Xenon Racer

An old skool arcade racer wearing a brand new pair of breeches - get past the tough learning curve and get into the zone and you'll be a happy futuristic drifter.

Proof that sometimes having a strong visual identity can go a long way to pulling you into a game.

Drift-based racing games may not be as popular as they once were so Xenon Racer is here to hopefully revive the genre.

After trying out its closed beta, I was hopeful that Xenon Racer would turn out to be solid Ridge Racer clone. Unfortunately, the finished product doesn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the racing does eventually become fun, it’s marred by poor design choices and presentation that’s just lacking. Had Xenon Racer been a game released at a  budget price, many of its issues could have maybe been overlooked, but anyone playing full price for it is likely to be disappointed by its offerings.

Xenon Racer has some bold ideas. It wants to bring back the simplicity and fast pace from previous arcade racers released in the 90’s, all while wowing players with a rich and detailed futuristic setting. I just can’t say “no” to a proposal like that. Sadly, while there’s fun to be had here, there are lots of issues that hinder this game from fulfilling this vision.

There's a ton of potential in Xenon Racer, but while it looks and sounds the part, its difficulty level and overly weighty handling keep it firmly stuck in the slow lane.

Update: We have been informed that a patch is on its way to address many issues we have found with the stability and quality of the game on Nintendo Switch. The patch is scheduled to arrive this month (April).