I love a good racing game. Nothing feels as good as racing around a track. Synthwave Racers, by Corrtex Games, twists this concept by adding a range of challenges specifically aimed at ruining your perfect run, adding some much-needed challenge into the genre.

Synthwave Racers has no storyline as it takes you from neon track to neon track and battling your way to the finish line, wherever it may be lurking. In the ‘Campaign’ mode, each of the worlds has 8 tracks to conquer in different environments with a variety of hazards to avoid.

Hazards will range from electrified gates, tracks on the roof, and jumping huge gaping chasms. Here, you will race alone against the clock for that lucrative diamond status run, earning the right to unlock customisable items to change your look.

It offers a ‘Ragdoll City’ Mode, and frankly, I had so much fun laughing with my nephews as they kept trying to beat my distance as you hurl your little character across a map. Unfortunately, there is only one map, as a plethora of maps would have increased the time we would have spent on it. It also offers generic races against AI and a ‘Ghost Trials’ mode to complete track time records.

There is also online play, so you can test your skills against others in a battle royale race. While I couldn’t ‘Quickplay’ into a game, there, thankfully, was an online server created by the devs to test out. This pits you against 7 other players with power-ups and weapons littered along the track and winning will nab you some progression points

The ‘Garage’ is where you can get all your loot from achieving great runs and apply it to your cute little riders and vehicles. I was surprised there was even a customisable aspect to this simplistic title and was very impressed with the number of things you can change out, including tyres and the colours of characters; it was a neat inclusion.

The graphics are vibrant and neon with interesting environments, and the tracks themselves are interesting enough. Everything is angular and cubic in detail. It’s nothing super innovative, but they fit the theme and go nicely with the overall aesthetic.

The best part of the game, by far, is the music, especially if you like Synthwave as a genre, which I definitely do. The music is a calm electronic vibe, which is a great contrast to how rage-inducing some of the wipeouts can be.

Overall, Synthwave Racers, while basic, is no ‘Mario Kart’ racer rip-off, and it would be a great injustice to compare them. While it is a bit bare in tracks at the present time and quick to complete, it is awesome fun and has a great overall appearance and vibe. This is a good time for sharing a controller with your family.

Written by: Stacey