Video game development is so fascinating. Who would have thought that the team most famous for makingNidhogg, a delightfully violent and mega-viral competitive fencing game, would then follow it up with an open-world bike riding adventure? It’s like finding out Quentin Tarantino is directingThe Legend of Zelda movie. I guess good game devs stick to their genre, but great ones can make awesome games in any genre.
I took Wheel World for a test ride during GDC in San Francisco last month alongside Messhof’s Mark Essen and Kristy Norindr, and it ended up being one of my favorite games of the week. Cruising around gorgeous landscapes while listening to an original synth-pop soundtrack from Italians Do It Better is exactly as enjoyable as it sounds, while the races show off the high level of precision and care that went into creating this bike-riding fantasy.
Embrace The Ancient Cycling Spirits
Things aren’t as chill and laid back in Wheel World as they first appear. Your character, Kat, has been chosen by ancient cycling spirits - a flaming green skull that accompanies you on your journey - to recover stolen legendary bike parts in order to perform the Gear Shift ritual and save the world from destruction. Pretty heavy stuff, but don’t worry - you’re able to take as much time as you want rolling around on your two-wheeler. Evidently, the end of the world can wait.
I spent about 20 minutes with Wheel World, and while I did take on a few races, I spent more of my time exploring and taking in the world. The map is broken up into smaller regions that you’ll unlock Assassin’s Creed style, but once you get out of the starting zone, you have a lot of freedom to explore. There are several different biomes to ride in, like dense forests, snowy hills, and small towns, and there are plenty of secrets, side quests, and most importantly, bike parts to find.
I’m no cyclist (though Essen is, and tells me making Wheel World was an outlet for that passion) but I know a good bike when I ride one. While it’s far from a bike riding simulator - you don’t have to worry about changing gears or managing your stamina - it does manage to capture the weight of a bike and the physics of riding one in an authentically satisfying way. The way you can shift your weight to tilt the bike for precise adjustments, the way different types of terrain affect your traction and maneuverability, the risk and thrill of taking big jumps - it all works together to create a believable experience.
Ride Like The World Depends On You
Drafting is a huge part of racing in Wheel World, just as it is in real bike racing. Riding in the wake of another racer will increase your speed, allowing you to catch up to them and eventually overtake them, but of course, other riders will do the same thing to you.
This introduces an interesting element of strategy to races. You want to hit your lines as perfectly as possible and ideally take a distant lead, but if you’re fighting neck and neck for position (which frequently happened to me) you’ll need to choose your moment carefully. Jumping ahead at the wrong time can allow your opponents to move ahead at a more opportune moment, taking advantage of a more favorable section of the track or even spiking the lead just before the finish line.
The courses themselves have a huge impact on the way you approach each race as well, and it was interesting to see locations I had casually ridden around in turn into structured raceways. It made familiar places feel brand new, and it helped me see the world as a bike rider. I started to notice more things: little natural ramps that serve as collectibles, hidden routes leading to bike upgrades, interesting characters offering optional side quests.
It’s hard to step away from a world you want to live in after only 20 minutes, but what I got to see of Wheel World certainly piqued my interest. I’ll be interested to see if there’s enough variety in environments and races to keep things interesting, and if Wheel World’s approach to open world quests activates the little gamer goblin in my brain that loves a good checklist. I suspect it will, and I’m looking forward to riding back into Wheel World when it launches later this year.
