Regarded by many as one of the best racing games on mobile devices, Horizon Chase took fans around the world with its retro-inspired visuals, soundtrack, and simple controls that were reminiscent of arcade games of the 80s and 90s. Three years later, Aquiris is bringing those feels to consoles with all new features and plenty of reasons to take this baby out for a spin.
Expanding on the original, Turbo features 110 tracks and three modes to choose from—Tournament, Endurance, and Ghost. Tournament lets you select tracks to compete in, Endurance challenges you to complete as many back-to-back races while meeting certain placement objectives, and Ghost lets you challenge record track times. Each race you go on features 19 other cars battling it out for first place on tracks inspired by real-world locations like Atacama desert, Redwood Forest, or even the plains of the Sahara. Cel-shaded backdrops and 3D renderings bring each location to life and look stunning on the big screen.
Races themselves are a blend of tight turns, curves, and various undulations depending on the course; each one feels unique and comes with its own set of challenges to master. You need to manage your fuel and pick up refills before you run out mid-race. Nitro boost feel good, too, but you only get a few per race so you need to use them wisely. Races also require a certain number of tokens for you to pick up before proceeding to the next one so you need to keep your eyes peeled during every lap. As you can tell, you have your work cut out for you if you want to be the best. Completionists will love collecting them all as they also unlock new cars each with unique specs and handling stats.
Turbo further builds on the original with intense four-player split-screen and online multiplayer–something the mobile version could not accomplish on its own. What’s more, multiplayer is also available in Tournament and Endurance modes meaning you can team up with friends to add to your placement score after each race. Multiplayer makes sense for this type of game and it feels great to finally be able to go head to head against friends in person or online.
There’s a lot to love about the game–over 100 tracks, some catchy music, and 26 cars to unlock–and we instantly fell in love demoing it at PAX East. A beautiful tribute to classic arcade racers, Horizon Chase Turbo is one you’ll want to have on your radar too. Look for the game soon on PlayStation 4 and Steam.
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