For all of us that comb our first grey hairs and love racing games, there was a golden age that we remember fondly and that’s when SNK published racing games for their console, the Neo Geo. Games like Over Top (the spiritual successor of the legendary Thrash Rally) and Neo Drift Out came as a breeze of fresh air on a console that was particularly known for its fighting games. Also, one of the arcade kings of the era was World Rally, from Zigurat. These games incorporated a very characteristic isometric view and were known for their excitement, full of adrenaline infused speed that made each race exciting and unforgettable.

Even though there was an attempt to bring the genre back (with games like WRC Powerslide), the genre has been missing that real spiritual successor of those games. It puts a big smile on my face to tell you that Woden GP has arrived to take a seat on that empty throne.

ViJuDa is the driving force (no pun intended) behind Woden GP who developed and published the game, even working as a composer for the soundtrack; which its upbeat rhythms and hard rock riffs are a one way ticket to the 90s to feel the nostalgia with every corner. The sound department works, nothing outstanding to highlight with the exception of the talented Melissa Medina[www.hearmelissa.com] providing her energetic voice as the female announcer that hypes the beginning of each race and wishes us better luck next time when we fail. Oh, and we will fail a lot!

The game is tough as nails! The three different difficulty settings can make it from an approachable experience for newcomers of the genre to a real tests of skills for the veterans, demanding to race the tracks to perfection in order to reach all the checkpoints. The game offers a variety of tracks, 15 closed circuits that we can enjoy against the clock (with the implementation of leaderboards coming soon!) or against the IA in Free Race. There is also a Career Mode and 5 long circuits from point a to B to maximize the Rally experience in the Arcade Mode. These circuits are really the coolest aspect of the game since it takes you through day and night, rain and snow and it’s really challenging and engaging. In the Career Mode we are introduced as the new pilot for a Rally Team with different categories and challenges that will allow us to unlock more than 15 cars, easily recognizable as rally classics. The graphics are really pretty, the sprites are colorful and well designed and they really shine when you look at everything in motion. There are also a collection of filters that give you more choices to define the most suitable aesthetic for you.

Of course, this means nothing if the actual racing doesn’t feel good and luckily for all of us, the handling of the cars is just a pleasure to experience. From drifting and taking a corner at max speed, to overtaking a rival on the last seconds of a race, the arcade experience is here and it never felt this good. I played the game with an Xbox One Controller and a keyboard and both experiences were awesome, but I really recommend you to enjoy the experience with a controller for the good old times!

I think is worth mentioning that this is the first title of this Spanish Developer which is truly surprising. As a reflection of passion and dedication, this game belongs in your collection. ViJuDa must feel proud about his accomplishment here, because this is not only a tribute to a forgotten era, it is a revival. Playing Woden GP feels as good, or even better, as playing the old classics of the genre. This is not simply nostalgia; this is an excellent game!