Recent reviews by PinStratsDan

There is not a Meh choice for recommending the game, so I must go with No.

The only aspect that matters to me, is the physics, as everything else was already solid enough in Pinball FX3. Zen screwed that up with Pinball FX. This Pro physics in-between Pinball FX3 Zen physics and Williams Classic Arcade physics just doesn't work. In Pinball FX3 Williams Classic Arcade on the later Volumes e.g. Universal Monsters, the physics was getting really good and realistic playing. It still needed some work i.e. it had exaggerated bounce like a heavy rubber ball and not really any micro-bounces, but they gave me hope that they were on the right track. The news that all their tables in Pinball FX were going to get "realistic" Pro-physics, got me really excited... until I actually played it. The ball doesn't play like a real metal ball, the bounces are unrealistic and just plain weird, and the flipper tricks feels at best like an approximation by someone that has never played real pinball... you can e.g. do a live catch, but it just feels wrong.

Either way, I'm still buying their new Williams tables to support them out of appreciation for what they have done over the years. I though never play them more than an hour or two before I get frustrated and bored (because they play too easily even with the wonky physics). The originals, I can't play anymore, because modes and missions are too repetitive and games last forever (which was already the case in Pinball FX3). What I ideally want from Zen before I'll take their game seriously again (and enjoy it), is to bring their Pinball FX3 Williams Classic Arcade physics back to their Williams tables. They were on the right track with those physics, but then they threw it all away for their unified frankensteined Pro physics... that just doesn't work.

So, I thought long and hard before writing this early access review. I want the game to be a success, and I still think it will be, but I also truly believe that if they aspire to meet their initial vision, then this game will stand out above all the other top-down arcade racers that came before and will stand the test of time.

I've been interested in the game from when I first heard about it a couple of years ago. Since it released on early access, I've enjoyed it, but with specific reservations as I don't feel that they are yet achieving what they set out to do. My impression from the developers before early access was that they are aiming for an accessible top-down racer with the heart of a racing simulation - tactile steering and realistic driving physics - and not just another arcade racer. I based it on the gameplay clips they released, what they talked about in interviews and the wording they used in describing what they are going for. The footage always highlighted cars swinging around a corner, riding on the edge of grip on the curb and shifting weight as the car changed direction and/or steadied heading down the straight. The wording they used included... ”Circuit Superstars offers a unique mix of top-down arcade accessibility with the authenticity of motorsport sims” and "FEEL the rubber bite into the road as you pass the start/finish line and dive, brakes squealing, into the first corner!”

I'm not concerned that the game won't have enough content and replayability at release, so my focus is not on that. I think the game has the potential to be exactly what they set out to do with just a few tweaks and a slight shifts in focus. That is what I always keep in mind as I play the game and as I write this early access review. I feel it is a wasted opportunity to not e.g. make use of the games excellent physics model that allow cars to tightly ride the curbs and adjusts its suspension, if cutting the curbs ends up being the fastest because the track limits are too lenient.

For me, the developers need to focus on certain aspects for the game to reach its potential and to meet the vision they set out in the beginning. At the moment for you to drive fast you must abuse the track limits, cut corners, you rarely need to brake (just let go of the throttle) or control your throttle, and you often need to slide through the corner to take it best.

Here are some suggestions for what I think they need to focus on...

- The game should discourage players from going off track with the car being unsettled, slowed down, and having a lot less traction if you do.
- The inside of a corner should be the extent of the curb. The game should tightly penalise anything over the curb on the inside.
- Braking distances should be increased significantly (depending on the type of car). Just coasting into a corner should not be enough to make it.
- Similarly, acceleration must have more of an effect on the car (depending on the type of car). With a powerful car, if you don’t feather the input and just plant your foot before the car is settled and straightened, the car must spin out/veer of course.
- Traction should be increased so that there is less sliding around the corner. If you slide, it should be less under your control and you shouldn’t be able to make the turn without slowing/bleeding a lot of the excess speed.