I remember when a friend first recommended TopBike Racing to me. They said "dude, this game is brutal, I've been playing for a week and still can't get three stars on the first level". I laughed and thought "nah, can't be that hard". Now I get it. My friend wasn't lying. This game is genuinely difficult, but also so addicting that I can't put it down.
This game doesn't hold your hand at all. You get told which keys make you go fast and which ones make you go backward. As for how to not fall into the water? Figure it out yourself. That approach forced me to learn by crashing dozens of times, and honestly, that struggle makes winning feel way better.
Here's what you should know from the jump:
This is the easiest mode but that doesn't mean it's actually easy. You ride across wooden platforms floating over the ocean. The scenery looks great, but if you mess up for one second, you're in the water.
Massive loops that freak you out, bridges so narrow your wheels barely fit, and bottomless pits. This mode doesn't go easy on you. It just challenges whether you have the guts to attempt it.
Beyond controlling your bike, you're also weaving around cars that are actually moving. It's literally like playing two games at once.
Getting three stars means doing three things simultaneously. Sounds simple but it's actually brutal:
I can't just finish a track and walk away. I go back, try it faster, attempt a 360 flip in exactly the right spot to grab that 100 point bonus. That's how one track becomes a challenge that lasts forever.
You have five areas to upgrade and the money comes in slowly:
The problem is you can't max everything at once. When I spread upgrades evenly, nothing feels strong enough. But when I focus on one or two things, the improvement is noticeable.
The showroom lets you view your bike from every angle. You can swap frames, change your rider's outfit, deck it out however you want. The island background behind everything looks pretty cool too, so when you're checking out your ride in the showroom, it actually looks sick.
You gotta learn to feel when to lean and how much to lean. It's not just pushing a button, it's understanding the timing. Takes practice to develop that sense.
I'd go speed first, then brake. Handling and grip can wait until you're dealing with harder levels.
Not sure honestly, but I play online and never had problems.
All the Beach Mode levels are basically the same difficulty. There's no super easy one to practice on.
I've never felt like the game cheated me. When I crash, it's because I played badly, not because the game screwed me. That's why I always want to try again. I know I can do better, and the game proves that if I get better at the skills, I'll win.
That's also why I don't actually find it frustrating. It's not unfairly hard, it just requires me to practice way more than I initially thought.
There's a bunch of other games with similar vibes that you should check out. Rider Rush has the same dirt bike racing concept but plays differently. Real City Bikes focuses on bicycles instead of motorcycles. If you want something more complex, Blocky Xtreme has a totally different style. Crazy Bikes gets solid reviews from racing game fans too. And Moto Racing Club lets you race against other actual players.
If you've already played TopBike Racing, you'll know what you're looking for in other games. Go try them out.
