SlotZ Racer 2 Review

Ever dream about getting behind the wheel of a race car, feeling that rush of driving 200 miles per hour, almost flying off the road with every errant curve? SlotZ Racer 2 is nothing like that; however, you can safely race virtual RC cars around tiny tracks and watch them go flying. 

It can be difficult doing tight maneuvers with the limited control space of an iPhone screen, and SlotZ Racer 2 takes that into account -- one touch is all you need. Touch the screen to accelerate, let up to brake and the game does the rest for you. No need to worry about tilting and twirling or pulling a muscle on some ballet moves just to get the car around the track. All the player has to do is let off the accelerator at precise moments so the car doesn't miss the curve and go flying off the tracks.

The actual racing part is rather mundane. If you want more of an arcade racing experience, with unique scenery, power-ups, and exaggerated physics a la Mario Kart, look elsewhere. This is a race track car game, period. Strange Flavour gives a generous 31 tracks to choose from, but it doesn’t matter how many turns, curves, or loops there are, in the end, you’re still driving in a circle on a track.

A popular feature from the first game did not get lost in the second -- players can still build their own race tracks. This time, however, people can share their tracks online and download other player-made tracks as well. There are all kinds of options: turns angling from eleven degrees to ninety degrees, bridges, bumps, narrowing tracks, and scenery options as well including buildings, grass, or crowds. The scenery options aren’t amazing, but it keeps everything from looking quite so similar.

Car enthusiasts will be pleased with this game because there are 25 different cars and bikes to choose from. Some are of the antique nature, and, if the player really cares about what they’re driving, they can buy extra car packages that will also unlock a customization mode so that they can turn an ordinary race car into a personalized expression of their taste. The extra packages are priced to sell at $0.99, and since the game is free, you should have no guilty feelings about plopping down a few dollars on something you really want.

Almost everything is customizable from the AI difficulty to the sound and track settings. The AI, however, presents a surprisingly formidable challenge even on easy mode. Don’t expect to win without a fight, because the AI will fly around corners without crashing and accelerate like a madman. Once you fall behind, it’s near impossible to catch up before the race is over. A player has to come in first place to score trophy points and unlock the rest of the data. Good luck with that.

SlotZ Racer 2 would be best for those who are car fans, and who are more into customization and tracks than actually driving the cars themselves. If you’re looking for an exciting racing experience, look elsewhere.

App Store Link: SlotZ Racer 2 for iPhone & iPad | By Strange Flavour Ltd | Price: Free | Version: 2.0 | 44 MB | Rating 4+