Touring Karts
- December 12, 2019
- Ivanovich Games
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Touring Karts is a VR-focused racing game with up-to 8 player online multiplayer and 3 game modes. The story-based mode features 500 challenges and craftable power-ups, while 22 tracks and 30 customizable cars provide diverse racing experiences. Three viewing options, designed for VR, offer a range of immersion levels. Power-ups are tailored for VR, but also enjoyable on non-VR platforms."
Reviews
- Touring Karts offers a fun and immersive experience, especially in VR, with a variety of control options including racing wheels and motion controllers.
- The game features a good amount of content with 22 tracks, unique power-up combinations, and a progression system that keeps players engaged.
- The graphics and sound design are appealing, and the game runs smoothly, making it a solid choice for fans of kart racing games.
- The game suffers from a lack of polish, with issues such as bland graphics, repetitive tracks, and awkward physics that detract from the overall experience.
- Multiplayer functionality is currently limited, with reports of broken servers and difficulty finding matches, leading to a less enjoyable online experience.
- Some players have noted that the gameplay does not feel as satisfying or fun as established titles like Mario Kart, making it hard to fully recommend.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Touring Karts draws inspiration from Mario Kart, offering a fun and engaging experience, especially in VR, where it shines with well-designed mechanics like drifting and boosting. However, some players find the driving mechanics lacking and the overall gameplay less satisfying compared to its inspiration, leading to mixed feelings about its depth and popularity. Despite its retro graphics and clever progression systems, the game may feel simplistic and somewhat shovelware to some, though it still provides enjoyable moments and a variety of unlockable content.
“Touring Karts takes a lot of the fun mechanics from Mario Kart, but puts them into a title that supports VR and even has telemetry data to support motion simulators like the Yaw VR via Yaw Game Engine with minimal effort.”
“I love the gameplay of this retro graphics kart game similar to Mario Kart; it has awesome gameplay and surely would benefit from more players, but sadly it isn't very popular!”
“While this may be simplistic in the racing mechanics, it is amazing fun.”
“Driving isn't great, but gameplay can be decent and might be quite different in VR, which is what the title is made for.”
“Steam logged 6.4 hours of gameplay, despite me shutting it down after half an hour.”
“But from what I can tell, the throwing mechanics don't seem to work very well.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting a vibrant and smooth art style that runs well on high settings, while others criticize the visuals as bland and lacking polish compared to more established titles like Mario Kart. Despite initial impressions of poor graphics, some users find that the visuals improve as they progress through the game, highlighting a cartoony aesthetic that complements the gameplay. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are generally described as simple yet pleasant, with a smooth performance.
“The graphics is smooth, vibrant, and quite nice for VR standards.”
“The art style is cartoony, crisp, and vibrant, and the music and sound effects go well with the art style.”
“Graphics are simple but pleasant, and more importantly it runs as smooth as butter.”
“The graphics are pretty bland, to say the least.”
“Fun arcadey racing game with pretty bad visuals.”
“The game may have some bugs, weird physics, bad graphics, an overly sarcastic commentator.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised as a standout feature, with some reviewers highlighting its quality and ability to elevate the overall experience. However, there are criticisms regarding the limited variety of tracks, leading to repetition that diminishes its impact over time. Overall, while the music is a strong point, it is not enough to compensate for other shortcomings in the game.
“The music does a hard carry of this game.”
“The art style is cartoony, crisp, and vibrant, and the music and sound effects go well with the art style.”
“The music is blatantly good.”
“Another negative is that while the built-in music is actually all right, it seems like they don't have that many songs, so they reuse them for multiple tracks, which makes them wear out their welcome.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The single-player mode lacks a cohesive story, with players noting that while the gameplay is enjoyable, it does not provide a narrative structure. Users suggest improvements, such as a mission reset feature and clearer guidance on gameplay mechanics.
“There is no story in the single player.”
“It's hard to see what comes next, so you can't really plot the attacks.”
“The lack of a coherent narrative makes the experience feel disjointed.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly at 80 to 100 fps on high-end hardware, the card leveling grind feels somewhat lackluster and could use improvement.
“The game did feel smooth, and I was getting 80 to 100 FPS with a 2080 Ti Black (Valve Index on 144Hz mode).”
“Some cool things it tries to do, but it feels a bit lackluster in how it approaches the grind for cards to level up car performance.”
“Some cool things it tries to do, but it feels a bit lackluster in how it approaches the grind for cards to level up car performance.”
“One comment about performance: the game felt smooth, but I was getting only 80 to 100 fps with a 2080 Ti Black (Valve Index on 144Hz mode).”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significantly higher replay value compared to typical Mario Kart titles, with players often investing more hours than expected due to its extensive track variety and engaging gameplay.
“This game offers way more replay value than your typical Mario Kart game. Let's be honest, most people have put more hours into Mario Kart than you would typically expect, considering the amount of tracks and content available.”
“The variety of modes and challenges keeps me coming back for more; I never feel like I've fully explored everything the game has to offer.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different strategies and character combinations, making it a game I can enjoy repeatedly.”
“Way more replay value than your typical Mario Kart game. Let's be honest, most people have put more hours into Mario Kart than you typically would, considering the amount of tracks, etc.”
“The game lacks the depth needed for true replayability; once you've completed it, there's little incentive to return.”
“After finishing the main story, I found myself with no motivation to play again, as the side content felt repetitive and uninspired.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and excessive grinding, noting that the game offers a well-paced experience where in-game currency and items are earned fairly through gameplay.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I find the grinding to be a major drawback; it takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is frustrating and feels like a chore.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by well-executed voiceovers that, while somewhat repetitive, effectively contribute to the comedic experience.
“The voiceover is a bit repetitive, but it's well done and genuinely funny.”
“The humor in the dialogue had me laughing out loud; it's clever and unexpected.”
“I love how the game uses puns and witty remarks to keep the mood light and entertaining.”
