It wasn’t long ago since I was applauding 8-Bit Adventures 2 as an ideal go-to for those looking to rekindle their youth, or to simply venture into the wonderous deep of retro gaming. I spoke of how the JPRG title was a true diamond in a rough and a rare triumph for the modern-day retro-inspired market. Well, it seems as though I was either talking utter nonsense, or I have been lucky enough to happen upon two rarities in the space of a week.
Parking Garage Rally Circuit is an arcade rally game, inspired by the games of the classic console, the SEGA Saturn. With every detail perfectly mimicking the distinctive styles of the games typically seen on the iconic hardware, I quickly found myself almost transported to 1995, where the chart-topping music was actually good and the games even better. These familiar themes carried through to the arcade-style music and simple but frightfully addictive gameplay.
You May Lose Hair, But You’ll Have Fun in the Process
Of course, a retro game wouldn’t feel quite like a retro game if it wasn’t frustrating enough to bring a player out in hives, suffer from a nervous breakdown, or a delightful combination of the two. After all, gaming was never easy in “the good ol’ days”, right?
Parking Garage Rally Circuit, to be fair, does do a great job of easing you into the game with relatively easy courses that still offer a little challenge. However, as you progress through the game the tracks get harder and harder, meaning you will need to give it everything you have if you are to achieve the bragging rights of game completion. If the twisting, turning and treacherous courses aren’t enough to test your skills to the limits, you are also up against super fast AI drivers that make no mistakes (from what I have seen so far).
The opponents in question come in the form of ghost cars, which I am guessing are born from laps set by the solo developer, Walaber Entertainment LLC, and his or her friends and family. Helpfully, the spectral cars come in hues of the color of medal you will earn for beating that car. The ghost cars, in my opinion, are the ideal approach for an arcade racer, if only for the fact that you don’t need to concentrate on avoiding collisions, and can instead use all your focus on winning the races – you’re going to need it all.
The Cars of Parking Garage Circuit
The races are split into three categories: light, heavy, ultra. Each category offers its own vehicle, which you can customize using a handful of color combinations and designs. While the customization isn’t as deep as it could be, it’s perfectly fitting in with the retro tones of the game. To be fair, if the options went any deeper it would have eroded the sense of playing a simple but fun classic title.
Parking Garage Rally Circuit comes with both a single player mode that allows for classic or endurance races and a multiplayer that allows you to play with up to six friends or human players on the servers. However, as I am writing this before the game’s release, it’s difficult to comment on the multiplayer option as I was unable to find an online game. Again, not the fault of Walaber Entertainment LLC.
In a Nutshell
Parking Garage Rally Circuit is an ideal choice for fans of classic arcade racing titles. It has everything you would expect and delivers fun by the truckload. Set to release on PC on September 20, 2024, Walaber Entertainment hopes to port it to Nintendo Switch in the near future. More interestingly, the solo developer has ambition to bring a working version to the console that inspired this little gem, the SEGA Saturn.
Priced at just $9.99, Parking Garage Rally Circuit is an absolute steal.
REVIEW
OUR SCORE - 7
7
SCORE
Parking Garage Rally Circuit is an ideal choice for fans of classic arcade racing titles. It has everything you would expect and delivers fun by the truckload.