EarthKart: Google Maps Driving Simulator

About

"EarthKart: Google Maps Driving Simulator" offers a unique gaming experience by letting players drive on Google Maps' locations worldwide. This real-world driving simulator combines the thrill of kart racing with the exploration of iconic places like New York, the Great Wall of China, and Marrakech. Get ready to traverse the entire Earth in this drive-on-Google-Maps game!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

EarthKart: Google Maps Driving Simulator screenshot

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 397 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

The concept of driving around real-world locations using Google Maps data is innovative and unique, providing a fun exploration experience.
Many players find the game enjoyable for casual play, allowing them to revisit familiar places and discover new areas.
The developer is actively engaging with the community and working on improvements, showing potential for future updates and enhancements.

The monetization model is heavily criticized, with players feeling restricted by the daily play limit and the need to purchase coins for additional sessions.
The game suffers from poor execution, including buggy controls, low-quality graphics, and issues with terrain rendering that hinder the driving experience.
Many users report frustration with the game's mechanics, such as the car's handling and the frequent obstacles created by poorly integrated 3D models.

gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing the simplistic mechanics, frustrating vehicle controls, and frequent technical issues that hinder the experience. While some appreciate the innovative concept and depth, others feel the game prioritizes microtransactions over genuine engagement, leading to a lackluster and often frustrating experience. Overall, the game appears to have potential but suffers from significant shortcomings that detract from its enjoyment.
- “The concept is absolutely brilliant—combining real-world locations with engaging gameplay is something I've always dreamed of.”
- “The mechanics are smooth, and the game offers a surprising amount of depth for its current stage.”
- “I loved the lighting, ability to switch cameras, variety of vehicles and gameplay modes; flying birds are nice.”
- “But the gameplay is nothing special itself and the times I got stuck and couldn't get out of the scenery happen too much.”
- “The simplistic mechanics and lackluster care put into the little amount of self-made assets there are make it feel like a cash-grab attempt rather than a genuine driving game.”
- “The developers seem more interested in enticing players with fleeting rewards and microtransactions than providing a substantial gameplay experience.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique concept of using Google Earth imagery, while others criticize the visuals as lacking detail and immersion, often comparing them to outdated graphics. While the vibrant graphics enhance the experience for some, many users express disappointment over the blurred visuals and lack of realistic lighting, particularly at night. Overall, the graphics are seen as a significant drawback, though some players find the gameplay enjoyable despite these limitations.
- “The game’s intuitive interface makes it easy to zoom in and out, while the vibrant graphics enhance the experience.”
- “The controls are smooth, and while the graphics aren't perfect, they're good enough to enjoy the experience.”
- “Now I know this is just Google Maps with PS1 graphics, but it's still pretty cool looking.”
- “The idea of driving around the earth using Google Earth's imagery is certainly interesting, and it provides a fresh perspective on exploration, but the graphics leave much to be desired.”
- “When it turns nighttime, it doesn't matter if you are in a big city like New York; you will never see any other sources of light, which ruins both the immersion and aesthetics of the game.”
- “Worst game I have ever played; the graphics are absolutely horrendous, and you have to pay to go to a different location.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The monetization strategy of the game has received significant criticism, with players finding it confusing and excessive, particularly due to the presence of microtransactions in a seemingly simple driving simulator. Many reviewers feel that the developers prioritize fleeting rewards and in-game purchases over delivering a polished gameplay experience, leading to a perception of the game as unrefined and exploitative. However, there is a note of improvement, as the developers have responded to feedback by removing some microtransactions.
- “I think that the monetization policy makes sense since APIs do cost money to use.”
- “It's a neat game; the monetization is kind of bad, but it's fun to drive around your neighborhood.”
- “The developers seem more interested in enticing players with fleeting rewards and microtransactions than providing a substantial gameplay experience.”
- “Last but not least, the monetization system - having to pay with coins to start the session feels extremely weird.”
- “Having your game based on microtransactions when it's not even remotely release-worthy is simply a poor decision, and I cannot recommend this game, as much as I'd like to because it really could have been a good game.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to have significant stability issues, with a clunky and buggy interface that detracts from the experience. Despite these problems, many users still find the game enjoyable and recommend it for its fun gameplay.
- “Clunky and buggy interface.”
- “The game is buggy, but honestly, apart from that, I recommend it as it is pretty fun.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to excessive heating and long loading times, even on high-end computers. Users express a desire for customizable handling options to enhance the driving experience.
- “One feature I'd like to see would be customizable handling - it would be good for users to be able to adjust stiffness or springs/shock absorbers, maybe tweak tire grip and car performance; that way it could be more drivable and engaging to the user's preferences.”
- “Conclusion: I do not recommend downloading this game on good computers; it heats up, is poorly optimized, and takes a long time to load the maps!”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and long loading times.”
- “Even on high-end systems, the performance is inconsistent, making it frustrating to play.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story of Earthkart captivates players with engaging missions that promote a sense of global exploration, inviting them to immerse themselves in the surrounding world.
- “With engaging missions and a sense of global exploration, Earthkart encourages players to delve into the world around them.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is hindered by background sounds, such as sporadic coughing and artificial traffic noises, which detract from immersion and overall experience.