Rally Arcade Classics could scratch that Sega Rally itch on PS5 and Switch

It was a sad end to an era when it was announced that Codemasters would no longer be developing rally games for the foreseeable future, ending a legacy dating back nearly 30 years to the original Colin McRae Rally. All is not lost, as the WRC confirmed the series will continue in an “exciting new direction.” But it could be years until we get a new official rally game.

Luckily, there are alternatives. Developed by a three-person team at NetK2Games, Rally Arcade Classics is skidding onto PS5 and Nintendo Switch on 1^st June, following its initial PC release last September. An Xbox version is also planned at a later date.

As the name suggests, Rally Arcade Classics is an arcade-style rally game that blends accessible yet intuitive driving physics with nearly 50 fast-paced stages across four countries, mixed with challenging weather conditions, including rain, snow, and fog.

Players can drive 44 cars from the 1980s to the 2000s. While none of them are officially licensed, rally aficionados will recognise obvious knockoffs of legendary models like the Ford Focus, Lancia Stratos and Alpine A110.

Rally Arcade Classics features five core modes, including a campaign tour complete with Gran Turismo-style license tests, an arcade mode featuring head-to-head races against AI opponents and a traditional rally mode where players compete against other drivers to set the fastest times and win the gold cup. There is also an online multiplayer mode with weekly and monthly challenges.

While the indie rally title pays homage to classic 3D rally games like Sega Rally and Colin McRae Rally, it can also be played in a top-down isometric view reminiscent of Rush Rally Origins.    

A playable demo is available on PS5, which was recently upgraded to support 4K and 60fps and downloaded by over 50,000 players, and Nintendo Switch.

There’s certainly room for an accessible, pick-up and play rally title right now, and Rally Arcade Classics could scratch that Sega Rally itch on consoles. It’s not the only indie rally game on the horizon either, with the top-down Super Woden: Rally Edge and the Sega Rally remake Over Jump also in development.