘SimCity’, ‘Call of Duty: World at War’ and ‘Gran Turismo’.
Not only can it be found in games but also in films. The Volkswagen Beetle car was the inspiration for a popular, fictional car race character called Herbie.
Herbie was the lead character of several movies including the Herbie film series which included the box-office success movie, ‘The Love Bug’.
Final thoughts
This article listed four great cars that can be found in some of the most popular games. These cars are rooted in history and tradition.
They had a deep impact on the culture of the time and the automobile industry. That being said, there are many more great cars to be found in popular games.
Car fans only have to start gaming to find out which other cars are referenced in the gaming world. A simple game of ‘Grand Theft Auto’ or ‘Gran Turismo’ will be a delight for many automobile aficionados.
There will surely be more great games that reference popular cars. Newer car models will most likely influence future game developers and the games of tomorrow, just as older models did.
