TrackMania² Canyon

Almost everything youd want of a TrackMania, but as a TrackMania 2 it leaves a lot to be desired, and hopefully fixed.

Starting at €9.99Buy now

"TrackMania² Canyon is a high-speed racing game with a focus on creative track building and customization. Experience the thrill of racing on sensational tracks in a beautifully designed canyon environment, with improved graphics and realistic handling. The game offers both solo and multiplayer modes, and provides intuitive and accessible gameplay while allowing for enhanced creative freedom. "

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 681 reviews

graphics37 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and well-designed car models, making it visually appealing.
The drifting mechanics are highly satisfying, providing a fun and challenging racing experience.
The community aspect is strong, with a variety of user-generated tracks and a competitive online environment.

The ManiaPlanet launcher is cumbersome and often slow, causing frustration for players.
Many users have reported issues with account access and customer support, leading to a poor experience.
The game can feel repetitive due to its focus on time trials without traditional racing elements or vehicle collisions.

graphics
64 mentions
58 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are frequently praised for their beauty and detail, with many players noting that they are impressive for a title of its age. However, some users have expressed disappointment over recent downgrades and the removal of features that previously enhanced the visual experience. Despite these criticisms, the visuals are generally considered a strong point, contributing to an enjoyable gameplay atmosphere.
- “Beautiful graphics, tight controls, fun track design, great multiplayer ecosystem, and track editor.”
- “The graphics are beautiful; however, you probably won't have the time to appreciate them to their fullest extent while trying to dodge various obstacles or while trying to get that one corner just right.”
- “The graphics are much better than Trackmania United, showing off crystal-clear textures and some very nice filters and reflection effects.”
- “Update downgraded the graphics and removed features for no reason.”
- “With the recent graphics downgrade and split screen removal, this is nowhere near the game it once was.”
- “Not just a graphics downgrade (from a Ubisoft title, what a shock), but flat out stripping features such as split-screen multiplayer from the game.”
gameplay
35 mentions
26 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its unique drifting mechanics and visually appealing environments, making it enjoyable and accessible for players of varying skill levels. While the controls are simple, mastering the game presents a significant challenge, particularly with its focus on precision driving and track-building. However, some users have noted frustrations with the game's mechanics and interface, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “The big difference between all the TM2 games is in how the cars handle, and this one stands out as being the most enjoyable due to its drift mechanics reminiscent of the Need for Speed series.”
- “The low skill floor but high skill ceiling of the gameplay, coupled with the absolutely insane bite-sized tracks and eye candy visuals, makes this game a must buy.”
- “The gameplay is crazy, the difficulty tests your perseverance, the modes are fun, track-building is like a childhood dream come true, and it's very addictive.”
- “There is, however, one big disadvantage; the cars have a strange mechanic which is sometimes very frustrating.”
- “Mistake to buy, not a user-friendly interface and mechanics are wack.”
- “Don't be fooled by this game, bad mechanics, crashes all the time... just a waste of money, please don't buy it, it sucks a lot.”
music
14 mentions
50 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music in the Trackmania series is generally praised for its fitting and energetic soundtracks, particularly highlighting the techno background music that enhances the fast-paced gameplay. While some users note occasional bugs and repetitiveness in the in-game music, many consider it to be one of the standout features of the games, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment. Overall, the soundtracks are seen as a major draw for fans of arcade racing games.
- “A must buy if you love an arcade racer with fast-paced action, death-defying stunts, adrenaline-pumping tracks, and awesome techno background music.”
- “The soundtrack is also the best in the TM2 series.”
- “Also the game has the best music ever.”
- “Sometimes the music bugs.”
- “The engine sound is really bad and the in-game music gets really repetitive.”
- “If you are a useless-stats freak, you'll love being able to see your personal best, the personal best of everyone else playing, the time, the local time, the time the moon will rise, the personal best of the author, all the medal times, how many times the track has been played, the song being played (which seems to be an awful lot of Guns N' Roses), the amount of people playing, the ladder ranking of people playing... etcetera.”
optimization
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is well-received, with users reporting good performance on a range of systems, including lower-end machines. While the graphics may not be impressive, the game runs smoothly without significant issues, allowing for a focus on skill and performance. However, some players noted a lack of car customization options, which could limit personal expression despite the solid performance.
- “There's an endless pursuit of skill optimization.”
- “Game is well optimized as a whole as I haven't come across any issues relating to it.”
- “Complimenting the challenge is the great aesthetics and performance.”
- “The car customization is non-existent, but what I am very happy about is that with mods you can change your car model to anything you want without changing the performance!”
- “Max graphics is laughable for a GTX 1070, and when you drop them down, many lower-end machines can get playable performance.”
- “There are no ways to modify the body or performance of the car.”
humor
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players frequently laughing at the amusing animations and quirky visuals, such as funny car skins and unexpected obstacles. The lighthearted nature of the gameplay encourages a fun atmosphere, making failures more entertaining than frustrating, and fostering a community where players share humorous stories. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with competitive racing, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Easy to just try and try again after running into one funny looking rock.”
- “Instead of getting upset about myself after failing a track, I always burst out laughing upon seeing the funny animations.”
- “This game has great visuals and left me laughing multiple times.”
grinding
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game initially rewarding but ultimately tedious, with many expressing that the repetitive nature and frequent restarts detract from the overall enjoyment. While some acknowledge the game's quality, they emphasize that it should prioritize fun over tedium.
- “The grinding aspect can feel a bit repetitive at times, but it also provides a sense of accomplishment.”
- “I enjoy the grind; it gives me a chance to really immerse myself in the game and develop my character.”
- “Grinding can be tedious, but it rewards patience and dedication, making the victories feel even more satisfying.”
- “What starts out as rewarding just becomes tedious.”
- “It gets very, very tedious.”
- “Bottom line: games should be fun more than tedious.”
story
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, with most players noting that it primarily focuses on gameplay rather than a narrative. While there is some semblance of a story, it is overshadowed by the gameplay mechanics and level design, leaving a lack of depth in the campaign or character development.
- “The game focuses solely on gameplay, leaving little to no room for a meaningful story.”
- “While there is a story present, the majority of the game is heavily centered on gameplay mechanics.”
- “There is no core narrative or campaign to engage with, making the experience feel hollow.”
stability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by a problematic and buggy account setup process that was not disclosed on the Steam page, alongside issues when downloading outside of Steam. While the game itself runs well, players have noted occasional server population concerns.
- “The game looks and runs great; the only downside is that there's not always a lot of people online, though I've yet to see a completely empty server list!”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, with minimal lag and smooth performance even during peak times.”
- “I've experienced very few crashes, and the overall gameplay feels solid and reliable.”
- “Invasive and buggy account setup, which was not advertised on the Steam page.”
- “Downloading the game not through Steam is also super buggy and the dumbest design idea ever.”
atmosphere
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's graphics and canyon setting create a visually stunning environment, contributing positively to the atmosphere. However, the lack of dynamic elements, such as wildlife or aerial activity, detracts from the overall immersive experience.
- “The graphics are amazing, and the canyon setting creates a captivating atmosphere.”
- “There's no real atmosphere.”
- “There's no birds flying around, or planes flying over, or anything to add some atmosphere to the game.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express frustration with the game's monetization, highlighting a confusing menu design that blurs the line between ads and owned content. Additionally, they criticize the high price point of £16, which is rarely discounted, while the game is heavily laden with advertisements.
- “Not to mention that even if I could, the menus were so poorly designed that I couldn't tell if I was looking at annoying ads or content that I already owned.”
- “My main gripe, however, is that even though I'd be expected to pay £16 for this normally and it never goes on sale, the game is covered with intrusive advertisements.”
replayability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight Trackmania's exceptional replayability, noting its endless fun and value, particularly through the "maniaplanet" service that enhances the gaming experience. Players find the latest iteration to offer nearly infinite replay potential, making it a worthwhile investment.
- “Lots of fun and has endless replay value.”
- “Although I'm not 100% sure exactly what this 'Maniaplanet' service is that Nadeo is providing with all of their games, the latest iteration of Trackmania delivers high amounts of fun and nearly infinite replayability for a good price.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players note that the game creates an emotional tension by punishing skilled performance, as excelling in driving can lead to unintended consequences in subsequent segments, adding a layer of frustration and challenge.