Circuit Superstars

I've run enough Saturday night couch tournaments to know instantly whether a racing game holds up when four slightly competitive friends pile onto the sofa, and Circuit Superstars absolutely does. The top-down camera looks like it belongs in a retro arcade cabinet, but the moment you clip an apex wrong and your rear steps out, you realise this thing has genuine physics underneath the chibi paintwork. That contrast is the whole hook, and it lands. The vehicle roster is where the game earns real respect. Twelve distinct handling models cover disciplines as varied as Rallycross, open-wheel single-seaters, SuperTrucks, GT machinery, and EuroTrucks, and every single one drives differently in ways that actually matter. The truck hauls itself into corners with completely different body roll to the Muscle Cars; the 60s GP car demands totally different brake points to the modern formula machinery. Mastering each class means relearning your lines from scratch, which gives the game a surprisingly long lifespan across 32 tracks spread over 17 locations. The pit stop layer - tyre degradation, fuel management, and damage - adds a tactical dimension you rarely see in anything short of a full sim, and it genuinely changes how races play out rather than just existing as window dressing. For the couch crowd: yes, split-screen works for up to four players, and Free Play mode lets you build your own events or tournaments against AI or friends, which is exactly what Saturday night sessions need. The controls are tight enough that newcomers can be competitive quickly - throttle, brake, steer, reposition - but the physics are punishing enough that one mistake on the higher AI difficulties will cost you the race entirely. That binary nature splits opinion. Casual players might find the recovery from a single error brutal, particularly since there is no mid-race save for longer events. Online can handle up to 12 players, though concurrent player numbers have thinned out considerably since launch, so expect to fill lobbies with friends rather than relying on matchmaking in 2026. Time Trials with weekly updates and global ghosts keep the solo loop alive regardless. The progression system is all cosmetics - liveries, helmets, victory celebrations - and nothing that affects performance, which is genuinely refreshing. No pay-to-win angles, no grinding for a faster car. Every category gets one vehicle, so competition stays even. The flip side is that the unlock drip-feed loses steam once the initial novelty fades, and players craving a deep career mode with story beats or structured progression will find the structure lightweight. The AI at higher difficulties can also cause pileups that punish you for their mistakes, which feels unfair when you have been driving cleanly. For my Saturday crew, Circuit Superstars is exactly the kind of game that earns a permanent spot in the rotation. The motorsport knowledge baked into the handling models rewards anyone who actually cares about braking points and pit strategy, while the accessibility floor is low enough that a newcomer can have a laugh without being completely lost. Think of it less like Mario Kart and more like a loving, approachable gateway into real racing culture, rendered in a style so charming it lowers your guard before the physics humbles you.

Riley · Scout Team

Sports & racing

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