Trackmania® Turbo Review Summary

Stunning, well-optimized visuals and the best Trackmania campaign yet make for extremely fun gameplay with local split-screen, though gutted car customization and a blocking Uplay launcher hurt it.

Stunning, well-optimized graphics: Reviewers consistently praise the game's beautiful, colorful graphics that are also lightweight and well-optimized.

Extremely fun gameplay: Many players find the game incredibly fun, with the core gameplay loop being highly enjoyable.

Local split-screen multiplayer available: The game supports up to 4-player local split-screen multiplayer, which is easy to launch and offers several fun game modes.

Best Trackmania campaign yet: The campaign is considered the best in the series, offering a challenging but rewarding experience.

Varied and exciting environments: The game features diverse and exciting environments, including the new Lagoon setting with breathtaking rollercoaster sections.

Car customization gutted: Customization is limited to pre-made paintjobs only, with no custom models, skins, horns, or per-environment paints. Players cannot change vehicle paints to their liking or customize avatars and nicknames.

Uplay launcher blocks game: Players cannot start the game because Uplay fails to connect, hangs on loading, or requires a separate Ubisoft launcher installation. The mandatory launcher dependency is the most frequently reported barrier to entry.

Ubisoft account login broken: The game demands a Uplay account but the service no longer exists in a usable form, and logins are rejected even when credentials work on the website. Constant sign-in prompts and account creation failures with 'services not available' errors prevent play.

Multiplayer is dead: Online multiplayer is described as basically dead with few active lobbies and severely limited compared to other games. Players cannot find matches or online play is not possible at all.

No dedicated servers: The game lacks dedicated servers and the Dedimania plugin, relying only on player-created rooms that shut down when empty. Community features like jukebox and plugins are absent.

Online multiplayer: Online multiplayer is available through player-created rooms, with servers supporting up to 100 players.

Track editor available: Players can create and customize tracks using the in-game editor, which is accessible from the cog/gear menu and offers both classic and advanced options.

200-track campaign: A large single-player campaign offers 200 tracks across five difficulty levels.

Four environments: The game features four distinct environments: Stadium, Canyon, Valley, and Lagoon (Rollercoaster Lagoon).

Double Driver mode: A cooperative mode where two players control one car using two controllers.

Smooth performance and good optimization: Many users highlight fluid performance, excellent optimization, constant 60 FPS, and smooth triple DSR without stutters, with improvements over TrackMania².

Linux compatibility requires Proton-GE: The game works on Linux only with Proton-GE; without it, Uplay uses an ancient version that causes issues, and switching compatibility layers fixes it on Bazzite and SteamOS.

Launcher connection failures block play: Players report the game does not launch because the launcher fails to connect, and Ubisoft/Uplay server connection issues make it unplayable.

Steam Deck compatibility praised: The game works great on the Steam Deck, according to player feedback.

Runs well across hardware: Once past the launcher step, the game runs really well on any hardware, according to users.

Not recommended for Trackmania veterans: Many reviewers advise against buying if you expect gameplay like previous Trackmania titles, recommending older games such as Trackmania 2 or United Forever instead. Veterans are told to avoid this installment due to missing features and design issues.

Wait for a sale: Numerous reviewers recommend waiting for a discount before purchasing, often suggesting 50% off or more. The game is frequently considered not worth full price.

Better alternatives exist: Reviewers suggest playing Trackmania United Forever or TM2020 instead for more content and popularity, or buying TM2 environments for customization.

Good for racing game fans: Reviewers recommend the game to racing game enthusiasts, calling it a must-have for fans of the genre. It is especially praised for those who enjoy fast-paced, skill-based racing.

Not recommended for everyone: Some reviewers explicitly do not recommend the game, citing it is not for everyone or that they would not recommend it. Common reasons include expecting a regular racing game or seeking online multiplayer.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00.

Story completion: 20.0h.

Session length: 3.0h.

Endgame: 1200.0h.

Players most often describe the core time-trial loop as immediately addictive and local multiplayer as fun from the outset, though dead online multiplayer and missing community features are recurring caveats.

Friction: Dead or limited online multiplayer; Missing community and custom-server features; Ubisoft/Uplay sign-in prompts; Local multiplayer restrictions such as forced ghosts and reduced split-screen visuals; Bugs and tricky environment handling; Repetition for players who dislike time trials.

Veteran PC Community Time-Attacker: Online time attack on custom servers, chasing leaderboard times and using community tools. Motivation: Sustaining a competitive, community-driven time-attack ecosystem with custom servers and leaderboards. Stance: no buy.

Solo Campaign Completionist: Single-player campaign runs, replaying tracks for gold medals and Trackmaster times. Motivation: Conquering the 200-track solo campaign and earning medals and Trackmasters through repeated time trials. Stance: buy.

Couch Party Racer: Split-screen and local multiplayer sessions, including Double Driver co-op and party modes. Motivation: Sharing relaxed, social racing fun with friends in local multiplayer. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: The Steam Deck experience is dominated by Ubisoft Connect/Uplay requirements, mandatory sign-in, Linux login failures, offline restrictions, and manual Proton or Protontricks workarounds. Some users report the game runs well after switching compatibility layers, but it is not an out-of-box Deck title and is also described as officially unsupported. For many users, launcher and login blockers are severe enough to prevent play entirely.

Linux and Proton: Linux users report Ubisoft launcher/login friction, including an explicit case where login fails without a working Uplay launcher. Other reviews show the game can become playable after manually installing the Ubisoft Launcher via Protontricks/Wine and switching to Proton-GE or another compatibility layer on Bazzite and SteamOS. The evidence points to workaround-heavy tinkering rather than out-of-the-box Linux support.

Uplay launcher requirement: Players must install and log into Uplay (Ubisoft Connect) to play. This is seen as an unnecessary third-party requirement.

Console port criticism: The game is viewed as a console port not originally intended for PC, which affects its design and feel. Some note it is made for console and controller.

Part of Trackmania franchise: The game is recognized as an entry in the Trackmania series and supplements previous titles. It is compared to other Trackmania games.

Downgraded compared to TM2: Reviewers feel the game is a stripped-down or reskinned version of Trackmania 2, with features removed. It is considered a downgrade.

Compared to previous titles: The game is frequently compared to earlier Trackmania games such as Original, Sunrise, Nations, United, and Trackmania 2. These comparisons highlight differences in features and content.