In the role of an old-school rally driver who has seen tarmac, dust, and more pit stops than I'd like to admit, I had high hopes for Super Woden GP 2. The retro vibes pulled me in instantly, revving my engine for the kind of no-frills racing that gets my blood pumping. But after a few laps around its pixelated circuits, I realized the real race wasn’t on the track, it was against the grind.

From unlocking new cars to entering tournaments, everything feels like it’s bogged down by unnecessary hurdles. You want that shiny new ride? Better be ready to do a month’s worth of donkey work. And let’s talk rubberbanding. It’s the dreaded feeling that no matter how perfectly you take that hairpin turn, the AI’s right on your bumper or magically five seconds ahead. Feels about as fair as a crash in the final lap because of an invisible banana peel.

Still, there’s something charming about picking it up in quick bursts on my Steam Deck for 5 to 10 minutes here and there to satisfy a mini racing fix. On my PC though? No, thanks. My pit crew and I have bigger fish to fry. Maybe I’ll swing by again if the devs tune down the grind and fix that rubberbanding. Until then, my helmet stays off and the engine remains cold.

great GT feels and tons of fun