Speedway Racing from Super Powerup Games is a new arcade-style racer on PlayStation 5. Learn more about it in our Speedway Racing review!
Speedway Racing from Super Powerup Games is a new arcade-style racer on PlayStation 5. Back in 2020, I got to review the game on the Nintendo Switch, so now here I am to take the PS5 version for a spin to see what has changed and what has remained the same. You’re going to take on the same six tracks as on the Nintendo Switch – Orlando, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Seattle – but everything does look crispier, and the tracks do have a higher framerate to consider. As for the gameplay modes, they are Arcade Mode, Championship Mode, and Time Trial Mode.
You’ll steer your car with the left analog stick or the D-Pad, accelerating with the R2 button and braking with the L2 button. To change gears, you’ll use the L1 and R1 buttons to gear up or down, respectively. Alternatively, you can also use the Triangle and the X buttons. There’s also the option of selecting between a manual or an automatic transmission. The Square and Circle buttons are used for changing the camera angle and for using the rear camera view so that you can see where your opponents are at all times. When your car has come to a complete stop – usually after a nasty crash – you can respawn by pressing in on the left and right analog sticks.
At first, Speedway Racing will only allow you to race with one of two cars: Black Knight and Blue Thunder. There are 8 more cars to unlock – BAR-NA 92, Hurricane, Sunset, Phanter, Scarlet, Outburst, Flash, and Radiant. Each of the 10 aforementioned vehicles will have different stats for one of three parameters: Speed, Acceleration, and Grip. You’ll need to pay attention to them since each of these stats will make a huge difference as you try to race around each track. Sure, having a car with great Speed and fast Acceleration is great, but if it has a low Grip, you’re going to end up spinning out if you so much as graze another car.
The Arcade Mode has you racing on each of the six tracks separately as you try to reach the finish line in first place. There’s a timer at the top of the screen, and you must reach each checkpoint to gain some extra time. Championship Mode has two cups: the East Championship Cup and the West Championship Cup. Each one of these cups will have three of the six tracks and will require you to complete several laps for each one. The better your position at the end of each race, the more points you’ll win, which will help to bring you closer to winning the Championship. The Time Trial Mode is self-explanatory since you’ll have to complete each race as fast as possible.
Speedway Racing has a full trophy list, so you can get yourself a Platinum trophy after you unlock the 6 Bronze trophies, 3 Silver trophies, and 9 Gold trophies it has to offer. The trophies will ask that you complete the circuits in the Arcade Mode for Orlando, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Seattle, that you win the East Championship Cup and the West Championship Cup. On top of this, you will also need to play with a friend, play with three friends, drift for four seconds, exceed a speed of 230 mph, and beat the time trial for each of the tracks within the established limits. And yes, since this is a PS5 game, that does mean you’ll need to have four PS5 controllers to be able to unlock the trophy that requires you to play the game with three friends, so do keep this in mind!
Speedway Racing had potential on Nintendo Switch, but it ended up being a sub-par arcade-style racer on Nintendo’s console. The game looks crispier on PlayStation 5, the framerate is higher, and the controls and the physics during a race feel tighter since your car does not go spinning around when an opponent – or your rival – slightly hits you. On Nintendo Switch, it was hard to win a race, but on PS5, I was able to complete my first Arcade Mode race in 1st place. Add a Platinum trophy, and you have an arcade racer on PS5 that might be worth your time. Speedway Racing is out on PlayStation 5 with a $7.99 asking price.
Disclaimer
This Speedway Racing review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Super Powerup Games.
