AiRace Speed Review (3DS)

AiRace Speed is QubicGames Studio’s third attempt at making a decent racing game and I think they've come pretty close to their goal. It's a reflex-driven game where speed, reaction time and a quick eye for details will very often save your ship's life.

The game is a tunnel racer and has no actual story, you just find yourself loose in a pipe-like corridor, while driving a cool ship.

The controls are very easy and will require just a quick look to memorize: there is left, right up and down, brake and nitro (boost). Roll left and right options are also available separately and, if you learn to use them correctly, they will really help you complete levels faster.

The high-tech, industrial look complements the metallic frame and outlines the 3D feel. On the same note, I have to say that only a few players will be able to keep the console steady and in place while sliding through the narrow passages, and I count myself out of this tiny group.

Used to the accelerometer present in most smart devices nowadays, I had a very hard time keeping the 3DS properly balanced and benefiting from the great-looking 3D visuals.

Some obstacles are crowded inside narrow tunnels ...	... while others are located in huge industrial rooms

The levels consist of narrow, rarely linear tunnels, with random obstacles placed at uneven distances. Sometimes, you'll encounter larger rooms that also serve as path splitters, allowing gamers to choose a colored pipe with unique walls and traps (sometimes a shorter way to the finish line).

There is a wide range of obstacles and sometimes they will make the game frustrating; yet, this is what drives you further, nudging towards proving yourself you can reach the end, or finish a race without crashing (even if that means restarting a dozen times).

Inside the dangerous tunnels lie various types of traps: sequences of narrow pillars, moving platforms with only a narrow gap top pass through, sudden loops, deadly compressors and even curves that seem to pop out of the blue and make you crash into the sharp walls.

Besides the normal obstacles, which can kill you faster than you can say "Look at me mom, I'm speeding with hundreds of miles per hour in a spaceship through some dangerous and narrow pipes," your ships' hull can be damaged by the surrounding walls. Make sure you keep an eye out on your health bars located at the bottom screen.

Not all pipes are round ...	... and not all obstacles are easy to avoid

Aside from the normal controls, the game features a brake system that uses the ships’ flaps to slow your vehicle down. It also allows you to take a closer look at the obstacles ahead and even wait for a revolving wall to slide open so you can pass through.

The nitro feature is very useful and will allow you to gain gold and silver stars by finishing the levels faster. Every three levels your ship is changed and each ship comes with increased speed limit. However, you cannot use the same ship across multiple levels, which is pretty annoying; I mean, what's the point of unlocking cooler-looking and faster space ships if I can't race them as I please?

The game length is controversial, depending on what kind of person you are. To a gamer that needs to have every last achievement unlocked, this game will keep you busy for days. It is also suitable if you just want to get to the last level and brag to all your friends that you've finished the game in record time.

There are 12 levels, broken into groups of three, which can be played one after the other (re-played at any given moment). Two of these stages are endless – meaning that there are no checkpoints and the goal is distance and not speed.

Six more levels are available, which can be played only if certain conditions are met: silver or gold stars are unlocked; one of them is also endless. These special stars are obtained if you complete a level under a given time, this can prove to be quite difficult, especially when it comes to the Gold stars.

Some ships are faster ...	... and some corridors are shorter

If you like achievements, you're in luck. There are 42 different ones just waiting to be unlocked. Upon completing the game, you'll have the surprise of possessing only a handful of these special badges, as most of them require lots and lots of replay time.

Graphics are very nice for a 3DS game, the tunnels are uniquely built and allow almost no time for boredom with countless twists, turns and bends, while 3D has the exact amount of depth (if you can play with the 3D on). The psychedelic music beautifully complements the frenetic gameplay while the sounds are industrial themed.

I enjoyed this casual game more than I expected, and even if I died – this happened quite a lot – I did manage to unlock all the levels and earn some achievements, too.

The fast-paced gameplay, the diversity of the levels and the trance tunes kept me going even when my fingers were saying enough. Let's be honest, the game is a bargain at 4.99 (USD, GBO or EUR) on eShop

The faster you fly ...	... the more stars you'll earn

Indeed, AiRace can seem quite short to some (without the optional levels), and it is brutally hard to complete without crashing, which makes it very frustrating (sometimes you just want to crawl away under the bed and cry). Yes, it could use a little more diversity (AI opponents, multiplayer mode and the option to choose your ship on each level). However, I would recommend it to those who are in need of a time out from the world after a hard day's work.