AiRace Speed comes from QubicGames, and having already released two other titles in the series, it’s easy to see that they know what they are doing. As you would assume from the game’s title, speed is certainly the aim of the entire game.

You control a variety of snappy-looking aerial vehicles, all of them able to achieve blistering speeds. Stages in AiRace Speed are usually long tunnel-type courses, littered with various types of obstacles. Your goal, as the player, is to zip through these levels as fast as possible without crashing (but you will). Each crash adds a penalty, meaning your run of the course has taken longer, and you’re that much further away from earning a Gold Star.

The premise of the game isn’t really breaking any new ground, but what it aims to do, it does well. Courses all look futuristic, almost like giant factories from the year 2199, at times sending you flying over a giant industrial fan, or zipping you down tunnels and avoiding what appear to be deathly conveyor belts. All the tracks look fantastic, as do the vehicles.

Something that I can’t forget mentioning is 3D visuals. In most 3DS games, I actually avoid playing in 3D, as I feel it doesn’t add quite enough benefit to the experience; however, that is something that AiRace: Speed is doing well. Very well. With the 3D slider turned up just over halfway on my 3DS XL, AiRace: Speed gains a sense a depth to its courses, and as you fly by obstacles at roughly 500 kilometers per hour, you can almost feel them coursing past your vehicle. It really is one of the best implementations I’ve seen from a 3DS game.

Most people that play AiRace: Speed would draw comparisons to games like Wipeout and F-Zero, and although these comparisons aren’t entirely unfounded, this is most certainly its own game. Whereas F-Zero and Wipeout are futuristic racing titles, AiRace: Speed is more about memorizing courses and dodging obstacles. If you want to become an AiRace Speed expert, then you’ll need to develop a good thumb-twitch technique to slightly adjust the course of your vehicle whilst flying through the levels.

Although this is a challenging game, it never feels unfair, which I believe is important for any game. When you crash, you instantly respawn at your last checkpoint. Checkpoints are regular, so you never lose too much progress through a level, and the instant respawn means the frustration of crashing is lessened by being able to get back on course straight away.

The only serious issue I could find with AiRace: Speed is the lack of replayability. With only one game mode and just the online leaderboards to go on, the game can come to crashing to an abrupt halt once the courses have been unlocked and all Gold Stars have been earned. There is a selection of achievements, but they’re certainly more aimed towards completionists and avid fans.