First racing videogame series

When racing games emerged from the early arcade machines in the mid-1970s, they were just that – arcade experiences designed for fun, rather than to recreate the experience of driving. It wasn’t until 1982 when Pole Position (Namco/Atari, 1982) arrived that gamers had their first taste of realistic racing in vehicles resembling Formula One cars, which required careful braking and manual gear changes. When its sequel Pole Position II (Namco/Atari, 1983) arrived the following year, Pole Position became the first racing simulation series in gaming history.