/pic8030552.png)
Retro Racer is an exciting dice-driven, card-based racing game for 1 player.
It is inspired by the old video game racers of the past: Pole Position, RC Pro Am, Rad Racer, F-Zero, and more.
Race your car on 11 different courses, encountering random obstacles and trying to beat the Pace Car. But be careful, don’t blow up! Speed is dangerous and the faster you go, the more perilous the drive! Dice determine the obstacles you face, and how well you control the race car! Roll different dice as you go faster.
Retro Racer does not use a board; it is totally card-based and dice-powered. It is a small-footprint game that gives the full racing experience. Your player dashboard, course layout, and track segments are all cards. Your car and obstacles are small chits.
Each course is composed of modular track cards. You will reveal new segments of track as you speed off your current track card.
It's Retro Racer!
For use with the Home Tabletop Entertainment System.
—description from the designer
- Strong nostalgic arcade vibe that translates well to mechanics
- Satisfying visual and tactile components with quick rounds
- Immediate and ongoing benefits from cards add depth
- Luck of the dice can influence early turns
- Some players may prefer a longer->more strategic arc
- nostalgic arcade action in a strategic roll-and-write frame
- Arcade nostalgia theme with space-battling vibes
- thematic, rhythmically mapped scoring via boss encounters
- Space Invaders
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- boss-battle scoring — End-game scoring revolves around defeating bosses on the player sheet.
- dice-driven action cards — After rolling dice, players draft cards that must match the dice to execute actions.
- race/weighting of colors — Players compete to collect color-matched dice to fulfill card requirements and maximize points.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we're rolling into the future
- our top 10 re-rolled which has definitely changed
- it's a give and take it's very clever
- I love the theme I love the creativity behind it, it's a fantastic game
- Rolling into the future a re-roll
- it's module... like a TV box type thing
References (from this video)
- Thematic and tactile dice interaction
- Fast-paced, approachable to new players
- Appealing vintage space-invader aesthetic
- Rules clarity not fully established in transcript; potential learning curve for real-time play
- Daring defense of a networked frontier against advancing droids
- Space-themed, space invaders-inspired real-time dice game
- Competitive real-time arcade-feel duel with blasting mechanics
- Puerto Rico
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Matching — Power up actions require using matching dice to target droids on your sheet.
- Dice Rolling — Players roll dice rapidly to take actions and trigger blasts.
- End Game Bonuses — Rounds end with coin and powerup rewards, driving later decisions.
- End-of-round resolution — Rounds end with coin and powerup rewards, driving later decisions.
- Real-time dice rolling — Players roll dice rapidly to take actions and trigger blasts.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- retrograde which from what i understand is a real time rolling right game
- i really love these discs these are very satisfying
- these monsters are super cute
- the art is painterly, really like this style
- freely inspired by the popular literary work Journey to the West
- the peach festival has come the Architects may join the festivities
- i would love to go to Essen next year fingers crossed
- east is better than West
- get salty is a tiny teeny tiny little game
- catacomb oh look at the little kitties, they so cute