Super Street: The Game Review

I really wanted to enjoy Super Street: The Game a lot more than I did. However, issues that can simply not be overlooked, hinder the overall experience. I’ll start with the pros before I dive into the cons. In the midst of what appears to be racing game season, Super Street stands out on the merit of its DIY concept. Unlike the upcoming Forza Horizon 4, the recently released V-Rally 4 or Nascar Heat 3, Super Street sees you picking a derelict vehicle, and then tasks you with manually upgrading each and every part to bolster performance.

I absolutely loved the concept here, and I thoroughly appreciated how accessible and well laid out the menus are. You see, I’m by no means what you would call a motor-pro. I have no idea how cars work and even less of an idea as to what each part is responsible for. Safe to say that when I utilized Super Street’s explosion feature – a feature that shows your car stripped apart so that you can see all of its parts – I shit myself a little. Nevertheless, Super Street does an outstanding job at keeping things very straightforward and very simple.

Here, you can literally upgrade each and every important part of your chosen car, from its engine, right up to its subwoofer. This is achieved via selecting the section of the car that you wish to upgrade, and then scrolling through the parts available for purchase, complete with a performance meter that will inform you as to how much of a performance boost you’re going to get. It’s as straightforward as that, which is fantastic if, like me, you know absolutely nothing about how a car works or what’s going to bolster a specific component.

There’s over seven hundred parts to play around with, spanning over seventy brands. However, in order to upgrade, you’re going to need cash. The game’s campaign is where you’ll want to go for this. Here, you can take part in a sizable collection of events, each encompassing different tracks and race types; Time Trial, Duel, Eliminator, Sprint and so forth. This, unfortunately, is where things go south. rapidly. You’re going to need two things in Super Street above all else, patience and forgiveness, and lots of it. Believe me.

It doesn’t matter which, nor how many parts you stick to your derelict car, there’s simply no avoiding the game’s piss poor physics system, its overly aggressive AI, or eve its basic handling. Now, I do want to point out that Super Street is a decent entry title to what could be a solid franchise – should the developers address feedback and refine their mechanics – but as it stands, Super Street is far more frustrating than it is fun. There’s just no consistency at all when it comes to the actual racing, making for a constant uphill battle, throughout.

I would be able to somewhat overlook one of these issues on their own, but when all three tether together in a way that makes even driving on a straight feel like you’re on an ice rink, it truly tests one’s patience. Several times did I take a love-tap from another driver, only to be sent barrel rolling and air-flipping for in excess of up to ten seconds per-whack. In another instance, I simply grazed a lamppost and came to a complete stop, as if I’d hit it head-on. These are just two examples out of hundreds, and even then, these are tame.

Then there’s the actual handling. Oftentimes I would slow down to take a sharp corner, only to find that my car would wildly spin out of control, or again, on the same corner under the exact same circumstances, my car would U-turn or come to a complete stop. When I wasn’t fighting against the game’s daft physics and loose handling, the AI was always there to ensure that I saw red. Seriously, it’s like each and every AI racer thinks you’ve just shot their dog. Sure, the game encourages destructive driving, but here, it’s just way too dialed up.

The AI will bash you even when there’s no reason nor tactical advantage for it. They’ll just hit you, regularly, which when grouped with the aforementioned issues, makes for a lot of rage-quitting. I really wanted to make it through all of the events and finish up my car, but I stopped short of one engine upgrade, simply because I just wasn’t having fun, at all. It doesn’t help matters that any form of mistake often leads to a complete restart. On only one occasion was I able to finish in an acceptable place following a collision or error.

This might sound like I’m bitching a little too much, but take into account that anything from a slight nudge to bump in the road can completely total your run. Nevertheless, should you have the endurance for it, coming third, second or first in any race type will earn you cash and reputation. Naturally, you’ll be rewarded more for the higher you place. Cash can be spent on those aforementioned upgrades, whereas reputation is needed to unlock certain milestones, additional events or some unlocks and assistance. Relatively simple stuff.

The aim of the game is to make it through all of the events, whilst upgrading your vehicle until you’ve built your dream machine. Outside of that, there’s an online mode and split-screen play to take to, but again, another issue pops up. I haven’t been able to locate a single online match, and I’ve checked regularly. Even when refreshing the server list, nothing at all shows up. Either the online is broken, or more likely than that, no one is playing. I can hardly blame them to be honest, I wouldn’t want the online world hearing my outbursts.

In regards to the game’s visual and audio design, these get a partial thumbs up from me. Whilst there’s a clear lack of polish across the board, I did enjoy the track design and the game’s decent soundtrack. I also commend the design of each and every part, vehicle and audio cue. However, there’s certainly some work that needs to be done to the visual effects; such as the bland explosions or the impact/damage system. The bottom line in all of this is that Super Street has potential, but the developers need to act fast to address its many issues.

Conclusion

Super Street has a lot of potential. Though, as it stands, the developers need to address the game’s many problems before this racer can be taken seriously. The most notable of issues being the game’s horrendous physics, its terrible handling and its overly aggressive, T-800 AI. Praise goes to the game’s DIY concept and its impressive list of parts, but this means very little in the face of its several downsides.

This game was tested and reviewed on Xbox One. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version.

Want to keep up to date with the latest Xt reviews, Xt opinions and Xt content? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.