On Android less is more. No, really. Mobile platforms require small, fast, easy-to-digest experiences that can make up for a lack of content with satisfyingly precise controls that make you want to keep playing. Race Time might seem like the zillionth little racing game to come out on Android, but trust me, it’s not. Behind its extremely simple control system it hides one of the most addictive and fun games of the year so far.
As kids almost all of us played with a Scalextric or some other electric track with slot pieces where the sole challenge lay in not going too fast so you don’t run off track around the curves. This is exactly the essence delivered by Race Time. The idea is to make two laps around a track as fast as possible as you propel your car while holding your finger down on the screen. If you don’t let up it’s quite likely you’ll crash into the walls and lose a few seconds. On paper it sounds a bit dull, but in practice you’re likely to get obsessed with it.
The bulk of the fun lies in the leaderboards and the urgent need to beat your friends. One race doesn’t last any longer than 30 seconds, and there is no variety whatsoever. Every 24 hours a new track comes available, and the one from the day before disappears – so you get a new chance to test your chops every day. The sole reward, besides the satisfaction of beating your friends, is a set of skins to deck out your car, though they do nothing to change its stats.
Race Time is your proof that keeping it simple can work wonders. What might seem like a worrying lack of content has no relevance whatsoever. Your own competitiveness and the game’s ease of use make it an express shot of fun that’s way more satisfying than more elaborate experiences. Though that’s something we’ve seen a lot on Android. Yes, less really is more.
Race Time on Uptodown [APK] | Download
