Track Mania Turbo Review

So I settled down  to play test and review another title that I hadn’t heard of and no doubt would be MEH!!!!, as I grudgingly slurped my latte and fumbled for my cigarettes and started the install I grumbled away to myself and proceeded to empty the dishwasher.  So domestic chores done and install complete, I stuck the espresso machine back on and continued the ritual of frothing milk ready for my second triple shop latte and to hit this here review.

Now the reader must note at this point I have been out of PC gaming for some time and have zero interest in joining “The Master Race” and am a happy console peasant……. good luck finding those drivers BTW…… anyway where was I……. Oh Yea had I have done some  home work on this game I would have been aware of it’s long pc history, but as I like to review with no preconceived ideas and just look at games for what they are, it was probably a good thing, if not a bit of a surprise.  

So I settle down half way through my triple shot latte number 2 when I boot this bad boy up and O.M.G (yes I just used that) it was like being hit in the face with an 18lb cold wet salmon.  The music, the graphics, the Billboards, A formula 1/ Indy car suspended from a helicopter being dropped onto a track that looks like a hamsters playground.  Was it the coffee or was it the game.  I don’t know, but what I do know is I like it !!!! it makes me excited, scared and excited some more……. ARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!  I am about to tell you all below.

So fundamentally this is a arcade racing game, its not trying to be Forza or project cars its a good old fashioned arcade racer, 1 button for go 1 button for stop, but and this is a big butt………lol

The controls are a lot more sublime than that.  The analogue steering is probably the best I have experienced in a long time its very responsive but not twitchy, the drifting reminds me of need for speed pro street where with good throttle input mixed with steering input you car put the car exactly where you want it with little or no loss of speed.  

The game features these brilliant floating billboards which are straight out of Mario cart but look like they belong in Leicester square and they have instructions or warnings about impending obstacles or bends.

The career mode is massive it feature over 200 tracks and can be played spilt screen, so ideal for all you sofa gamers. Also there is a pad pass mode.  While on the subject of game modes 2 drivers 1 car yep you heard that right and no its not some dodgy video hidden in the depths of the dark web.  So player 1 controls the power in the rear wheel on the left side and the steering to the front left wheel.  And player two does the same on the right.

User created content is a massive part of Track Mania Turbo there are hundreds of tracks created every day and some of them are insane, just download them and have a blast, if you like one challenge you friends on it they down load it and away they go.

So up-to 4 players can play live on screen competitively via Xbox Live.  Unlike most racing games there is no contact you will all to be ghosts for the other so it really is down to skill.  At first this doesn’t sound so good but after a little play time you soon realise that the amount or lack of interference it takes to mess a good section into a terrible one is nothing more than a hairs breadth, so the fact that the contact is off is a blessing.

“Easy To Play Hard To Master”

Set your mind free and let your creative juices flow, I have only dipped my toe in this but its intuitive and looks like something you could seriously geek out on.

I tested this on A set Of Tritton Pro+ 5.1 Headset an Yamaha AV Amp Wharfdale Qube Satellites Sony Centre Sony Sub And Sony Power Amp.

The Game has an electro sound track reminiscent of any modern arcade cabinet racer, its high octane euro dance which fits the game perfectly.  It get your heart going as does the gameplay.  The last game sound track to fit this well in my opinion was wipe-out.  The engine noise and tire noise is pleasing and the sound of over revving when you hit a boost pad is pretty good.  To be honest I stopped hearing the engine as I got so involved in the game and the music I was listening out for the tire squeal more out of satisfaction rather than indication.

Colourful in a way that’s almost impossible to explain, it’s almost like a bag of skittles was the only pallet the game designers had to work with.  This is a good thing.  Its so much like playing a arcade machine in a bowling alley its frightening.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get this thing to drop its frame rate,  I jumped off of track while flipping (deliberately of course…tongue firmly in cheek) but it just loves it and still looks lovely.  Yes its an Arcade looking game so it isn’t try to look any where as nice as Forza 6 but that doesn’t make it any less of a special game.

There’s a free trial on the Marketplace download it and try it for free!!!