Hawaiian Runner Demo

Simple racing games can prove to be downright therapeutic every now and again, because they usually do not require too much concentration and you can simply enjoy the pleasure of driving around at insane speeds, without worrying about collisions and the like. Moreover, it is also fun to toy around with the vehicles, by upgrading their parts and making them go even faster.

Hawaiian Runner is about as simple as it can get when it comes to racing games, especially since it is in two dimensions only and you do not really have to worry about cornering. Instead, you need to watch out for the tricky terrain and the traps your opponent can lay down for you, such as oil spills, bombs, and various other nefarious tricks.

On the other hand, you can also pick up power-ups and use them to hinder your opponent’s progress, which kind of balances everything out. These bonuses are spread all around the track and it is pretty much impossible not to pick them up, even if you are not trying to do so. In fact, the gameplay is rather boring in this regard, because all you have to do is hold the gas button down and see whether you get to the finish line first.

Before each race, you are allowed to choose one of the several available buggies, although they are rather cartoony and not really inspired from real life. On the other hand, each vehicle can be upgraded with better components, in order to increase its handling and, in some cases, its speed. Various style upgrades are available as well, which do nothing but make your ride look nicer.

The tracks are quite difficult to tell apart from from the other, mostly because the textures are the same for each one of them and the level design is rather difficult to appreciate when there’s so little of it. The high speeds at which you usually travel leave you very little time to admire the view. You might be lucky enough to see a few sand dunes and classic totems, however, which are a nice touch.

In the end, Hawaiian Runner certainly won’t appeal to any racing enthusiasts, but it can be a hit with the younger audience and those who need something simple to kill a bit of time with. Otherwise, the lack of content and the repetitive races can bore anyone in a few short minutes.