Formula Retro Racing is back, and this time it’s got some new tricks.
With its low-poly visuals that channel 90s arcade classics such as Daytona USA, Formula Retro Racing – World Tour once again looks and feels like a blast from the past. But this time around there are new game modes, additional track and more cars.
Perhaps the headline mode of Formula Retro Racing – World Tour is Arcade. Here, players race against the clock and other opponents. You need to speed through checkpoints to add time to the clock, and the higher your position at the end of a race the more points you earn. And what do points unlock? Additional tracks for you to race around. Play on harder difficulties and you can even earn more points from your exploits.
Another mode, Eliminator, shares progression with Arcade mode. That means points earned in either mode are added up. Instead of having to complete a set number of laps and finish ahead of the competition, here you’re challenged to remain in 10th position or better, earning points for each lap you complete as your opponents get faster and faster. It’s a unique twist on the eliminator format, and offers something a little different from arcade Mode.
The final real mode in Formula Retro Racing – World Tour (we’re not counting Free Practice) is Grand Prix. This lets you complete in series of races, with the points you earn unlocking yet more tracks to compete across. Frustratingly though, your progression here is separate to other modes, so tracks unlocked elsewhere need to be unlocked yet again. On the flip side, however, local co-op is supported in this mode, so you can race alongside up to three others if you wish.
Related: The Best Arcade Racing Games on PS4
Whichever mode you play in, there are some further options to tweak your experience such as manual or automatic transmission, and a duo of car types for you to choose from. Opt for grip type vehicles and you’ll stick to the track. Drift type vehicles, on the other hand, require much more skill to master as it’s all about getting sideways. We certainly preferred playing with the former, but whichever you choose, the handling’s not exactly sophisticated.
You could blast through the content of Formula Retro Racing – World Tour in a matter of hours, though you might return to Grand Prix mode for some local co-op action. What’s likely to be the biggest draw to return to the title, however, is the addition of global leaderboards. If you’re the type of player who finds fun in chasing the top spot, you could get a hell of a lot more out of this title than others.
Formula Retro Racing – World Tour is a fun but unremarkable way to waste away a number of hours. It’s nice that it packs in multiple modes and two classes of vehicles, even if the drift class isn’t quite as enjoyable to get to grips with as the other. And with its retro aesthetic and global leaderboards, some are likely to return to it again and again.
Formula Retro Racing – World Tour Review – GameSpew’s Score
