How a History of Racing Games Can Inform Contemporary Game Design Education

Racing games are one of the simplest genres of games that are used to teach fundamental game design to beginners. Contemporary examples of the genre can serve to model concepts of the systemic design of games, but are often poor examples of how games can embody values and meaning. However, an examination of the history of racing games reveals that these games were traditionally designed to address a wide array of humanistic, societal and cultural concepts. Rediscovering this history and applying the lessons learned to current exercises and curricula can help game design educators develop a more comprehensive experience for their students.