Super Woden: Rally Edge Review – Arcade Rally Bliss with Garage Depth
A lively arcade rally spinoff that mixes chunky, satisfying handling with a surprisingly deep garage, nostalgic visuals and a killer soundtrack. Great for quick Steam Deck runs, local fun with friends and anyone who misses the golden era of rally games.
I jumped into Super Woden: Rally Edge expecting a cute spinoff — what I got was a full-on love letter to arcade rallying. It blends the immediacy of Sega Rally-style runs with Gran Turismo-like career trimmings, and somehow makes fiddly upgrades feel rewarding.
The core is simple: fast, top-down/chase-camera stages where cars feel heavy enough to matter but light enough to let you drift stylishly. Controls are tight — expect a learning curve that rewards practice rather than punishing you. Career mode is nicely structured with a GT-esque dealership map, upgrades, oil changes and even a charming car-wash mechanic that adds personality rather than busywork. There’s a huge roster from humble compact racers to hillclimb monsters, and you can buy, sell and upgrade cars to shape your team. The visuals are a unique, handcrafted style that oozes character, and the original soundtrack nails that rally adrenaline. Photo mode is a cute bonus and split-screen local multiplayer for up to four players keeps it social. Online leaderboards and seasonal events add bite-sized replayability for time trials and bragging rights. A few rough edges remain: the co-driver’s pacenotes can be hilariously off at times and the camera makes uphill blind corners stressful. Also, some players wished for a Rallycross mode and a slightly longer career, but updates could fix that. Runs incredibly well on handhelds like the Steam Deck according to many players, so it’s a superb pick for on-the-go racing.
Super Woden: Rally Edge is a small gem: joyful, playable and packed with personality. With a few tweaks it could be outright essential for indie racing fans.
Pros
- Satisfying, weighty-yet-arcadey handling that’s easy to love
- Deep garage and progression (buy/sell, upgrades, GT-style career menu)
- Charming visuals, great soundtrack and Steam Deck-friendly performance
Cons
- Co-driver pacenotes can be inaccurate and occasionally misleading
- Camera can make uphill or blind corners frustrating; career feels a bit short
Player Opinion
Players praise the tight controls, huge car roster and that warm, retro-but-modern vibe; many call it the best Woden entry yet. Steam Deck owners repeatedly say it runs at a solid 60fps and is perfect for handheld play. Criticism tends to center on co-driver calls, a few quirky car handling differences, and requests for more modes (rallycross) or longer career content. If you liked Art of Rally’s flow or Sega Rally’s arcade thrills — and you enjoy tinkering in menus like a mini-GT — this will probably click for you.