Ultimate Racing 2D

About

"Ultimate Racing 2D" is a top-down racing game featuring 35 racing classes, over 300 cars, and 45+ international tracks. Career, championship, and multiplayer modes are available, with races ranging from karts to formula cars and including disciplines like oval, dirt, and historic racing. Experience high-speed thrills in this visually impressive 2D racing game, with up to 20 players online.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 296 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Ultimate Racing 2D offers a nostalgic throwback to classic 2D racing games with a variety of cars and tracks, providing a fun and engaging experience.
The game features a high level of customization, allowing players to adjust race settings, AI difficulty, and vehicle types, enhancing replayability.
Multiplayer mode is enjoyable, with the potential for competitive racing among friends, making it a great choice for casual gaming sessions.

The controls can be frustrating, with some players finding the steering and handling overly sensitive or unresponsive, leading to a steep learning curve.
The AI can feel inconsistent and unfair, often leading to frustrating experiences where players feel cheated or unable to compete effectively.
The graphics and sound design are considered basic and outdated, which may detract from the overall enjoyment for players expecting more modern visuals and audio.

graphics
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
65%
10%
The graphics of the game are largely described as retro and basic, reminiscent of older titles from the flash gaming era, with some users noting a lack of resolution options and graphical variety. While the visuals may not be high-end, they are considered functional and fitting for the gameplay, with some appreciating the nostalgic aesthetic. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may not impress, the game's solid mechanics and enjoyable racing experience take precedence over visual fidelity.
- “The nostalgic graphics it offers that remind you of the flash gaming days, as well as a wide variety of game modes to enjoy, are among these reasons.”
- “Graphics and sound are retro to say the least, but playability is very good with a nice difficulty curve.”
- “If you want a retro-inspired racing game with nice looking visuals and great gameplay, then this could be the game for you.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The bulbous menus look straight out of a mobile touchscreen game and the graphics lack any unique style.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The gameplay is a nostalgic nod to classic 8 and 16-bit consoles, featuring a mix of depth and simplicity that some players find enjoyable, while others criticize it for loose handling and repetitive mechanics. Despite its basic presentation and some broken elements, many reviewers appreciate the engaging gameplay, particularly on gamepads, and note that it offers a fun experience, albeit with room for improvement. Overall, while the gameplay is highlighted as a strong point, it may not justify the price for everyone due to its flaws and lack of additional features like achievements.
- “A throwback to the days of 8 and 16-bit consoles in terms of gameplay.”
- “It feels a bit bare-bones at the minute, but is still a fantastic experience - the gameplay (which let's face it, is all that matters) is sublime.”
- “All the F1 and historic tracks have clearly had a good deal of playtesting as all have slight changes to benefit gameplay, so they're challenging but never frustrating.”
- “I personally didn't like the gameplay; the handling for the cars was a bit too loose and unforgiving.”
- “The basic mechanic is utterly broken, and by that I mean the tyre model.”
- “It's a repetitive game with broken and lazy mechanics.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The story aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many users noting that it follows the trend of modern racing games by offering minimal narrative content. While some players feel that engaging with the career mode is essential for a complete experience, others point out that the game currently lacks a compelling story, with hopes for improvement in future installments.
- “If you want to properly play the game, you have to play through the story/career mode.”
- “It's the same sad story as in almost all of today's racing games - everything is an option and nothing is compulsory.”
- “No story.”
- “It doesn't have a working story or it will be included in the next game.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with users appreciating the balance in car performance that allows for competitive play even with lower-tier vehicles. While the claim of "300+" cars is misleading, as it refers to variations of 38 main car types, the keyboard controls are deemed effective, and the inclusion of a performance editor adds a layer of customization.
- “I find the keyboard controls good (muscle memory from many years ago?) and the performance of the various cars is set just about right so that it's difficult, but not impossible, to do well in a poorer car.”
- “The store description says '300+' cars, which is technically correct, but it's really 38 car types; each with ten slight variations on performance and color schemes for those main types.”
- “You can change vehicle performance.”
- “+ comes with an editor that allows you to change team names and driver names, and improve or decrease a team's car performance.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this racing game is consistently praised, with players finding it to be a funny and casual experience that enhances the gameplay. The lighthearted tone and amusing elements contribute to its addictiveness, making it a worthwhile purchase for those seeking a fun gaming experience.
- “Oh boy, what a funny little racing game this is!”
- “Well, I have just played a small championship using the karts and it is funny.”
- “A very nice, funny, and casual 2D racing game that I think is worth the price it has and will offer you exactly what it promises.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of Ultimate Racing 2D is criticized as a blatant cash grab by mobile developers, with the game being perceived as a low-effort port lacking features like a livery editor. Reviewers highlight its resemblance to retro arcade games while lamenting the lack of originality and quality, suggesting that it primarily aims to profit rather than provide a genuine gaming experience.
- “Ultimate Racing 2D is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not)... it's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers.”
- “GameMaker Studio is most commonly used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
- “No livery editor means you're stuck with the same cars race after race, and some of the series look quite bad - especially the stock car series where the cars don't have any over-the-top advertising.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game has received negative feedback, with users criticizing its poor quality and lack of in-game music during races, leading many to resort to external sources like YouTube for a better audio experience.
- “It sounds terrible and it has volume levels for music and no music.”
- “No music during races (I turn on music on YouTube while I play).”
- “No music during races (I turn on music on YouTube while I play).”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players feel that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often requiring extensive time investment to build a competitive team, which can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, some users express that purchasing top-tier teams feels less rewarding and contributes to the grind.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Buying into the best team doesn't feel quite right and causes some grinding.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Overall, users express mixed feelings about replayability; while some find the game fun and challenging enough to warrant multiple playthroughs, others feel it lacks long-term replay value compared to similar titles in their libraries.
- “Fun, replayable, and pretty challenging too.”
- “I have many games like this in my library, and they are all sub-par or have very little replay value after a while.”
- “The game lacks the depth needed to keep me coming back for more; once you've played it, there's not much incentive to replay.”
- “After completing the main story, I found no compelling reasons to dive back in; the replayability is almost non-existent.”