Distract Yourself with RC Mini Racers

It is hard to believe, but we are already in October. In the gaming industry, this time of the year is known as review season due to the many video game releases around this time. This year, for example, it all started with Borderlands 2, followed by Resident Evil 6, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Dishonored, and more. Sadly, none of these games are for OS X.

Worry not though: there are many new games coming to the Mac App Store, so we will have your back when it comes to your gaming needs throughout the season. This time, however, we will be talking about one silly little game known as RC Mini Racers. It may not be the most immersive game you’ve ever seen, but it may help you kill sometime while you take a break from work, or wait for those “triple A” titles to launch.

Presentation

RC Mini Racers

Main Screen isn’t life altering.

Let’s start by saying that this game isn’t going to blow your mind away. Rather, it will help you relax when you need to, and take a breather when you feel like you’re about to crash. Keep in mind also that this is a free game (at the time of publication), so don’t expect something like Forza. Then again, don’t expect it to blow your budget like a more immersive game.

With that said, this game goes straight to the point. The main menu is presented with a rather suitable tune and a very simple layout. It all lets you get started quickly. Once you are ready to race, pick a mode (usually the first one), and then choose a car. There won’t be many cars to pick from, though, so you should be on with your game quickly.

RC Mini Racers

Start your engines.

When you are in the race, you’ll inevitably notice the Toy Story-like level design. If you remember some of those old Hot Wheels games, you will probably feel comfortable with this setting, and to be honest, this is a pretty sweet way to view the world — you know, all huge and stuff.

The only downside with this is that every circuit in the game is a small portion of the same street block. This would be fine if the street block had different looks to it, but sadly, it doesn’t. Once you play the first circuit (which actually feels bigger than the following ones) you will already know how the next circuit will look like. Some levels have extra jumps and more, but nothing to make them significantly different from one another. It just feels like you are racing in the same area over, and over, and over again.

Gameplay

Main Screen isn't life altering.

Power-ups! Use them!

When the race starts, your obvious main objective is to beat all other racers. To do this, you will not only need to have a good handle on your car of choice, but also be careful of other racers’ power-ups. In the good fashion of many arcade racers, this game offers a few power-ups, too. Power-ups are probably the most satisfying aspect of the game, but they also feel a bit shallow.

Placing a mine in the right spot so someone behind you blows up into the air is great, and launching missiles to competitors in front of you is just as cool. However, other than mines, missiles, and boost, there are no other types of power-ups. Sure, they are fun, but with repeating tracks, repeating power-ups only adds to the game’s repetitiveness.

Main Screen isn't life altering.

Car meets car.

Another big aspect to gameplay is the actual handling of your RC. This isn’t as extreme as something like Need for Speed or Forza, but it is solid enough to give you a fun experience. There is no drifting though, so someone with an N64 Mario Kart experience will probably feel out of place here. Mastering your car of choice comes down to how you use your break and how fast you go. It is easy to get stuck spoiler first into the wheel of a real car that happens to be parked on the street. Another determining aspect is how you land your car after a jump. If you are playing in some of the harder difficulties, landing the wrong way could cost you the race.

Verdict

RC Mini Racers

Collisions are inevitable.

Triple A title or not, RC Mini Racers remains a very enjoyable game. There are in-app purchases that are only cosmetic, so there is no one making you buy anything in order for you to enjoy this game. Customizing cars with the coins you earn throughout your time playing will allow you to color your car the way you want. No matter how many other little features you have, it really comes down to the silly fun you’ll have with the gameplay.

Whether you are strategically placing mines throughout the track or firing missiles left and right, the gameplay is fun enough to give you a superb quick fix. This is definitely one of those games that you can pick up at anytime and play for a few minutes, thus making it a perfect break time distraction, for free.

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