Futuristic and anti-gravity racers

Take away the wheels and the rules change. Futuristic racers put the driver in a hovering machine that glides over tracks with loops, ramps and drops that no real road could have.

What sets them apart

• Glide instead of grip. Machines hover, so steering feels more like sliding on air. Air brakes or side-shifts help with tight corners.
• Impossible tracks. Tubes, half-pipes and loops are normal, and the track can twist through any angle.
• Extreme speed. Speed is the main draw, so reaction time and track memory matter.
• Boosts and shields. Machines often carry an energy meter that is spent on boosts or lost when you hit a wall.

Games in the style

F-Zero (Nintendo) began on 21 November 1990 on the Super Famicom in Japan, and on the Super NES elsewhere. Its machines hover on anti-gravity and are set in a futuristic Earth. From F-Zero X onward, boosting drains energy, so players use recharge strips to refill it.

WipEout began in 1995 on PlayStation and MS-DOS PCs. It was developed by Psygnosis, later renamed Studio Liverpool, and the series is owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Ships differ in handling, thrust and top speed, and tracks include weapon pads and speed pads. Modes include single races, time trials, tournaments, Zone, Eliminator and Combat.

Redout from the Italian studio 34BigThings is an arcade racing game with anti-gravity ships. It was released worldwide for Windows on 2 September 2016, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2017 and for Nintendo Switch on 14 May 2019.

Learning to fly

• Brake early in your first few races. The speed is greater than it feels.
• Learn the tracks. These games reward knowing what is behind the next crest.
• Use boosts on straights and not in tight sections, where a mistake costs you a wall hit.