As a child of the ’90s, one of my favorite games growing up was Star Wars Episode I: Racer on the Nintendo 64. So when I found out that we were getting a full-blown AAA Star Wars racing game in 2026, I was ecstatic. However, what surprised me the most about Star Wars: Galactic Racer is how well it balances the roguelike and racing genres while also offering up a thrilling cinematic narrative.
A Star Wars Story That Keeps You Invested
One of the first things that surprised me about Star Wars: Galactic Racer is its cinematic story. It’s not exactly a secret that most games in the racing genre either don’t have a narrative or have one that’s bare-bones. Galactic Racer pulls out all the stops and feels like you’ve stepped into a proper Star Wars movie.
However, what really makes Galactic Racer work here is how the narrative is told through the game’s roguelike structure. Like Hades, you learn more and more information about the game’s world and characters as you progress through each run in the campaign. What’s neat is that the game has little cinematic cutscenes that are unexpectedly triggered before or between races.
Whenever you reach a new planet, you are also allowed to walk around and talk to important characters who give you another piece of the unfolding plot. You can even listen to other NPCs have conversations. As a result, Star Wars: Galactic Racer feels like a lived-in world. Even an hour into playing, I was already invested in my character.
An Addictive Roguelike Racing Campaign
The other thing that really surprised me about Star Wars: Galactic Racer is that its single-player story campaign is basically a roguelike. The best way to describe it is that each time you enter the Galactic racing tournament, you are going on a “run” through its levels. Each planet is broken up into branching paths you can take, which feature races, trials, and elimination rounds.
That said, you aren’t expected to clear an entire tournament in one run unless you are really skilled. Whether you are using a podracer, landspeeder, speeder bike, or skim speeder, your vehicles take damage in each race. More importantly, if you take too much damage in a short time, your racer will actually crash, and you will lose a life.
If you crash too many times during your tournament run, you become “wrecked,” which essentially means you are out of the competition. This is where the roguelike design comes in, as your run starts all over again. Your current vehicle gets scrapped for money, and you lose all of your previous bonus upgrades and perks before being presented with new ones.
Like a roguelike, each tournament run you jump into gives you randomized bonus perks you can earn as you win races and progress through the tournament. And yes, you can unlock permanent upgrades that carry over between future runs, so there is a sense of progress. All this to say, I found the marriage between the racing and roguelike genres here extremely well done, and it was super addictive. In fact, I’m actually surprised more racing games don’t do this as the gameplay loop adds a lot of replayability to the genre .
Gorgeous Star Wars Worlds and Thrilling Tracks
If you are a Star Wars fan, Galactic Racer has some of the best visual eye candy I’ve seen from the franchise in a long time. Whether you are visiting the sweeping desert dunes of Jakku or the lush greenery of Lantaana, the set pieces here are actually amazing.
The world of Galactic Racer also just feels massive, and Fuse Games absolutely nailed re-creating the Star Wars universe. Even if you aren’t into racers, I suggest fans of the series check this one out just for the visuals. I was genuinely having to stop myself from pausing my game just to take screenshots.
It’s also not just surface-level eye candy. Fuse Games does a fantastic job designing thrilling racetracks that take advantage of the Star Wars universe. For instance, on Lantaana, you are whipped through underground volcanic caves and have to drift around lava to avoid your vehicle catching fire. The graphics and level design in Galactic Racer are truly top-notch.
Verdict: A New Era of Star Wars Racing
Star Wars: Galactic Racer takes the arcadey fun of Episode I: Racer and turns it into a cinematic racing adventure. Its gorgeous planets and thrilling tracks capture the magic of the Star Wars universe, while its addictive roguelike structure makes even a failed tournament run feel like another excuse to jump back in.
Verdict: Best In Its Class (9.3/10)
Pros
- Its roguelike structure makes Star Wars: Galactic Racer’s story campaign a blast to progress in.
- Galactic Racer gives players four vehicle types to choose from, which offer up a variety of gameplay and meta builds.
- It’s cinematic story is genuinely top notch, and one of the best I’ve seen in modern racing games.
Cons
- Some players may find the roguelike loop frustrating, if they don’t like scrapping their previous vehicle. However, you can earn permanent upgrades over time. Galactic Racer also offers plenty of additional modes such as multiplayer that will keep classic racing fans satisfied.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer releases on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 6, 2026. A code was provided by Fuse Games for the sake of review. Reviewed on PlayStation 5 Pro.
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