Remember Mashed? I sure do. I also miss that sort of game. You know the type: the Micro Machines style one-screen racer where everyone sits on a couch and tries to push one another off the screen for points.
That’s precisely what Space Dust Racers is: a modern version of that.
It’s been created by a newly created studio, made up of vets from Visceral Games. They’ve worked on games like Battlefield 4 and the Dead Space series, so you think they’d have a rough idea what they’re doing.
And it appears that they do. Space Dust Racers looks phenomenal, and it’s picked up a number of awards throughout its development — most recently winning Best Technology at Freeplay. Personally, I think it’s really cool to see a mid-sized studio like this operating out of Australia, really putting weight behind a high-end indie project.
It’s an ambitious project. The game is coming out on PC, PS4 and Xbox One and can host up to 16 players. Not only does the game support controllers — obviously — but players will also have the ability to hook up mobile phones and tablets as controllers for the game — this is apparently done without any app install, which sounds amazing.
There’s a lot to love about this game. The high concept, the visuals, the details of it. Mainly I’m just excited about the resurrection of a genre I once loved. The timing seems perfect. On PC especially, the idea of one-screen party games has really gone mainstream. Combine this with a very massive gap in the market and you have the potential for a game that could really take off. I’ve been lamenting the lack of a Mashed/Micro Machines game for years. I spent countless hours with friends on games like these and this appears to be a very innovative, smart way to bring those games back.
The team is currently running a Kickstarter, which seems to be struggling a little, which is a shame. It’s great to see an indie team really shoot for something big on their debut project and I’d very much like to see this game succeed. Mainly because I want to play it.
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10 responses to “An Australian Studio Is Trying To Make Super Smash Bros. On Wheels”
PC needs more couch co-op! Do want!
For those curious, it was the way controllers could be added to the game that earned the game its tech award for Freeplay. Obviously it is technically proficient as a game but it was the controller aspects that raised eyebrows.
Regarding the lack of a Mashed/MicroMachines; check out Toybox Turbos (spiritual successor to MM without the license – sort of a new MM1 which can hopefully spawn a bigger sequel in the future) and BlazeRush (MM-style single-screen gameplay with a very Rock’n’Roll Racing vibe) – I believe both also have semi-official support for Occulus Rift as well.
That being said, I’m always very excited when more contenders enter the field, and our local vets-turned-indie do some spectacular work! (just look at the ex-Sega dudes behind Assault Android Cactus)
Or, just play Mario Kart… But it looks better than other indy arcade car games like TNT racing (I think that’s what it’s called, haven;t played it for about a year).
A perfectly valid suggestion apart from Mario Kart only being on Nintendo platforms, and this aiming for every platform that isn’t Nintendo – perhaps you meant Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing? :p
well, Transformed is better than 8.
it says a lot when MK had to start pinching ideas from it to freshen up after the somewhat unsatisfying Wii version :p
…of course Transformed would have been better still if the purchase points system from its predecessor had stuck around so it was actually possible to unlock those last few cars and tracks! >.< (Meatboy difficulty is not a great plan for unlockables in family-friendly party games)
Cars & tracks?
The only thing I haven’t unlocked is mods.
Can’t you just do cups to unlock tracks??
been a while since I played but, as I recall, to unlock the last couple of things you had to race perfectly with almost continuous boost against horrible cheating AI
Nah, tracks unlock from playing on easy.
The hardest things to unlock are characters & mods.
The DreamCast memory card took me a while to m lock but was so worth it!
(I still play fairly regularly, probably my most played vita game)