Fans of untraditional, arcade-style racing have hopefully already hit on the TrackMania series. TrackMania and the sequels, TrackMania Sunrise and TrackMania Nations, have offered up some of the most entertainingly entertaining and goofy racing on the PC since Interplay’s classic racer, Whiplash. Now in its fourth iteration, TrackMania United, the series continues to provide thrills a minute racing that feels unique on the PC.
TrackMania Compiled!
The game is really a compilation of the earlier games, with an exceptional and persistent multiplayer wrapper. As compilations go, however, this game is a monster. There are three main game modes, and almost 200 tracks across seven different environments right off the bat. On top of that, and thanks to the huge following the series has in Europe, there are literally thousands of user-made tracks available online.
Thanks to the easy to use and remarkably powerful track editor, user mods are a major part of the TrackMania culture, and the game’s big focus is bringing the entire community together. Players can create their own MySpace-like sites within the game’s multiplayer interface, and earn coppers racing on and offline that can be used to “buy” new tracks, vehicles, skins, and videos.
Gold Medal Competition
Competitive times are a big deal online, and TrackMania United has one of the most in-depth ladder systems you’re likely to see. Not only does it keep track of the best times overall, but it also subdivides scores based on location—right down to the best times in your state. The game has plenty of little touches like this that make it feel more like an online community than almost any other game out there (short of truly persistent games like World of Warcraft).
The multiplayer mode is so overwhelmingly a part of the package here that the single player game seems a bit tame. You can race, but only against ghosts that represent best times to beat. There’s the crazily fun platform mode, where you must navigate insanely designed tracks while trying to crash as little as possible. There’s also the slightly confusing puzzle mode, where you actually have to build a track to reach the goal.
Thankfully, whether by yourself or against the Internet, the actual gameplay is terrific. TrackMania United is definitely not a hardcore racing sim, and the physics and controls are easy, over the top, and not at all realistic. Tracks follow this same philosophy—you’ll fly over insane jumps, speed through gravity defying corkscrews, slosh though water, and cover all manner of other strange design and obstacles.
Shiny Bits on Steam
Speed is the critical component to any successful racer, and TrackMania United manages to provide it in droves. The hardware requirements aren’t insane, yet the game looks beautifully polished and pumps out rock-solid framerates. The visuals aren’t totally realistic, but given the overall feel of the gameplay, that’s hardly a complaint. There’s plenty of shine on the cars, and the backdrops look beautiful most of the time.
The audio is also well done, with an amusing variety of musical tracks to match each environment. Strangely, the actual sound effects seem a bit too low-key for the action. One final thing to note is that TrackMania United is currently only available in the US through Steam. Though the game has a devoted following across the pond, it has yet to find the audience it deserves here, and is well worth the $30 price tag.
Start Your Engines
Many of the tracks are fiendish in their design, and there’s a definite satisfaction when finally attaining a gold medal time on the harder courses. Medals are what the game is really about. TrackMania United manages to hit the core of arcade racing in a way that most other racers don’t. It’s simple, yet still challenging and great fun whether on or offline.
Article by: Jason D’Aprile
