A detailed guide to the best Burnout games in the series that are well received by fans and have many great memories attached to them.
Burnout games have always been a fan favorite racing franchise, combining high speed racing with crashing and takedowns. In this guide, we rank the best Burnout games released over the years.
The franchise first came into existence in 1999 by Criterion Games. Its original publishers were Acclaim Entertainment for the first two titles, before Electronic Arts took over publishing.
Burnout Paradise, Burnout Revenge, and Burnout Takedown are considered some of the most critically acclaimed titles in the series. However, the series has also had some missteps, like the original Burnout launched in 2001 and Burnout Crash.
For each game below, we discuss the platforms it‘s available on, the developers, release date, Metacritic score, pros and cons.
1. Burnout Paradise
Released in: 2008
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Windows
Metacritic: 87%
Burnout Paradise is widely considered the pinnacle of the Burnout series. As an open world arcade racer, it allowed unprecedented freedom to race and explore Paradise City. Highly customizable cars, fun challenges and competitions give it great replay value.
Pros:
- Open world design
- Great graphics
- Highly customizable cars
Cons:
- Can be confusing for beginners
- Hard to master controls
2. Burnout Revenge
Released in: 2005
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS2, Xbox
Metacritic: 90%
For those seeking some aggressive fun, Burnout Revenge is a perfect choice combining high speed racing and vehicular destruction. New crash and road rage modes amp up the excitement, and the variety of events and challenges keep you coming back.
Pros:
- Crash and road rage modes
- More aggressive takedown abilities
- Improved visual damage
Cons:
- Some unpleasant soundtrack choices
- Not very innovative
3. Burnout 3: Takedown
Released in: 2004
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS2, Xbox
Metacritic: 92%
Considered one of the best Burnout games for its intense gameplay, Burnout 3: Takedown takes the series to new heights. Offering realistic graphics and a variety of challenging events, your rewards come from taking risks and creating mayhem on the track.
Pros:
- Very intense gameplay
- Innovative Crash mode
- Challenging yet fun
Cons:
- High learning curve
- Can feel overly aggressive
4. Burnout Legends
Released in: 2005
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PSP
Metacritic: 86%
Burnout Legends brings together tracks, cars and gameplay modes from previous Burnout titles, optimized for playing on the go. Unique PSP functionality like Wi-Fi multiplayer and gameplay sharing over ad hoc mode make this one of the best racing games for Sony‘s handheld.
Pros:
- Collection of best Burnout content
- Optimized for PSP
- Wi-Fi multiplayer modes
Cons:
- Graphics less impressive than console versions
- Some repetition
5. Burnout Dominator
Released in: 2007
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS2, PSP
Metacritic: 76%
While Dominator removes traditional crash modes from previous Burnout games, there‘s still plenty high-octane fun to be had. New Maniac and Drift modes, along with some pulse-pounding point-to-point races make this a worthy Burnout title.
Pros:
- Infinite boost abilities
- New drift and maniac modes
- Point-to-point races
Cons:
- Removed crash modes
- Graphically inferior to previous gen Burnouts
6. Burnout (2001)
Released in: 2001
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS2, GameCube, Xbox
Metacritic: 79%
As the game that started it all, the original Burnout laid the foundation but didn‘t have the same polish or modes that later games delivered. Still, it offered arcade racing thrills focused on speed and gripping gameplay.
Pros:
- Sense of speed
- Easy to pick up and race
Cons:
- Very basic features and modes
- Dated graphics
7. Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Released in: 2002
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS2, GameCube, Xbox
Metacritic: 86%
This second Burnout title introduced the series‘ signature crash mode, allowing players to earn points by crashing into busy intersections and creating chain reaction pile-ups. It built positively on the gameplay foundation of the original while hinting at the greatness to come.
Pros:
- Addictive new crash mode
- More racing content
Cons:
- Still lacked features of later games
- Some stability issues
8. Burnout Crash!
Released in: 2011
Developer: Criterion Games
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
Metacritic: 69%
A downloadable spin-off, Burnout Crash! switches to a top-down perspective but keeps the crashing mayhem. With a smaller map and simplified physics, the goal is cause vehicular destruction through intersections to rack up high scores. Alas, the limited scope and repetitive gameplay wore thin quickly.
Pros:
- Easy to pick up
- Maintains crashing fun
Cons:
- Gets repetitive fast
- Very limited content
Closing Thoughts
That concludes our guide to the Burnout games ranked and which ones you should seek out. Classics like Burnout 3: Takedown, Burnout Revenge and Burnout Paradise have cemented the series‘ reputation through white-knuckle racing action and spectacular crashes.
However, even lesser entries have moments of chaotic fun. As long as you enjoy barreling down streets at 200 mph and don‘t mind totalling both your car and your competitors‘, there‘s a Burnout title for you!
