Fan Hillclimb Racing Guide

Unofficial guide for the Hill Climb Racing game

Hill Climb Racing is an odd game. When you first start it up, you'll probably be unimpressed: the graphics are clunky, the soundtrack is irritating and the gameplay rather sloppy.

But that's all deliberate, or rather, the sloppy gameplay is deliberate, because is a game that makes you upgrade as you go, to improve the handling of your car. We're not talking Forza-style race tweaking, no, we're talking basic changes so that your car will drive without rolling over.

The aim of the game is to cover as much distance as possible over the undulating terrain. It's up and down, collecting coins and catching air as you go.

It's on this undulating terrain that you'll meet your maker, as the car will easily roll over and snap the neck (literally) of the rather inert driver behind the wheel. It's amusing the first time, but something you'll want to avoid doing, as every time the driver dies, you'll be back to the start to try again.

Some parts of the route you can't pass without making the required upgrades, which is where the coins come in. Upgrades are divided into four sections: engine, suspension, tyres and 4WD. You'll need to improve all of them to stand any chance of making progress.

As you go along, you'll learn that this is a game of skill. Some parts you can race across, other parts require control, all of it needs a balancing of the brake and "gas" pedal to keep the car under control. Too much gas on a climb will see you roll over backwards, too much brake on a descent will see you rolling forwards.

The result is that this is a game that's less about racing and more about patience. It's frustrating at times, but we've found it stupidly addictive, even if is feels a little odd.

The game is ad supported, but you can remove the ads and buy more coins (for upgrades or a new car) in the game, if you choose. It help you pass an odd five minutes here and there in its own odd way. But who knows, you might just find it oddly addictive.