Turbo TAP Race Review

An Easy Drive

Driving can be a great way to clear the mind. All of the stresses of the world have a tendency to just melt away when you’re on the open road. While the roads may not be open, I felt my stresses melting away when playing BoomBit Games’ Turbo TAP Race. The game’s easy controls and simple formula were relaxing in a casual gaming sense, yet also surprisingly challenging at times.

It’s All About Finesse

Touch is everything in Turbo TAP Race. The car basically drives itself, while players control the acceleration. Simply tap the screen to make the car accelerate. It sounds easy, but therein lies the challenge of the game. When I first started playing this game, the controls made me roll my eyes. But the more I played, the more I loved it. Players compete in races with upwards of 13 other racers and it’s a hectic, mad dash to the finish line. Racecourses feature tons of winding roads, so if a player goes to fast, they’ll send themselves flying off the road. This allows other racers to pass them. Figuring out the right times to accelerate and when to let up on the gas is the root of the game’s difficulty. It might not sound hard, but when you’re racing 13 other cars on a snow-covered, winding road, it can get tricky.

Racecourses are also filled with various obstacles. Like most other things in Turbo TAP Race, they may not look difficult, but they do create some challenge. Just when it looks like you have a nice lead and you’re about to run away with a race, boom! There’s a roadblock in the way that could send you hurtling off the road, and out of first place. The only way to advance to the next race is to come in first, and the game doesn’t make it easy. At the end of each race, upgrades are available to help boost your vehicle. Players earn money after each race and have the option to invest it in their car’s speed, grip, or armor. If a level proves to be too challenging, upgrading one of these stats can make things big difference.

Good, but Not Enough

For as fun as Turbo TAP Race can be, there just isn’t a whole lot to it. The simple and intuitive controls are enjoyable, but they also leave a player doing the same thing over and over. There isn’t enough variation between the courses. In total there’s about five different racecourses and once all the turns are figured out, the game becomes too easy. The number of cars in a race will vary to mix things up. There are also boss car races, which pit you against one giant car, but races quickly start to feel the same.

In addition to the repetitive gameplay, there are only five unlockable cars. There is some difference between each, but they feel like they’re mostly there for aesthetic. It doesn’t even feel rewarding unlocking them. A timer runs while the game is open and once the timer is up, a new car is unlocked. It takes a long time to unlock all the cars. The fifth requires the game to be open for 20 hours and is only available after the other four are unlocked. Ads can be somewhat of a pain to deal with as well. After racing, players have the option to watch an ad to increase their earnings from a race upwards of six times. The extra money is useful for upgrading your car but watching an ad after each race gets annoying.

With simple, intuitive controls, Turbo TAP Race can be a lot of fun for casual gamers looking for a racing game. Diehard racing fans, however, are better off ignoring this title. It might be a bit too basic for their liking and will grow old quickly.