Rating
What the Car?
You’re a car with legs! Race through hundreds of unique levels: jump, fly with jetpacks, climb tall buildings, deliver packages, and so pretty much everything you can’t do in a normal racing game.
Similar Games
What the Car? Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
WHAT THE CAR? is a fantastic game that feels engaging on each level and has a cute aesthetic I couldn't get enough of. It's also a great experience on the Steam Deck.
What the Car? is absurd from top to bottom and glorious because of it. It offers easy to pick up but difficult to master challenges across so many themes and permutations that despite being made for pick up and play style gaming, it's just plain hard to put down.
If we’re measuring the success of What the Car? by laughs per minute, it’s a pretty sweet ride. The overworld eventually wears out its welcome, and some of the harder levels feel a little too frustrating for a comedy game. However, as an overall lighthearted experience, this game kicks it into high gear.
Weird little puzzle games are the bread and butter of the mobile market. While more and more ambitious titles like Wuthering Waves ask players to commit their whole damn lives to a free RPG that sprawls endlessly, the vast majority of casual players will pick up their phones, do a couple rounds of bird throwing or word association and then get on with their lives. It’s a fun thing, and I certainly support it in many fields (my own time with stitch is still a constant, relaxing refrain). But...
What the Car? was a nice, little moment of silliness in a packed summer, full of games that have demanded a lot of time and energy. It made my hardened critic's face crack a smile multiple times, even if it had just annoyed me moments before. I’m not ready to turn all the way around and start banging the “wiggly game” drums just yet, but it was nice to know there’s still hope out there for this particular brand of video game foolishness.
When you’re done with the main course, replay addicts will find a lot to chew on, with each level featuring a hidden photograph for you to find, along with a par time to try to beat and daily challenges. There are leaderboards to compete on and a full blown level editor as well which was pretty simple to use. You control your car as you lay down tracks/objects and terraform the environment to your pleasure. I was able to whip up a level pretty quick and was immediately humbled by some of the player created stuff I checked out afterward.