Trailblazers

Trailblazers, developed by Supergonk and published by Rising Star Games, is a bold and imaginative take on the arcade racing genre that attempts to combine the futuristic speed of anti-gravity racers with the strategic color mechanics of games like Splatoon. Set in a vibrant, stylized universe filled with bold colors and futuristic tracks, the game introduces a unique concept where players paint the track with their team’s color to create boost paths that both they and their teammates can use. The result is a racing experience that is as much about cooperation and planning as it is about reflexes and precision. Rather than simply trying to outmaneuver opponents through pure driving skill, Trailblazers challenges players to think tactically, laying down trails of paint in key positions to control the flow of a race. It’s a clever idea that brings something fresh to a genre that often relies on repetition and mechanical mastery.
From the very beginning, Trailblazers distinguishes itself with its style. Its world feels alive, filled with energy and charm thanks to its bold art direction and electric soundtrack. The cel-shaded visuals give it a cartoon-like flair that suits its lighthearted tone, while the mix of urban, sci-fi, and cosmic track environments make each race visually distinct. The color-based mechanics transform the look of every track dynamically as players compete, leaving behind streaks of red, blue, and orange in their wake. It’s not just visually striking—it’s functional, too. Painting sections of the track builds lanes of speed for your team, while driving over an opponent’s color slows you down. The game’s cooperative element emerges naturally from this system, encouraging coordination between teammates to dominate the course. In local multiplayer sessions, this mechanic shines, turning each race into a chaotic blend of strategy, teamwork, and improvisation.
The game’s handling, while serviceable, sometimes struggles to keep pace with its ideas. Vehicles glide smoothly enough across the track, but the controls can occasionally feel floaty or imprecise, particularly when navigating tight corners or bouncing off walls. This looseness adds to the chaos but can also frustrate players who crave sharp, responsive control like in classics such as Wipeout or F-Zero. The sensation of speed is satisfying when you hit a perfectly painted boost line, chaining color after color in a seamless rhythm, but the thrill often gives way to frustration when a single misstep sends you careening off-course. Despite these mechanical quirks, the core loop of painting, boosting, and racing remains fun and rewarding when everything clicks. The physics engine captures enough momentum to make well-executed drifts and jumps feel exhilarating, even if the underlying precision isn’t always consistent.
Trailblazers features a variety of modes, including a story campaign that introduces the different characters and their vehicles, time trials, and team-based races. The campaign offers a loose narrative centered on a group of colorful racers, each with distinct personalities and stats, though it functions more as an extended tutorial than a deep narrative experience. It helps players understand how to use the paint mechanics effectively and how to work within team dynamics, but it doesn’t offer much replay value once completed. The real excitement lies in the multiplayer modes, both local and online, where the game’s cooperative and competitive layers fully come alive. Playing with others amplifies the strategic element, as coordinating paint placement and timing with teammates leads to genuinely thrilling moments. Unfortunately, the online community is sparse, and finding active matches can be a challenge, which is a shame because the game’s design clearly thrives in a multiplayer setting.
The presentation of Trailblazers is one of its strongest assets. The visuals burst with color and energy, while the soundtrack—featuring a mix of upbeat electronic and funk-inspired tracks—matches the tempo of the races perfectly. The sound effects, from the hum of engines to the spray of paint, add tactile satisfaction to the act of racing. The art style carries a certain retro-futuristic appeal, echoing Saturday morning cartoons with its exaggerated characters and playful tone. This makes the game approachable for players of all ages, and its split-screen local multiplayer makes it a great fit for casual gatherings. It’s clear that Supergonk designed Trailblazers to be a social experience first and foremost, prioritizing fun and chaos over technical mastery or simulation-style precision.
However, the game’s longevity is limited by its shallow progression system and lack of substantial content. While the roster of tracks and characters is respectable, there isn’t much incentive to keep playing once you’ve unlocked everything or mastered the core mechanics. The single-player experience lacks the depth or challenge to sustain long-term engagement, and the AI opponents are inconsistent—occasionally too passive, other times unreasonably aggressive. Without a thriving online community, the potential for strategic team racing often goes untapped, leaving much of the game’s brilliance dependent on local multiplayer sessions. The unique painting mechanic, while fun, can only carry the game so far before repetition sets in, especially for players seeking deeper competitive or mechanical complexity.
Despite these shortcomings, Trailblazers deserves credit for its creativity and charm. It offers a refreshing spin on the racing genre, one that values collaboration and style as much as speed and skill. The concept of painting your path to victory feels innovative and satisfying, even if the execution isn’t flawless. When played in its ideal conditions—with friends on the couch or in a well-balanced online lobby—it captures the pure joy of arcade racing better than most modern attempts. It’s a game that thrives on energy, color, and imagination, and while it may lack the polish or depth of its inspirations, it succeeds in carving out an identity all its own. For players looking for a fun, accessible racer with a creative twist, Trailblazers is a vibrant and underappreciated gem that rewards those who embrace its chaotic, cooperative spirit.
Rating: 5/10

Steam User 15

Reviewed last year

Splatoon with cars. Drive your vehicle and paint down the ground in your color using your trail energy which replenish as you go. You can do special attacks which paint track ahead of you. When driving on your color you get a boost and when holding it longer the speed will increase constantly. Nice idea but game falls short with one thing... someone can drive behind you and erase all your progress. Main con is there're no power ups. Driving is ok but feels a bit slow at first. Controls are responsive, you can drift around like maniac too. Visuals are nice and vehicles looks cool. Music is ok and falls right into your ear just to exit the other. There you go some unusual racer. If you can get game on discount it might be worth checking out.
PS: For ultra wide support make sure to grab this fix:
Steam User 1

Reviewed 3 weeks ago

Trailblazers, developed by Supergonk and published by Rising Star Games, is a bold and imaginative take on the arcade racing genre that attempts to combine the futuristic speed of anti-gravity racers with the strategic color mechanics of games like Splatoon. Set in a vibrant, stylized universe filled with bold colors and futuristic tracks, the game introduces a unique concept where players paint the track with their team’s color to create boost paths that both they and their teammates can use. The result is a racing experience that is as much about cooperation and planning as it is about reflexes and precision. Rather than simply trying to outmaneuver opponents through pure driving skill, Trailblazers challenges players to think tactically, laying down trails of paint in key positions to control the flow of a race. It’s a clever idea that brings something fresh to a genre that often relies on repetition and mechanical mastery.
From the very beginning, Trailblazers distinguishes itself with its style. Its world feels alive, filled with energy and charm thanks to its bold art direction and electric soundtrack. The cel-shaded visuals give it a cartoon-like flair that suits its lighthearted tone, while the mix of urban, sci-fi, and cosmic track environments make each race visually distinct. The color-based mechanics transform the look of every track dynamically as players compete, leaving behind streaks of red, blue, and orange in their wake. It’s not just visually striking—it’s functional, too. Painting sections of the track builds lanes of speed for your team, while driving over an opponent’s color slows you down. The game’s cooperative element emerges naturally from this system, encouraging coordination between teammates to dominate the course. In local multiplayer sessions, this mechanic shines, turning each race into a chaotic blend of strategy, teamwork, and improvisation.
The game’s handling, while serviceable, sometimes struggles to keep pace with its ideas. Vehicles glide smoothly enough across the track, but the controls can occasionally feel floaty or imprecise, particularly when navigating tight corners or bouncing off walls. This looseness adds to the chaos but can also frustrate players who crave sharp, responsive control like in classics such as Wipeout or F-Zero. The sensation of speed is satisfying when you hit a perfectly painted boost line, chaining color after color in a seamless rhythm, but the thrill often gives way to frustration when a single misstep sends you careening off-course. Despite these mechanical quirks, the core loop of painting, boosting, and racing remains fun and rewarding when everything clicks. The physics engine captures enough momentum to make well-executed drifts and jumps feel exhilarating, even if the underlying precision isn’t always consistent.
Trailblazers features a variety of modes, including a story campaign that introduces the different characters and their vehicles, time trials, and team-based races. The campaign offers a loose narrative centered on a group of colorful racers, each with distinct personalities and stats, though it functions more as an extended tutorial than a deep narrative experience. It helps players understand how to use the paint mechanics effectively and how to work within team dynamics, but it doesn’t offer much replay value once completed. The real excitement lies in the multiplayer modes, both local and online, where the game’s cooperative and competitive layers fully come alive. Playing with others amplifies the strategic element, as coordinating paint placement and timing with teammates leads to genuinely thrilling moments. Unfortunately, the online community is sparse, and finding active matches can be a challenge, which is a shame because the game’s design clearly thrives in a multiplayer setting.
The presentation of Trailblazers is one of its strongest assets. The visuals burst with color and energy, while the soundtrack—featuring a mix of upbeat electronic and funk-inspired tracks—matches the tempo of the races perfectly. The sound effects, from the hum of engines to the spray of paint, add tactile satisfaction to the act of racing. The art style carries a certain retro-futuristic appeal, echoing Saturday morning cartoons with its exaggerated characters and playful tone. This makes the game approachable for players of all ages, and its split-screen local multiplayer makes it a great fit for casual gatherings. It’s clear that Supergonk designed Trailblazers to be a social experience first and foremost, prioritizing fun and chaos over technical mastery or simulation-style precision.
However, the game’s longevity is limited by its shallow progression system and lack of substantial content. While the roster of tracks and characters is respectable, there isn’t much incentive to keep playing once you’ve unlocked everything or mastered the core mechanics. The single-player experience lacks the depth or challenge to sustain long-term engagement, and the AI opponents are inconsistent—occasionally too passive, other times unreasonably aggressive. Without a thriving online community, the potential for strategic team racing often goes untapped, leaving much of the game’s brilliance dependent on local multiplayer sessions. The unique painting mechanic, while fun, can only carry the game so far before repetition sets in, especially for players seeking deeper competitive or mechanical complexity.
Despite these shortcomings, Trailblazers deserves credit for its creativity and charm. It offers a refreshing spin on the racing genre, one that values collaboration and style as much as speed and skill. The concept of painting your path to victory feels innovative and satisfying, even if the execution isn’t flawless. When played in its ideal conditions—with friends on the couch or in a well-balanced online lobby—it captures the pure joy of arcade racing better than most modern attempts. It’s a game that thrives on energy, color, and imagination, and while it may lack the polish or depth of its inspirations, it succeeds in carving out an identity all its own. For players looking for a fun, accessible racer with a creative twist, Trailblazers is a vibrant and underappreciated gem that rewards those who embrace its chaotic, cooperative spirit.
Rating: 5/10

Trailblazers

Game Discussion

Anonymous

Steam User 15

Steam User 1