Instead of multiple cars racing on the same track, Street Stage is a series of one-on-one races between the player and a rival. This game will throw newcomers for a loop at first because it looks and feels deceptively easy: the first few tracks aren’t full of tight turns, the cars handle extremely well and the game doesn’t slow you down much when you hit the rails/edges.
But make no mistake about it: this game will punish mistakes. Slow down for a millisecond or fail to turn at the right angle and you’ll immediately see your rival shoot past and take the lead. You’re also racing against time here. If you fail to hit the checkpoint before the timer hits 0, it’s game over. You’re going to lose a lot in this game (particularly on the first few tries), but if you manage to get past the steep learning curve, you’re going to find Initial D: Street Stage a very rewarding and addicting driving game.
