We all love Burnout games, and after the launch of Burnout Paradise Remaster, it’s quite natural to revisit the whole franchise and see which games really made it worthwhile and how they ended up being the best in the series.
So Let’s get right into it!
- Burnout franchise has always been a fan favourite and we have managed to cover the best games from many releases over the years.
- The franchise came into the existence back in 1999 by Criterion Games. Its publishers were initially Acclaim Entertainments for the first two games and after that Electronic Arts took over.
- Burnout Paradise, Burnout Revenge, Burnout Takedown are some of the most critically acclaimed titles in the franchise.
- The Series has it’s falls too with the launch of Burnout Crash or the original Burnout launched in 2001.
- The platforms on which the games are available is also discussed so if you still haven’t picked them, you can now and also the right one.
- The Most recent release is the Remaster version of best selling game from the series Burnout Paradise released in 2018.
Best Burnout Games
Below are the best games from the Burnout Franchise so far; they are highly praised by the fans and still a great pick if you plan on causing some mayhem on the tracks.
Burnout Paradise
Top-tier arcade game enclosing alot of action and becoming a fan favorite. It is an open-world game that allows you to travel and explore. What can be more fun than racing in such a setting? You get many customization options to make your car stand out.
Upgrade the visuals, go through the paints, body kits, and more. The Burnout Paradise is full of challenges and competitions you can always enjoy.
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: January 22, 2008
- Metacritic Ratings: 87%
Pros
- Unique city design
- Quality Graphics
- Open world
Cons
- Confusing for the beginners
- No fixed racing routes and tracks
- Mastering controls may take time
Burnout Takedown
A racing video game that brings thrill and action. Due to its realistic gameplay, it is considered the best burnout game. The gameplay and graphics are top-grade and offer an incredible racing experience. You get rewarded for the risks you take.
Players get to see a wide range of tracks and events, making the game more exciting. The road rage mode lets you take down vehicles while pushing and smashing them. The game includes addicting and intriguing playing modes that keep the players hooked.
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Xbox
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: September 8, 2004
- Metacritic Ratings: 92%
Pros
- Intense action and destructible surroundings.
- Fast-paced
- Challenging and entertaining
- Road rage mode is well-liked
Cons
- Some find it aggressive.
- Difficult to win
Burnout Revenge
Thinking about spending your “Me-Time” while playing a burnout game? Well, this one is a perfect choice for you, then. Take your aggression out virtually with burnout Revenge. You get to experience the combo of destruction and speed in this game.
Revenge is excellently competitive and offers you hours of thrill and excitement. The variety of tracks, objectives, and customization options make it more interesting. The traffic-checking feature is amazing,
And it provides more aggressive gameplay as you can cause much more destruction toward the other cars. Take the lead and take revenge on those who took you down. However, the track designs and some other flaws may spoil it a little, but still, it is among the favorites.
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Xbox
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: September 13, 2005
- Metacritic Ratings: 90%
Pros
- Crash and road rage modes
- Addition of takedown modes
- Car damage improvements
Cons
- No room for innovation
- Unpleasant music
Burnout Legends
For your escape from the daily grind, we have picked up the burnout legends for you. This one is the best and has been released on various gaming platforms. You can play multiplayer, crash, and other modes. There are various locations and tracks, including the city streets and mountainous areas.
Players can unlock new tracks and cars by completing certain events and winning races. The thing to consider here is that the game’s performance depends upon the platform. The PSP version goes well but becomes difficult to play on others.
Those who want to revive the memories of previous burnout games can go for it.
- Platforms: PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: September 13, 2005
- Metacritic Ratings: 86%
Pros
- Excellent graphics
- Vivid gameplay
Cons
- Similar to burnout 3
- Lack of new tracks and modes
- Poor gameplay on a two-screened gaming system
Burnout Dominator
The burnout dominator is still maintaining its place in the burnout series, despite the developers removing the crash and traffic-checking modes. This means that the dominator fans will no longer be able to cause chaos in a game by destroying the small civilian automobiles.
But this doesn’t stop it from being the best. The new additions allow the players to drive hazardously with infinite boosts. It can be dangerous, but if you love to take risks, this one is made for you.
Besides these, many new modes have been added, like maniac and drift modes and challenges.
- Platforms: PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: March 6, 2007
- Metacritic Ratings: 76%
Pros
- New gaming modes
- High-Octane Driving
- Exhilarating Challenges
Cons
- Removal of crashes and traffic-checking modes
- Average quality new modes
Burnout (2001)
The launch wasn’t the best for the Burnout series, and this doesn’t mean the first title was bad in any sense. It’s just that in the 2000s, EA had already established a good name with its Need For Speed Franchise, that it was hard for fans to switch to a new street racing game.
It’s also very true that the story got totally different with the launch of future titles. Still, the classic 2001s Burnout was just a secondary option for the majority of gamers due to its pretty basic design and gameplay.
It’s also good to see how far the franchise has come and how while being an underdog, the game built its fan following and ended up becoming one of the most memorable experiences for players around the world and now has it’s own community.
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Gamecube and Xbox
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: November 1, 2001
- Metacritic Ratings: 79%
Pros
- Fun to play street racing experience
- An adrenaline rush with available racing modes
- Good for kids to enjoy while having some time off
Cons
- Not a new concept, as NFS was already offered much better options and features.
- The graphics were poor compared to the competitors in the market.
Burnout 2: Point Of Impact
This was the point where the series started to get recognition from the audience, as in Burnout 2, the feature of crashing the cars into each other got introduced by the developers. The mode was different from other available games in the market and extremely fun to play.
You had the option to compete with other players and earn the highest possible scores while throwing them off the tracks and becoming the best racer in the town.
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Gamecube and Xbox
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: September 30, 2002
- Metacritic Ratings: 86%
Pros
- New crashing the cars feature was extremely fun to play.
- Multiplayer opportunities for competitive players.
- Massive improvements from the first release of the franchise.
Cons
- Xbox version of the game had more skins than the Playstation.
- Playstation copy of the game didn’t received the leaderboards compared to the Xbox.
Burnout Crash
Our final and probably the least acclaimed title from the franchise that it’s barely worth to mention it here. The title was released back in 2011, and it was meant to be available as a digital edition for the players.
The top down view got introduced to change the overall feel of the game while keeping all the mayhem from the previous Burnout titles in there, making it a fun-to-play game for the owners.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for this one, and it got taken off from the platforms quite soon after its release, and those who owned the previous digital version only had the chance to play it as it’s not available any more for the new players.
It was a poor decision by the developers considering the standards of 2011. While they already had made a name due to the launch of other successful title such as Burnout Paradise, they took a different root, and that cost them a good loss in the player base.
- Platforms: iOS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
- Developers: Criterion Software
- Release Date: September 20, 2011
- Metacritic Ratings: 69%
Pros
- Top Down view to enjoy the game differently.
- Easy to run.
Cons
- Only Digital version was available.
- No Multiplayer capabilities like previous titles.
- Poor game mechanics.
- No longer available in the market.
Closing Remarks
This was all for today’s article. We have covered all the information regarding the best burnout games in this article and some of the worst ones too that made the company go through hard times. If you benefit from our guides, then share them with other burnout fans.
For all the latest and greatest guides stay tuned and we’ll see you in the next one.
Also Check: Need For Speed Unbound All & Best Cars
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Shoaib Rashid is a passionate Gamer and an experienced writer who has been covering the Gaming Industry for over 3 Years. He started his career as a freelance journalist, writing reviews, previews, news, guides, and features for various industries. He joined VA Gaming as a Writer in 2022 and was promoted to Content Editor in 2023, where he oversees the editorial tasks and ensures the quality and accuracy of the content.
Shoaib loves to play all kinds of games, from Competitive shooters to the latest AAA releases, you name it, and he got them all covered; a PC Enthusiast who loves to stay upgraded with the latest hardware, and he enjoys sharing his insights and opinions with the Gaming Community.
While being a hardcore competitive Gamer he also a big Anime fan so his IGN goes by #SHiNiGaMii. and you can join him on Steam and checkout his library to learn more about his accomplishments.
