(Credit: Secret Mode)
Burnout 3: Takedown is one of my favorite games of all time, and if you told me that one day its spiritual successor would arrive as a Star Wars podracing game, I’d think you were high on death sticks. But that’s the best way to describe Star Wars: Galactic Racer, a brand new Star Wars game that explores the high-speed thrills—and risks—of podracing. I had a blast trying out the demo at the Summer Game Fest, and now that the full game is here, I’m convinced that this could be one of the best racing games of the year.
Now This Is Podracing
You might be surprised to learn that the world of podracing has remained largely unexplored since the fictional sport debuted in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, with only a handful of games centered around it. Star Wars: Galactic Racer wants to make podracing its whole deal—that means no Force, no Jedis, no Skywalkers (as of right now, anyway). But it's full of familiar Star Wars locations, including planets like Jakku.
Instead, we get the drama of the race track. The game features a full single-player campaign set in the Outer Rim. I played as Shade, a mysterious gig worker who gets recruited by Darius Pax, the founder of the Galactic League. He’s being harassed by a villain named Kester Bool, who is attempting a coup to take control of the League from Pax.
This all makes great set dressing for the races, which are white-knuckle intense. I didn’t know what to expect going in, but from the moment I accelerated, I could feel a smile stretch across my face. There’s an incredible sense of speed here, immediately bringing to mind games like F-Zero GX and Wipeout—as well as a feeling of fragility that comes with driving so fast. Galactic Racer captures the satisfaction of rounding a corner at high speed and the crushing impact of colliding head-on with a wall.
Despite being a fairly new developer, Fuse Games has a lot of experience with racing titles. The studio was founded by ex-Criterion developers, who were responsible for beloved racing games like Burnout and Need for Speed. You can feel that DNA in Galactic Racer—from the excellent handling to the brutal crash cam that accompanies every wreck, it was like running into an old friend I hadn’t seen in a long time.
I especially like how open each track feels. There isn’t exactly one racing line to follow, and although there may be a moment of panic as you figure out where to go, it gives you more freedom to carve your own path. In that way, it reminds me of Mario Kart World’s approach to track design, though the races are still lap-based rather than a single continuous track.
Before each race, you’re free to wander around a small hub area, where you can take in the Star Wars ambiance, as well as talk to various NPCs, and spend your hard-earned credits. Players can take control of land speeders, speeder bikes, and skim speeders, a new vehicle class introduced in Galactic Racer. Each class handles differently, and there are plenty of options to tweak your car to your liking, as you unlock credits and advance in the career mode.
The career mode is another departure from your standard racing game. Each playthrough is run-based, just like a roguelite. You can choose which race you want to partake in, in much the same way that you choose the path to go down in Hades II. Each race might have different win requirements. Some might be traditional races where you have to come qualify to advance, while others play out elimination style, where you have to stay ahead of the pack to make it to the next lap. You continue across different planets, zig-zagging from race to race until you run out of League Entry Tokens. Once you're out, you'll be sent back to the beginning of your adventure.
Before I was done, I got to sample an honest-to-goodness podrace with the one and only Sebulba. With the speed cranked to 11, this arcade mode exhibition was so blisteringly fast that I could almost feel the wind whipping against my face. In addition to the adventure and arcade modes, it will include online play for up to 12 players.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer Final Thoughts and Release Date
Star Wars: Galactic Racer captures exactly what I remember from playing the Burnout racing games, and I left the demo booth feeling exhilarated. Along with Hela: Of Mice & Magic and Onimusha: Way of the Sword, it was one of the best games I played at the Summer Game Fest, and I can't wait to play more now that the full game is here. Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches on October 6 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series.
About Our Expert
I’m a PCMag reviewer and ISF-certified TV calibrator focused on computer accessories, laptops, gaming monitors, and video games. I’ve been writing, playing, and complaining about games for as long as I remember, but it wasn’t until recently that I’ve been able to shout my opinions directly at a larger audience. My work has appeared on iMore, Windows Central, Android Central, and TWICE, and I have a diverse portfolio of editing work under my belt from my time spent at Scholastic and Oxford University Press. I also have a few book-author credits under my belt—I’ve contributed to the sci-fi anthology Under New Suns, and I’ve even written a Peppa Pig book.
- Silent Hill: Townfall Had Me Stumped for Hours...Then Nearly Bored Me to Death
- Asus ROG Swift PG34WCDN Review: An Ultrawide Powerhouse for Work and Play
- Razer Reclusa X Mini 65% Review: Small Keyboard, Small Price, Big Value
- The Best Curved Monitors for 2026
- Hertz So Good: Acer's Latest Predator Gaming Monitor Joins the 1,000Hz Club
- More from Zackery Cuevas
