Top Racer Collection was supposed to screech onto PC and consoles yesterday (11 January) until developer QUByte slammed the breaks and delayed it until March. Fear not, though, retro racing fans, because a playable Top Racer Collection demo is out now on Steam to make up for the delay.
Top Racer Collection Demo Out Now
Available to download on Steam, the Top Racer Collection demo lets you play the first track from each game included in the compilation: Top Racer, Top Racer 2, Top Racer 3000 and Top Racer Crossroads. Each track can be played in single-player or local multiplayer.
Sadly, there are no plans to release the demo on consoles. According to an online FAQ, this is because getting a demo out on consoles before release would be too time-consuming as each platform requires a different approval process. Instead, QUByte is focusing on "improving the final product for its release."
The demo also gives access to the video settings, allowing you to play the game in its original aspect ratio, stretch it to fill the screen, and apply filters for an authentic retro experience. We can also confirm the demo runs flawlessly on Steam Deck. This is just a small taste of what the final game will offer, however.
Developed by British studio Gremlin Interactive, the original 16-bit Top Gear (now rebranded as Top Racer to avoid copyright issues with a certain BBC motoring show) games were popular in the 1990s on SNES thanks to their fast-paced gameplay, smooth sprite scaling, and a stellar soundtrack composed by the legendary Barry Leitch. The series continued into the 32-bit era with 3D titles like Top Gear Rally on N64 but Gremlin Interactive was not involved.
Top Racer Collection is a compilation of the original 2D trilogy (Top Racer, Top Racer 2, and Top Racer 3000) remastered for modern platforms with new content along with a new bonus Top Racer Crossover game. Exclusive to the compilation, Top Racer Crossover adds four new cars from Horizon Chase, which was heavily inspired by the series, to the original game.
With 140 tracks to race on, Top Racer Collection promises to be a substantial package. While the compilation is faithful to the originals, each game is enhanced with modern features like online multiplayer and world rankings. We can’t wait to relieve these classic 16-bit racers with crisper graphics and smoother performance.
Top Racer Collection release date
Originally set to release on 11 January, Top Racer Collection arrives on 7 March 2024 for all platforms including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. QUByte says it delayed the game to “enhance the experience we want to deliver to all players.”
“We believe this decision will result in a more polished, higher quality game that meets the expectations of our incredible community,” the Brazilian developer wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“We are dedicating additional time to perfecting the details and ensuring that Top Racer Collection fully meets the standards we set out to achieve. “We believe that this short wait will be rewarded with an exceptional gaming experience.”
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