🏎️💨 Review: Horizon Chase Turbo "An Arcade Racer 36 Years in The Making" 🏎️💨 #GameDev @AquirisGS

The cars are on the grid, you grip the steering wheel ready to zip off that starting grid with a boost start that will leave your opponents in your dust.

The countdown hits zero and off you speed in pursuit of 19 other cars around some of the most perfectly designed race tracks in the history of motor racing.

For me, that's every time I fire up a session of Horizon Chase Turbo on my Nintendo Switch.

This game is an absolute pleasure to play. It's Arcade Racing refined to within an inch of its life. Controlling your car is a joy no matter which one you choose to whizz around the various country themed race tracks.

If we break the game down it's clear to see that its lineage is clearly Pole Position, Out Run and every Arcade Racer since!

It feels like a study of everything that is good about arcade racers put into an instantly playable, impossible to put down package that will have you smiling from the first minute you play this gem of a video game.

Picking it up for the first time will have you thinking that this video game sure does feel familiar as you take your first corner at breakneck speed. This is one video game where brakes and breaks are optional.

The thing that took me a little while to get used to was how forgiving the handling is in this video game and I found myself overthinking turns. Eventually, I gave myself over to the Arcade perfection of this awesome fun racer!

The game originally came out on mobile platforms in 2015 to a positive response. Back then it was titled Horizon Chase World Tour. In 2018 Aquiris revamped its awesome mobile game and brought it to console platforms as Horizon Chase Turbo.

The setup of the game is that you will visit various world locations and race around various destinations within that world location and unlocking new tracks as you finish in the top 4 of each race and earn points to unlock further country locations. Within each location, you will also get the opportunity to unlock an upgrade race which if you are successful in will unlock a car upgrade for you to choose from.

As you race around each track you will also need to collect all the available blue coins in order to be eligible to win a super version of the trophy for that track race.

You'll also need to keep an eye on petrol levels as your petrol level will deplete as you burn around the track at breakneck speeds. In order to combat the lack of petroleum in your tank, there will be handily placed petrol cans in various positions on the track.

Also, a tactical consideration during your race will be the use of your Nitro boosters. You get 3 at the start of each race and also will get the opportunity to collect an additional one as you go round. I found these the hardest item to collect as there's only one on the track and they are easy to zip past at ridiculous speeds!

Summary

If you like Arcade Racers you can't fail with this simple but fun, great looking video game.

This review is specifically for the Nintendo Switch version and it feels like it fits the Switch perfectly (which game doesn't!?).

I was able to pick up the Switch when I had a spare 30 minutes for an adrenaline shot of racing action and enjoyed playing it in short bursts immensely.

Right, I'm off to paint my Nissan Qashqai Pink with a White Racing Stripe and put in a cheeky bid for a copy of Top Gear for the SNES on eBay.

❄️ RATING: ICE COOL ❄️

Ratings Explained

ICE COOL (Great Game Recommended)

MELTING (Recommended with reservations, one to consider if you are a fan of the genre)

MELTED (Not A Recommended Purchase)