Formula Retro Racing

Somewhere between Pole Position and Gran Turismo, there was Virtua Racing. Although rudimentary by today's standards, this landmark arcade game from Sega helped pave the way for polygonal speedsters like Ridge Racer, Forza and Burnout. If you have nostalgia for that very specific part of the early 1990s, then let me introduce you to Formula Retro Racing, the brand-new throwback from the people behind Velocity G and Turbo Sprint. It's a loving homage that gets almost everything right, but if you're looking for a deep racing experience, then you might want to drive past this one.

True to the arcade experience, Formula Retro Racing gives you a choice of eight low-res tracks. The first five are unlocked from the start, while you can open up the second group by earning points. The better you place in the race, the more points you'll get. It's as simple as that. There's no hidden depth, no car upgrades and definitely no story mode. It's a no-frills arcade-style racer that mimics everything you would normally get from an early '90s port.

Mind you, I don't say that as a bad thing. From the moment I settled into the driver's seat, I was instantly charmed by the old school style and approach. The polygons may not be very detailed, but they are bright and colorful, offering a nice variety of locations that include everything from the beach to the forest to the city streets. These are the kinds of stages I remember from those early '90s arcade racers, and Formula Retro Racing gets it right.

Unfortunately, there are a couple things Formula Retro Racing gets wrong. I don't know if it's because there are only a handful of courses, but the races are way too long. Many levels have you speeding around the track eight times, which means that every race ends up pushing 10 minutes. Instead of making the event more exciting, this just drags out every race until you're bored and want to move on. Every race in this game should be half the length.

I also found that the style got in the way from time to time. A good example of that is how you'll hear the announcer yell "time extended" a few dozen times in every race. To make things worse, the game is constantly flashing text on the screen, usually at the worst possible times. The checkpoints are always right before a tight corner that is completely obstructed by the bright yellow text.

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From a visual standpoint, Formula Retro Racing comes close to mimicking those early 1990s arcade games, but doesn't quite nail it. While the different courses and locations look cool, there's something about the vehicle designs that breaks the illusion. It tries to evoke the spirit of Virtua Racing, but there are times when reminds me more of Checkered Flag and Club Drive. Thankfully, this new release speeds around the corners a lot better than those old, crappy Jaguar games.

Although it's not especially deep and it won't take long to complete, Formula Retro Racing does an excellent job reminding us of a time when polygonal racing games were in their infancy. This is nostalgia overload, in both good and bad ways. I like the colorful locations and tight handling, but was annoyed by some of the track designs and flashing text covering everything up. Formula Retro Racing is a love letter to Virtua Racing that not only gets the fundamentals right, but manages to be a solid racer on its own merits.