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Need for Speed: Shift

50 Games like Need for Speed: Shift that you should try

Games like Need for Speed: Shift · Find similar →

If Need for Speed: Shift left you wanting more, this list of 50 similar games is for you. Each one shares part of its essence — deep simulation, open world exploration and single-player focus — and the NextGameLike editorial team ranks them by a similarity score computed across 8 attributes. Euro Truck Simulator comes closest (87/100).

NextGameLike75/ 100

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GenreSimulationSubgenreVehicle SimSub-subgenreSim Racing
Tags
SoloMultiplayer
Year 2009Dev Electronic Arts

Quick answer

The closest game to Need for Speed: Shift is Euro Truck Simulator — scoring 87/100 on our similarity scale. BeamNG.drive and Assetto Corsa Competizione follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Need for Speed: Shift

50 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Need for Speed: Shift. Each one has been evaluated across 8 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Euro Truck Simulator

87
NGL84
Euro Truck Simulator
Closest on genre
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2008Dev SCS SoftwareOn PC · Mac

It shares the essentials of what Need for Speed: Shift does: exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. Both also lean on a first-person view. What it adds of its own: a relaxing pace and an isometric view.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals79
1/1 agree it's a good match
2

BeamNG.drive

83
NGL93
BeamNG.drive
Closest on visuals
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2015Dev SureHit StudioPlaytime ~4hOn PC · iOS

What brings it close to Need for Speed: Shift is exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and progression. The common ground extends to a first-person view. Where the two diverge is world: a sandbox world.

Released 6 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals100World48
3

Assetto Corsa Competizione

87
NGL80
Assetto Corsa Competizione
Closest overall match
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2018Dev Kunos Simulazioni · 505 GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Need for Speed: Shift worked for you because of exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus, the same is here. Both also lean on a third-person camera. What it adds of its own: sports simulation.

Released 9 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
4

Project CARS 2

87
NGL80
Project CARS 2
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2017Dev Slightly Mad Studios · Bandai Namco EntertainmentPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Need for Speed: Shift is exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and world. Both also lean on a first-person view. What it adds of its own: sports simulation.

Released 8 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
5

My Summer Car

81
NGL89
My Summer Car
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person
Year 2016Dev Amistech GamesPlaytime ~5hOn PC

With Need for Speed: Shift it shares exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. The common ground extends to a first-person view. Where the two diverge is world: a sandbox world.

Released 7 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals72World69
6

Euro Truck Simulator 2

81
NGL90
Euro Truck Simulator 2
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
MultiplayerSoloOpen WorldExplorationThird PersonFirst Person
Year 2012Dev SCS SoftwarePlaytime ~12hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

Shelved next to Need for Speed: Shift for good reason: exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and multiplayer gameplay. The common ground extends to a third-person camera. Where the two diverge is progression and visuals: resource management and an isometric view.

Released 3 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100World100Game mode72Visuals66Progression43
7

American Truck Simulator - Oregon

81
NGL87
American Truck Simulator - Oregon
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2016Dev SCS SoftwarePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

Its point of contact with Need for Speed: Shift is exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. The common ground extends to a first-person view. Where the two diverge is progression: resource management.

Released 7 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100World100Visuals100Game mode73Progression44
8

American Truck Simulator

81
NGL86
American Truck Simulator
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2016Dev SCS SoftwarePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

With Need for Speed: Shift it shares exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. Both also lean on a third-person camera. The distance is in progression — its own ground is resource management.

Released 7 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100World100Visuals100Game mode73Progression44
9

Brick Rigs

80
NGL89
Brick Rigs
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
MultiplayerSoloOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2016Dev Lukas RustemeyerPlaytime ~5hOn PC

With Need for Speed: Shift it shares exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds a third-person camera. They part company on world: this one brings a sandbox world.

Released 7 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Progression100Visuals100Game mode80World46
10

Forza Horizon 5

79
NGL90
Forza Horizon 5
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2021Dev Playground Games · Xbox Game StudiosPlaytime ~15hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Genre puts it alongside Need for Speed: Shift, and so does exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on game mode and progression: this one brings co-op play and skill tree progression.

Released 12 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100World100Visuals100Progression66Game mode55
11

SnowRunner

79
NGL85
SnowRunner
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
MultiplayerSoloOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2020Dev Saber Interactive · Focus EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

It meets Need for Speed: Shift on exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on world: this one brings a sandbox world.

Released 11 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Progression100Visuals100Game mode71World48
12

Car Mechanic Simulator 2018

80
NGL81
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person
Year 2017Dev Red Dot Games · PlayWayPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

The genre is the same as Need for Speed: Shift’s, and with it exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on progression and world: this one brings a sandbox world and crafting mechanics.

Released 8 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals72World58Progression38
13

Forza Horizon 4

77
NGL91
Forza Horizon 4
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2018Dev Playground Games · Microsoft StudiosPlaytime ~13hOn PC · Xbox

What brings it close to Need for Speed: Shift is exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, world and progression. Both also lean on a first-person view. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is co-op play.

Released 9 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode43
14

The Crew™ 2

83
NGL65
The Crew™ 2
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
MultiplayerSoloOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2018Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Need for Speed: Shift does: exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and multiplayer gameplay. Both also lean on a first-person view. What it adds of its own: melee combat and co-op play.

Released 9 years after Need for Speed: Shift.

Genre100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode76
15

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

78
NGL83
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
SimulationVehicle SimSim Racing
SoloMultiplayerOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person
Year 2010Dev Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Need for Speed: Shift worked for you because of exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus, the same is here. To that it adds a third-person camera. They part company on game mode: this one brings PvP competition.

Same studio: Electronic Arts.

Genre100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode48

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Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Need for Speed: Shift by category

If Need for Speed: Shift left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. And if you play on PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Need for Speed: Shift look-alike but simply the best Sim Racing Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Simulation Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.