Games worth discovering

A Simple Racing Game That'll Turn You Into A Highway Speedster - Pako Highway First Impressions

25K View2022-07-25

Do you remember the first racing game you ever played? If you’ve played tons of racing games, that memory may not stick out in your mind, but for me, racing has always been one of the few genres of video game (alongside sports sims) that I’ve just never really been drawn to. I can’t even drive a car in real life, let alone in a game. 2013’s Asphalt 8: Airborne was my first racing game and the closest I’ve ever come to really “getting” the genre...until now. This weekend, I got to hone my steering skills in Pako Highway, a racing game that I was impressed enough by that I’m planning to stick with it.

Pako Highway is a free-to-play racing game focused on driving through an endless highway, dodging obstacles, and seeing how far you can go before the timer runs out. The game features enticing visuals and a popping soundtrack to make driving all the more fun. And that’s all already apparent even though the game is only available in an early demo form; the complete game will be released in the future.

Image Credited to Pako Highway | Tree Men Games

Pako Highway is pretty straightforward. It’s a casual racing game where you constantly try to hit high scores every drive. There aren’t any modes that change the rhythm of gameplay, and choosing a different course just modifies the scenic backgrounds.

The goal is to score as many points as possible within the forty-second timer. You gain points by driving, near-colliding with other vehicles, or using the speed boost mechanic to bulldoze any car in your way. Driving in Pako Highway is as simple as tapping the left or right side of your screen to turn your vehicle. However, you’ll need to be wary of obstacles such as police cars or other vehicles throughout your drive, since crashing into the back of a vehicle without the speed boost applied ends your game.

Image Credited to Pako Highway | Tree Men Games

You can build your boost meter by hitting the side of other vehicles, which will fill up a boost gauge. Once the gauge is filled, your car will automatically boost, sending it hurtling forward to demolish any obstacle in its path. Destroying other vehicles not only scores you more points but also extends the timer by a few seconds.

Beyond being a maniac on the highway, choosing and customizing your vehicle is probably the easiest way to earn more points. You can pick from thirteen cars, all with different speed and handling capabilities. Once you’ve got your ideal car, you can customize it by changing the color and wheels or upgrading its speed or handling potential.

Although quite plain (at least in its current demo form), I enjoyed the simplicity of Pako Highway’s mechanics. I figured out that it was easier to score points by ricocheting myself between cars when passing through traffic rather than purposefully dodging cars. Controlling my vehicle wasn’t too tricky, even for a relative amateur like myself, and the time added from demolishing other cars made the game last long enough to not feel like a short ride with each attempt.

Image Credited to Pako Highway | Tree Men Games

The only catch that gets in the way of Pako Highway’s simple yet brilliant arcade gameplay is how frequently ads pop up. After every two rides, an ad would uncontrollably open, taking five to ten seconds of my time. Combine those interruptions with my pretty poor driving skills, and it felt like I had to watch an ad every couple of minutes. You can imagine how frustrating crashing early into a drive felt. I admit that I’m not the best driver in the world, so my frustration could be purely because I’m terrible behind the steering wheel. But here’s hoping the full release features a way to turn ads off altogether, even if it costs a few bucks.

Don’t let Pako Highway’s ads dissuade you from driving down its roads, though. This game has catchy tunes, a smooth gameplay experience, and visual design that isn’t too flashy. All the graphics are designed in a somewhat low-poly art style that avoids the bright, contrasting color schemes that dominate many other racing games. The short, intense runs of Pako Highway make for such an addictive game that I’ll likely continue playing for weeks to come—which is high praise coming from someone who’s not a huge fan of racing games to begin with. The game is just so simple and brilliant in that it doesn’t hide anything. What you see is what you get. And what you get is a damn good racing game.

💬 Have you played Pako Highway? Do you like cars? Let us know your favorite car in the comments!

CHECK OUT SOME OTHER RECENT FIRST IMPRESSIONS FROM TAPTAP: