Retro Highway

The gameplay is fantastic. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that there is only 1 fun level: the original. The only reason to switch to the others is when a mission calls for it. Otherwise there’s too many hazards or turns to have any fun. Candy land is a motion sickness-prone nightmare. There’s a pickup that makes the screen blurry that’s as no fun as a level that mostly consists of two lanes and one way traffic, during a steep turn. All inconsistent with the game’s best ideas: going way too fast while burning nitro and weaving between both lanes of traffic, catching all the jumps and boosts you can. I was excited to unlock the moon, but there’s too many tunnels and overhead hazards to risk a jump, which defeats the point of a low gravity level. Why not double down on the idea and have nothing to wreck you on a jump and make them even higher? I like difficulty, but not at the cost of fun. They don’t give nearly enough coins for how short the runs usually are.

What i love: Objectives change and therefor you can play each level over and over with a different approach. You can try to not crash and set new distance achievement. This is fun on its own. Its also fun to try to reach more specific objectives. What could be improved: The gameplay is awesome. I am still playing. The level design could be more interesting. Unlocking new levels is fun, but newer levels are more like obstacle courses, taking the joy out of joy riding. My biggest complaint is that sometimes the level design is a little flat and unrealistic. Like a two way road that just ends. What about a progression through varying types of scenery, Or a fork in the road?. What about being able to get off the beaten track every once in a while. That could be fun. Like jumping on and over bridges. How about making this game a little more scenic, like the corn fields in the first level. Details that feel more genuine and maybe even more realistic. For example the, downtown, level feels a little flat(ie buildings and backgrounds). It could be more immersive while still retaining the retro feel.

This game is a salute to some of the great arcade racing games. Games like Super Hang-on, Outrun, and Pole Position. If you have ever played any of these games, then give this a try. Big tip: to get that full arcade feel, hold your tablet close to your face, just inches away. Your on a bike, collecting coins, dodging traffic. You got your turbo boost, and can do some crazy crashes. Think of Retro Highway as one as the home console version of today. You can get the Crazy Taxi arcade version in the App Store, but you get the Crazy Taxi version on your Dreamcast or Steam you get the base game, plus extras. That is what you get here. You can unlock upgrades, new locations, and new bikes which help you progress. Instead of paying a quarter for five minutes of gameplay or one round, this game costs a download, a tap to start, and an ad or two.