With the Racing Month of 2023, I started things out looking at the racing games of the year. Those I’d already played, and those yet to come. Among them, I talked about The Karters 2: Turbo Charged. Originally set for 2023, a demo had released for it giving a taste of what was to come for the Crash Team Racing inspired kart racer. Two years later, it has now finally released in Early Access. Perfectly timed for another Racing Month.

The core of the content is fully here, though Pixel Edge Games chose to release to Early Access while two major parts of the game continued development. The first is a story mode, that will provide a different way to experience the content of the game and unlock more of it. The second is a track editor in-game, allowing an easier way for those who love to create to get in on the action. So, with a technically full game already to play, what do I think of it?

Well, the CTR vibes are certainly here in full force. From mechanics, visuals, and music, there’s no denying the inspiration for The Karters 2. The tracks are colourful and bright, even those at night. Or in a toxic wasteland! Spit across four main themes, each track still feels unique within that theme, such as that toxic wasteland track being part of the urban theme along with a ride through a city and a leap across rooftops.

As for the music, it’s very drum heavy, with wood instruments and a few others mixed in with that. Each track has a unique music theme, though there are a few motifs that multiple share. Just as in 2023, I was fully in the Crash Bandicoot vibe with this music. Which easily brings to mind the skill in drifting needing to dominate on the track. Which… I had a bit of trouble with at first.

At first, I jumped straight into the third of five AI difficulties and got absolutely dominated myself. A mix of not knowing the tracks and not pushing the drifting to its limits meant I never could keep up with the pack most of the time. But, once I lowered the AI difficulty so I could better learn, I found myself executing the triple boost system a lot easier. Combine drifts with jumps and tricks to keep the speed high. While there are some tracks I still can’t manage it on, I now know how to let the speed flow.

Along with arcade mode, which allows tracks to be played singular or as part of a Grand Prix of a set number of races, there’s a few others to be enjoying. Naturally, time trials are here to make learning the tracks easy without disruptions. Then there’s the elimination modes, which have their fun when it comes to battling for position. The more interesting modes are right at the end of the mode list.

Of the two I’ve played, Road Breaker is a Fall Guys-style battle on platforms that break when they’re driven over. With multiple layers before the nothingness below, it’s a race of survival to stay as high as possible. It works very well in vehicles, with no items to be seen that could change the outcome of the battle. It’s one I certainly enjoy, but would be a lot better with friends together.

The other mode is Quick Cut. A procedurally generated marathon in the sky on a road full of turns, there’s tiles on the track. These tiles are to be collected, enabling driving away from the road to cut the corner in any way a player dares. It’s a mode that I’m still getting used to, but one that is a lot of fun. Even more so for the risk taker who tries cutting so much of the track with so few tiles, making a leap of faith when they run out.

The items are here, as they would be in any kart racer. But the difference here is… They’re implemented in a way that doesn’t minimise the skilful driving that is the core of the game. Drivers have a health bar, which lock-on weapons will whittle down depending on their damage output. Only once the health bar is zeroed will a driver spin out. But, should a driver have a warp, they can easily avoid any lost time by using it as they’re spinning out.

Despite how simple the item system looks, there’s a layer of tactical use to them. Which plays into core mechanics of The Karters 2. This is not a game balanced between items and driving skill. It is a game where driving skill is at the fore, with item use providing an advantage when needed. It’s very possible to avoid using items and still win. At least, against the lower difficulty AI it is. Online I have no idea how it would fare, as modded tracks being in the roster means getting them first.

Yes, Steam Workshop support is a thing, and has been open for adding content to since that demo in 2023, I believe. And, with the vibe of the game, it seemed obvious which game would have content ported into The Karters 2 by players first. It really is a testament to how much a spiritual successor to Crash Team Racing this game is that all those tracks feel right at home here.

Naturally, people have also pulled tracks from Mario Kart to be here, with a fair few lesser known choices too. There’s representation from the likes of Pac-Man Rally, M&M’s Kart Racing, Garfield Kart, and even Gensou Skydrift. As far as I can tell, a few people have even created their own tracks. While I’ve mostly stuck to the tracks from other games, the one original I have played proved fun even if a bit broken.

Characters, karts, wheels, and stickers can also be found in the workshop, with the customiser of the game allowing modded content to replace the base game objects. The characters are the only other mods I’ve looked at, but there’s a wide range of them. Crash is obviously represented, but then so are Mario, Sonic, Pokémon, and many more besides. Including oddities such as a Hatsune Miku plush, a Fortnite Chug Jug, and Caddicarus’ faithful sponsored segment character – Spons.

The Karter 2: Turbo Charged has been every bit as great to play as the demo from two years ago. Tight mechanics to master, across sixteen great tracks. While there might only be five distinct characters in the base game, each has a unique look. With plenty of customisation options to unlock. I absolutely love the visuals and music. As such, it is one that I easily recommend. One of the best kart racers I have played. Now, I’m off to take Big Smoke on a tour of Polar Pass.

Images Taken From:
The Karters 2: Turbo Charged | PC