Trackmania has the colorful looks, the fast-paced, pick-up-and-play style, and the smooth performance, but imagine if you could blend that with some pure ‘90s racing game nostalgia. You take Ridge Racer, Gran Turismo, and the classic Need for Speeds, and you throw them together with the greatest era in F1, when Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and Alain Prost were the fastest people on the planet. It’s this tantalizing equation (yes, equations can be tantalizing) that gives us New Star GP, a new Steam racer available for your wishlist right now.
New Star GP’s career mode takes you through the ‘80s and ‘90s heyday of classic F1, as you upgrade your car, build your support team, and rocket around an international set of courses including Brisbane, Quebec, and Tokyo. With gorgeous, PS1-era low-poly graphics and tons of different race events, you forge rivalries with other drivers and can even compete against three other players in pitched online races.
There are so many wonderful influences here it’s hard to know where to start. Personally, I’m reminded of the classic ‘90s arcade racing machines, games like Ridge Racer, Sega Rally, and Daytona USA – every time I watch the New Star GP gameplay, I can practically hear Takenobu Mitsuyosh’s iconic “Day-to-naaaaaaaaa!”
Created by New Star games, creators of the beloved New Star Soccer and Retro Bowl, New Star GP hits Steam Early Access in “a few weeks.” “New Star GP is about bringing the excitement of ‘90s arcade racing bang up-to-date with the deeper gameplay elements that the modern gamer expects,” New Star Games’ founder Simon Read says. “I believe we have succeeded in this aim because the team here has created a thing of pure joy.”
The New Star GP Early Access launch will include a championship mode and 56 race events, with much more to be added in the future. You can stick New Star GP on your Steam wishlist right here.
Alternatively, if you want some more ‘90s nostalgia, check out the best old games. You might also want to pick up the best PC steering wheel for 2023.