Horizon Chase Turbo packs the whole essence of classic arcade racing games from that time period, and it is indeed inspired by other games like the Top Gear series, Lotus Turbo Challenge, and even more. Actually, Horizon Chase Turbo was described by some as the spiritual successor to Top Gear 3000, and it does share a lot of the series’ elements, like the soundtrack and the simplicity of its gameplay. On the other hand, Sonic Mania is another retro game that is a perfect portrayal of the Sonic series as a whole, and at its very core, it is also a fun game with new content and fun mechanics to delve into.
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What Horizon Chase Turbo is and What it Offers Gameplay-wise
The main allure of Horizon Chase Turbo is that it is so very similar to arcade racing games from 30 years ago that it almost feels like time hasn’t really passed. Those who loved Out Run, Ignition, and the Need for Speed series ever since its very first games will love how Horizon Chase Turbo retains the same style of that time in its graphics, while also shaking things up a little bit with a few key changes.
There are 109 unique circuits in Horizon Chase Turbo, and while some of them do share a few key similarities, the game does a good job at offering diverse content. The campaigns take place in 12 countries, and the background feels sort of nostalgic as well, with a few animals living their best life out in the wilds regardless of their low polygon count. The tournament mode is reminiscent of other games as well, including the Mario Kart series from Nintendo, and it comprises playlists with a set of 4 races, each divided into difficulty tiers. Then, there’s endurance mode, which is also divided into tiered difficulties ranging from easy to master, and the purpose is to complete 12 races in easy and up to all 109 in master.
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Sonic Mania Might Be One of the Best Sonic Games to Date
Sonic Mania is described by some as a one of the greatest hits in the Sonic series, although it is an all-new 2D game with the classic ring collection system from similar entries in the franchise and returning levels. The characters that players can choose from are Sonic, of course, and then Tails and Knuckles, with the addition of two extra characters in the DLC in the form of Mighty and Ray. The main antagonist is the renowned Dr. Eggman, but Sonic Mania takes pride in creating and adding a plethora of unique bosses that were never seen before.
The thing that Sonic Mania does extremely well is introducing new elements and mixing them with remastered levels from the classic games, which makes this little gem something to look very forward to next week in the Epic Store. It captures so much the magic of the first three Sonic games that some players went to the extent of affirming how Sonic Mania is a better game than all others in the franchise, and that’s no easy task. Overall, these two games are a perfect fit together because of how well they portray the theme of speed and that of classic arcade titles, and the Epic Store could capitalize on this to make this a sort of series made of recurring themes.
The Epic Games Store will give Sonic Mania and Horizon Chase Turbo for free from June 24th to July 1st.
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