It may look like a party racing game in the vein of Micro Machines but Circuit Superstars is its own animal, combining the top-down cartoony aesthetic of the Codemasters classic with sim-elements which isn't a combination I've seen very often at all and one that works. Mostly.
Probably most importantly the cars feel fun to fling around each course, with each vehicle type having distinct handling and providing a different challenge and it's to the game's credit that it feels satisfying when you nail everything. Another nice touch is the addition of pit strategies, something that you don't normally see in this type of racer, meaning that you can try something a bit different to your opponents either by taking a risk with you fuel and making fewer pit stops or making your tyres last slightly longer so that you're in a better position at the end of the race
The tracks are well designed and are complemented by the game's simple art style which isn't distracting but still helps each course feel alive. In fact, some of the circuits are stubby little homages to real world courses which are instantly recognisable if you know your motorsport but still different enough that you won't be able to master it immediately. Each of them has at least one or two corners which are tricky to get right every single time while still feeling fun to drive around when you don't.
Unfortunately at the minute the limited number of tracks get repetitive pretty quickly (especially with very short laps), while the game's main draw - the multiplayer offering - is severely underbaked, only offering public lobbies with a choice of three randomised races to pick from and nothing outside of that. Single-player too doesn't really have much to it outside of a short championship for each vehicle type. The physics as well are a little off, as sometimes the tiniest knock will have you flying off the circuit while a massive shunt into the side of your car doesn't do anything to your speed or position on the circuit.
I hope the devs continue to fine tune the game to smooth out some of the kinks and add new content as I think it could be something special but right now it's merely pretty good.
Probably most importantly the cars feel fun to fling around each course, with each vehicle type having distinct handling and providing a different challenge and it's to the game's credit that it feels satisfying when you nail everything. Another nice touch is the addition of pit strategies, something that you don't normally see in this type of racer, meaning that you can try something a bit different to your opponents either by taking a risk with you fuel and making fewer pit stops or making your tyres last slightly longer so that you're in a better position at the end of the race
The tracks are well designed and are complemented by the game's simple art style which isn't distracting but still helps each course feel alive. In fact, some of the circuits are stubby little homages to real world courses which are instantly recognisable if you know your motorsport but still different enough that you won't be able to master it immediately. Each of them has at least one or two corners which are tricky to get right every single time while still feeling fun to drive around when you don't.
Unfortunately at the minute the limited number of tracks get repetitive pretty quickly (especially with very short laps), while the game's main draw - the multiplayer offering - is severely underbaked, only offering public lobbies with a choice of three randomised races to pick from and nothing outside of that. Single-player too doesn't really have much to it outside of a short championship for each vehicle type. The physics as well are a little off, as sometimes the tiniest knock will have you flying off the circuit while a massive shunt into the side of your car doesn't do anything to your speed or position on the circuit.
I hope the devs continue to fine tune the game to smooth out some of the kinks and add new content as I think it could be something special but right now it's merely pretty good.