Parking Garage Rally Circuit
- September 20, 2024
- Walaber Entertainment LLC
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Parking Garage Rally Circuit" is a retro arcade-style racing game that takes place in repurposed parking garages in major US cities. The game is a mix of rally and circuit racing, with each track offering a unique parking garage design and multiple laps around the same course. Controls are simple and arcade-like, with a focus on dynamic physics for crashing into objects. After beating the gold trophy for a course, players can compete against ghosts of other players' times on the leaderboards.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of 90s arcade racing games with its charming graphics and catchy ska soundtrack.
- The drifting and boost mechanics are satisfying and add depth to the gameplay, making it easy to learn but hard to master.
- The track designs are creative and varied, providing unique challenges and fun surprises throughout the races.
- The physics can be unpredictable at times, leading to frustrating moments where players can be launched off the track or lose control unexpectedly.
- The game is relatively short, with only 8 tracks and 3 cars, which may leave players wanting more content.
- Some players have reported issues with the default music volume being too low, requiring adjustments for an optimal experience.
- music168 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its energetic ska soundtrack that complements the fast-paced racing experience. Many players appreciate the nostalgic feel it brings, reminiscent of classic arcade games, while some express a desire for the option to add custom tracks. However, a few critiques mention issues with repetitive elements and low default volume settings, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
“The soundtrack is an absolute gem, perfectly complementing the fast-paced action on-screen.”
“The ska soundtrack by the Holophonics is icing on the cake, somehow breathing character into each stage while still being energetic enough to keep the gameplay tense.”
“The music is catchy and lively to match the frantic racing.”
“The music is total ass though, and restarting the current track when restarting the race is its own level of hell.”
“100% music issue: the watered down Christian rock grossness of the vocals and annoying horn MIDI pre and post race was psychologically affecting me.”
“That's okay because the nature of having the same music sounds for every song and music element gets old fast.”
- gameplay128 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its addictive drift and boost mechanics, reminiscent of classic arcade racers like Mario Kart, offering a simple yet challenging experience that rewards mastery. While the controls are tight and responsive, allowing for smooth navigation of the tracks, some players find the physics inconsistent, leading to occasional frustration. Overall, the game excels in providing a fun, fast-paced racing experience with a nostalgic aesthetic and engaging mechanics, making it appealing for both casual players and time trial enthusiasts.
“Overall, if you like replayable racing games and quick bites of retro-style gameplay, this game is for you. 10/10.”
“Addictive gameplay, tight and responsive controls, amazing charm with one of the best looking PS1-era graphics homages of all time.”
“The gameplay loop revolves around constantly chaining drifts and boosts together, creating a natural progression through each race in which the balance of speed and control is constantly changing.”
“The visuals, drifting, and music are great, but for every 2 incredibly fun levels there's 1 that completely ruins my enjoyment with how at odds the gameplay is with the physics.”
“My only criticism is that the gameplay can get a little frustrating at times because you need to be sliding and boosting a lot to get the fastest times, but sometimes you can end up completely out of control. Also, pretty much every obstacle you hit will either spin you out or send you flying, even the walls!”
“For something centered around time attack gameplay, its physics and level design work so vehemently against the player, that any semblance of fun I was having with the drifting was being quickly voided by the game arbitrarily deciding to yeet the car into the shadow realm.”
- graphics126 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their nostalgic Sega Saturn aesthetic, capturing the charm of 90s arcade racers with a low-poly art style that is both visually appealing and customizable. Players appreciate the variety of graphical options that allow them to tweak the visuals to their liking, enhancing the retro experience. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's addictive gameplay and nostalgic atmosphere, making it a standout feature for fans of classic racing games.
“The graphics really capture the look of a Sega Saturn game.”
“A perfect blend of modern drifting gameplay with Saturn-era styled game visuals and design.”
“The graphics options are really interesting to experiment with, but I stuck with the PC port prefix to make it a bit easier for me.”
“Don't get me wrong, the music is nice and I like ska punk, but catchy lyrics and retro graphics alone shouldn't give a game overwhelmingly positive status.”
“The graphics for this game, whether you're playing it on upscaled resolution or CRT settings, feel very smooth and are a true art style that fits perfectly with the gameplay.”
“Only complaint: on 'PC port' graphics setting, the resolution should be native, and there should be no texture warping.”
- humor20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is largely derived from its absurd physics and the comical failures players experience, such as cars flying off courses or performing unexpected stunts. Players find joy in the game's quirky mechanics and entertaining scenarios, often leading to laughter during both solo and multiplayer sessions. Overall, the combination of funny moments, engaging gameplay, and a lighthearted atmosphere contributes to a delightful and humorous gaming experience.
“The physics engine makes you sign a blood pact where it will confiscate your car and send it to another solar system if you dare drift with even one wheel not touching the floor, which makes for some hilarious fails.”
“I’ve busted out laughing seeing my car barrel rolling through the sky or spin cycling because I drifted on a turn too hard and flew off the course in grand fashion.”
“While the physics might be frustrating for some, for me, they led to some of the most hilarious moments during my playthrough.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game is highly regarded for its replayability, with players enjoying the fast-paced, arcade-style racing and competitive leaderboard features. While it offers only eight tracks, the engaging gameplay and mechanics encourage repeated play, making it a fun choice for those seeking quick, addictive racing experiences. Some users noted a desire for more content, but the overall replay value remains strong, especially with multiplayer options and personal score challenges.
“Overall, if you like replayable racing games and quick bites of retro-style gameplay, this game is for you! 10/10.”
“The replayability of this is off the charts, too!”
“The tight controls and mechanics really lend themselves well to replayability mixed with the leaderboards function; there will always be a better time to get unless you're the world record holder.”
“Having 100% the game in a little over a few hours, your mileage may vary on replay value after the credits roll, but I had an absolute blast playing Parking Garage Rally Circuit.”
“Only major criticism is the amount of content is a bit lighter than I would like, doesn't bother me too much due to how replayable it is, but if it bothers you it might be worth waiting for a sale.”
“Only took me 3.5 hours to 100% so it's not too long, but there's replayability in trying to beat your own score or your friends/other players, and it has multiplayer lobbies which is a plus.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be both enjoyable and rewarding, with a well-balanced challenge that allows newcomers to achieve bronze medals while experienced players can aim for gold without excessive time investment. The engaging soundtrack enhances the experience, making the pursuit of faster times on individual tracks particularly satisfying. Overall, the game is highly recommended for fans of arcade racing and time trials.
“The time for each of the medals is spread out enough to make it so most anyone can achieve bronze as long as you know the mechanics, while more experienced players can get gold without hundreds of hours of grinding.”
“I just started, but I already love grinding out track 2 (top 10) and I can't go back and play it easily!”
“Highly recommend if you like arcade racers and grinding to shave seconds off your personal best!”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its vibrant, arcade-like qualities, enhanced by colorful graphics and a unique ska soundtrack that creates an inviting vibe. However, this appealing atmosphere struggles to compensate for the game's janky handling and frustrating gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.
“If you miss the wacky physics and colorful atmosphere of older arcade racing games, this one is a must-play!”
“The game produces an inviting, pick-up-and-play arcade atmosphere through its graphics, menus, and music.”
“The music also does a great job building upon the atmosphere due to a somewhat unique choice in ska.”
“As much as I love the atmosphere, vibes, and concept, I've never played a game that's felt so janky and so frustrating to play at a decent level.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it offers deep mechanics for time optimization through drift boosting and strategic speed management, players experience significant stuttering during online ghost loading, impacting overall performance. Despite these issues, the physics and challenge of competing against opponents provide opportunities for improvement and mastery.
“So you always have a set of worthy opponents to challenge, and can watch their performance to learn new tricks to gain a few seconds or hundred milliseconds at a time.”
“Its bizarre drift boosting mechanics give you a lot of opportunities for clever optimizations - how long to spend drifting vs using your bonus speed, finding opportunities to do little cutback yellow drifts to keep your combo going, and figuring out what parts of the track you can afford to be going max speed during.”
“This game is fantastic, an incredible arcade racer with deceptively simple mechanics, but a lot of depth for time optimizations.”
“It's bizarre drift boosting mechanics give you a lot of opportunities for clever optimizations - how long to spend drifting vs using your bonus speed, finding opportunities to do little cutback yellow drifts to keep your combo going, and figuring out what parts of the track you can afford to be going max speed during.”
“- There is intense stuttering when the game loads in player ghosts online; it happens on my main PC and my Steam Deck.”
“This game is fantastic, an incredible arcade racer, deceptively simple mechanics, but has a lot of depth for time optimizations.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of humor and frustration, as players experience both hilarious failures and intense pressure due to the strict physics engine that punishes even minor mistakes. This creates a rollercoaster of emotions, from laughter at unexpected mishaps to anxiety over maintaining control.
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, but players caution against pushing for higher scores, as this can lead to significant bugs and instability.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
“Don't try for a higher score, as the game becomes very buggy at that point. It can't handle that type of speed.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect is positively received, with users appreciating the well-designed elements, including posters that promote other indie games, suggesting a supportive ecosystem for indie developers.
