Choose Project CARS
Choose Project CARS if you want the Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and VR Supported side of the pairing. 3,968 Steam reviews back the pick.
Project CARS vs Throttle Trace
Project CARS and Throttle Trace both land in Sports, Simulation, Racing on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Sports, Simulation, Racing on Steam. Project CARS (2015) is 11 years older than Throttle Trace (2026). Throttle Trace scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than Project CARS (74.1% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Throttle Trace
Choose Throttle Trace if you want an Indie, Casual, and Early Access game with DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Gamepad Recommended. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Throttle Trace launched in 2026.
Both Project CARS and Throttle Trace sit in Sports, Simulation, and Racing on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Project CARS |  Throttle Trace | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2026 |
| Genres | Sports, Simulation, Racing | Sports, Indie, Simulation, Casual, Early Access, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 74.1% positive (3,968 reviews) | 95.6% positive (45 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Slightly Mad Studios | Unordered Games |
Side by side
- Both share Sports, Simulation, Racing on Steam.
- Project CARS (2015) is 11 years older than Throttle Trace (2026).
- Throttle Trace scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than Project CARS (74.1% positive).
- Project CARS is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Throttle Trace has no Deck rating yet.
Project CARS vs Throttle Trace — FAQ
- Should I play Project CARS or Throttle Trace first?
- If you want chronology, Project CARS (2015) came out before Throttle Trace (2026). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Project CARS and Throttle Trace similar?
- They overlap on Sports, Simulation, Racing on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Throttle Trace have multiplayer like Project CARS?
- No. Project CARS supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Throttle Trace is listed as single-player only.
- Does Project CARS run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Project CARS is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Throttle Trace doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.