New Star GP

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 485 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
New Star GP Game Cover
Bite sized sim racer for the beginner F1 enthusiast
Starting at $9.99Buy now
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New Star GP is an arcade-style racing game with crisp retro visuals, featuring single-player, local multi-player for up to 4 players, and split-screen action. Compete in championships spanning from the 1980s to 2020s, upgrading your car and selecting race perks along the way. The demo includes the first five locations from the 1980s and two-player split-screen multiplayer in the Novice and European Track Cups.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 485 reviews
graphics36 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • New Star GP offers a nostalgic retro racing experience with modern mechanics, combining arcade fun with strategic depth in career mode.
  • The game features engaging graphics reminiscent of classic 90s racers, alongside a dynamic AI that adapts to player performance, enhancing the racing experience.
  • Players appreciate the light management elements, such as team dynamics and pit strategies, which add an enjoyable layer of complexity without overwhelming the gameplay.
  • Some players find the AI behavior frustrating, as it can be overly aggressive and lead to collisions that disrupt the racing experience.
  • The game lacks certain features like manual transmission options and online multiplayer, which some players feel would enhance the overall experience.
  • There are complaints about the difficulty balance, with some players finding the game too easy, especially in the early stages of the career mode.
  • graphics62 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic, retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic arcade titles like Virtua Racing, featuring flat-shaded polygons and vibrant colors that appeal to fans of the genre. While some players appreciate the charming low-poly style and its smooth performance, others find it blocky and lacking in detail. Overall, the visuals are seen as a successful blend of retro charm and modern polish, enhancing the engaging gameplay experience.

    • “A beautiful combination of Virtua Racing-type graphics with an arcadey but fulfilling career mode which takes you through the decades as an open-wheel racer.”
    • “The graphics here are superb, putting modern flourishes on a very low-poly visual style that give it this wonderful, playful, and colorful aesthetic.”
    • “New Star GP is the complete racing package, delivering insane amounts of fun and increasing challenge while maintaining that flawless 80’s/90’s arcade aesthetic with its bold and colorful info overlay during the race to the incredible menus, garage, and pit crew interface.”
    • “I don't really vibe with the flat textured graphical style, but that's entirely subjective.”
    • “On a subjective level, I also find the Wii-like graphical style a bit of a turn-off, but it's not even done particularly well from an objective standpoint, and everything needs more of a color gradient generally.”
    • “Due to the graphic design of the game, I also kind of find it hard to see the end of a road just due to the textures, and this also makes spotting the pit lane a pain sometimes.”
  • gameplay53 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its retro arcade racing style, offering a blend of simplicity and depth through engaging career mechanics and strategic driving elements. Players appreciate the smooth, polished experience and the balance between arcade fun and simulation aspects, although some find certain mechanics frustrating. Overall, the game is easy to pick up, with a strong gameplay loop that encourages repeated play, despite minor issues with AI behavior and track physics.

    • “Good, pure retro racing with surprisingly sophisticated career mechanics that manage to add depth to the game without making things overly complicated like so many modern sports and racing games are prone to do.”
    • “Excellent arcade racing gameplay combined with a career/upgrade system that's interesting but doesn't get in the way.”
    • “The gameplay and driving mechanics are spot on, and the mods/progression make you want to race 'just one more time' to improve your car's performance.”
    • “I liked the style, the music, and the racing, but most of the other mechanics in this game were annoying.”
    • “Price definitely higher for the amount of gameplay offered.”
    • “Bad sound, music and gameplay.”
  • music38 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its upbeat and engaging soundtrack that enhances the racing experience, while others find it somewhat standard and repetitive. Some players noted issues with sound mixing, suggesting that the music is often drowned out by engine noise, detracting from its overall impact. Overall, the soundtrack is generally appreciated for its arcade feel and quality, though some players opted to play their own music instead.

    • “The sound of the race cars, the track ambience, and the music are superb.”
    • “The driving, set to some great original music, feels good and definitely leans toward arcade racing.”
    • “This is a brilliant soundtrack that really captures both the arcade racing feel, and it's hard to extrapolate, but I get the feeling sometimes I am watching an old tuner VHS of some kind.”
    • “The music itself is okay, sort of standard 2020s indie racing game music (meaning synthwave inspired), but it's not exactly a soundtrack you'd buy.”
    • “One negative point is the bad music so I turned it off.”
    • “The artists here obviously worked very hard to create the soundtrack for this game, and it's a real kick in the face to have it drowned out by default the way it is.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    The game's optimization is highly praised, running smoothly at a steady 60 fps on platforms like the Steam Deck and Xbox, ensuring a seamless racing experience. Players appreciate the balance between car performance and strategic gameplay, with various perks enhancing performance, though some sponsor perks are considered less effective. Overall, the driving mechanics and progression system encourage repeated play to improve car performance, while the impact of crashes is manageable compared to more hardcore racing simulations.

    • “The game features a variety of perks that you can equip to enhance your car’s performance, such as better slipstreaming, increased earnings from races, faster pit stops, and improved off-track handling.”
    • “The gameplay and driving mechanics are spot on, and the mods/progression make you want to race 'just one more time' to improve your car's performance.”
    • “Performance-wise, the game runs great, even on Steam Deck, and maintains a solid FPS throughout.”
    • “This can make early races particularly tough until you can afford to max out your car through strong performances or clever pit strategies.”
    • “Fuel weight significantly affects the performance of the car, so trying to minimize how much fuel you need can add a lot of lap time.”
    • “Sponsor perks mostly suck, while perks such as the one that lets you have better control when you run off the track allow you to get away with some really drastic cuts on certain tracks.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever character names, amusing writing, and entertaining in-game scenarios, such as the AI's comical mistakes. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, with funny headlines and engaging interactions that keep the experience enjoyable and immersive. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with racing elements, making it a fun choice for players looking for a good laugh alongside their racing thrills.

    • “The game doesn't take itself too seriously; you'll see the headlines between a few races here and there, and the content is pretty funny.”
    • “The player is presented with multiple choices constantly from fairly funny characters, which keeps you invested in the game world.”
    • “Creates its own brilliant mixture of 90% arcade with 10% sim-like options, featuring hilarious animations and enough content to keep you engaged for a while.”
  • stability9 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates impressive stability, running smoothly on various platforms, including Linux through Proton and the Steam Deck, with solid frame rates and minimal bugs reported for an early access title. Users appreciate the game's performance and graphical quality, highlighting its enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “Performance-wise, the game runs great, even on Steam Deck, and maintains a solid FPS throughout.”
    • “Game is very fleshed out and bug-free for early access, and the developers clearly have a path to full release.”
    • “Runs great, controls great, and it just pops with the OLED.”
    • “I miss when racing games were made to just be fun, not just boring hyper-realistic buggy sims.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
  • story9 mentions

    The game's story is enhanced by its unique progression system, rivalries, and engaging news articles, making it more than just a typical arcade racer. Players appreciate the fun choices in the story mode that allow for team management and character development, while the career mode offers a balanced approach to customization without overwhelming complexity. Overall, the narrative elements contribute significantly to the enjoyment of the racing experience.

    • “This game would just be a decent arcade racer, but the upgrades, the progression, the multiple track variations, and how the game helps create a story through its news articles, failures, and the rivalries system makes this into a unique game that really captures the enjoyment of F1 racing.”
    • “Such a fun arcade style racing game with an amazing story mode.”
    • “The story mode has fun choices throughout that allow you to curry the favor of your team, forcing you to manage them in a way where you are keeping them happy.”
    • “I wanted to pick up something light to have a story mode on.”
    • “I guess the moral of the story is that something simple, done correctly, is vastly superior to something complex, but done poorly.”
    • “☐ no story”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its unique charm and upbeat tone, enhanced by a fun art style and an engaging soundtrack. Players appreciate the meaningful strategic choices in racing, which are complemented by a well-balanced complexity that avoids frustration. Overall, the game successfully creates a lively and enjoyable racing experience that stands out among higher-budget titles.

    • “The art style is fun and the game's atmosphere is really upbeat thanks to the soundtrack.”
    • “The complexity is pitched perfectly for the aim of the atmosphere of the game, with enough depth and nuance to the handling and the races without being frustrating or feeling dumbed down.”
    • “I like this game a lot, the cartoony graphics, the atmosphere, the spectacular races, and the setup/pitstop stuff.”
    • “The game has character and atmosphere that is lacking in many higher budget and higher fidelity racing games, and the player is presented with good racing action with meaningful strategic choices despite the short length of the races.”
    • “I like this game a lot, the cartoony graphics, the atmosphere, the spectacular races and the setup/pitstop stuff.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Many express frustration with the game's mechanics and menu system, suggesting that the grinding feels more like a chore than a fun challenge. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires an unreasonable investment of time for progression.

    • “Grinding in this game feels rewarding and keeps me engaged for hours.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels like a chore.”
    • “And don't get me started on the train wreck of a menu system, seasons (welp, it's winter again, guess I'll have to wait till next week to play), broken physics, and awful grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to "New Star GP," viewing it as a heartfelt tribute to Formula 1 that evokes strong memories and feelings from their experiences. However, some users also mention that certain gameplay mechanics, like camera angles, can detract from the overall emotional enjoyment by causing discomfort.

    • “I never realized how expensive and complicated it had been to get it at the time, but I played the game to death and I still remember how it made me feel.”
    • “New Star GP is more than just a racing game, it's a celebration and a heartfelt tribute to the world of Formula 1.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers strong replayability through its engaging career mode, where players manage their team and experience dynamic events, as well as a custom championship mode. Additionally, each race weekend features multiple fun events that enhance familiarity with the tracks, although the grand prix event is a one-time experience.

    • “I love when games balance simulation aspects with an arcade base. This game brings that together with an entertaining career mode where you manage your team and sometimes watch chaos ensue, as well as a custom championship mode for added replay value.”
    • “Each race weekend features a variety of fun and replayable events that allow you to get acquainted with the track before jumping into the grand prix event, which can only be played once.”
    • “The game offers multiple paths and choices that make each playthrough feel unique, encouraging you to dive back in and explore different strategies.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage me to replay it; once you've seen everything, there's little incentive to go back.”
    • “While the initial experience is fun, the lack of varied content means I don't feel motivated to play through it again.”
    • “After completing the main story, I found that the side missions and challenges were repetitive and didn't offer enough variety for replayability.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized for resembling the cash-grabbing microtransaction models seen in New Star's mobile games, leading to disappointment among users who feel it is overpriced at £4.99 for a PC game that seems better suited for mobile platforms.

    • “I know New Star is good for it, considering their mobile games are cash-grabbing microtransaction horrible messes. You ruined New Star Soccer, guys. :( This honestly feels like it would play fine on a phone rather than being a PC game, especially at a £4.99 price tag.”
    • “The monetization in this game is frustratingly aggressive, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
    • “I was disappointed to see that the game relies heavily on microtransactions, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy New Star GP

Play time

1hMedian play time
1hAverage play time
1-1hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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