Space Ribbon Demo

Racing games have come a long way over the years when it comes to realism and physics, which is why we have so many realistic simulators out there at the moment. However, arcade racing is still a thing, especially since it’s a much more forgiving genre that allows everyone to have a good time. Even so, arcade games need to feature a couple of basic mechanics as well.

Space Ribbon is a fast-paced racing game in which your only goal is to get to the finish line first and acquire upgrades for your car. It’s not a very original formula, but at least you get to do all this on interesting tracks that are generated on the go. It’s also worth mentioning that you can play with up to three other friends in split-screen, although there’s no online multiplayer.

As for the cars, they come in two classes, and there are four vehicles in each class. The style of the cars ranges from classic to modern and futuristic, but you can also upgrade them along the way, which is where the fun lies. In essence, each upgrade provides you with a speed boost, and each boost helps you stay ahead of the competition.

One of the most annoying facts about Space Ribbon is that it’s way too basic to remain enjoyable for too long, because there’s nothing you can do but keep accelerating and overtaking the opponents. There are no power-ups to spice things up, and the tracks are actually quite simple as well, which makes each race a bit too boring. Granted, this is still an Early Access title, so a lot can change in the future.

As for the graphics, they are certainly colorful and enjoyable, not to mention trippy. There are all sorts of psychedelic sights all around the tracks, not to mention the giant panda heads you are racing toward. On top of that, the game is designed to run with virtual reality headsets as well, which should be quite the experience, given the colorful environments and high speeds involved.

All things considered, Space Ribbon is a tad too simple at the moment, which makes it difficult to stay excited about the gameplay for too long. However, most of the game’s problems can be solved with ease, and given the fact that it’s still in Early Access, one can only hope that the developers are not out of ideas.