Trackmania is a racing game phenomenon. First released in 2003, it focused on an extreme time trial format: you compete against the track and your goal is to go as fast as possible to win a gold medal.
TrackMania has seen several editions over the years; These include TrackMania United, TrackMania Turbo, and TrackMania 2 (as well as its Stadium, Valley, Canyon, and Lagoon environment offshoots), but the most recent game is simply titled Trackmania.
Released on May 15, 2023, the 2020 console editions on PC bring free arcade racing fun to a potential audience of millions.
One of the most important features of the game is the track editor. This allows players to create awesome tracks that can be shared online for other Trackmania fans to try, with online leaderboards providing plenty of incentive for fast laps. The key here is its simplicity, which allows for the creation of diverse racing environments with a social touch.
It’s also an esports hit as Trackmania-based streams and competitions attract hundreds of thousands of viewers around the world thanks to the addictive “just one more try” gameplay.
If you’re interested in racing headfirst at 200mph, below is everything you need to know about Trackmania.
Which platforms offer Trackmania?
Trackmania is not only available as a PC version on Steam, the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store, but also for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and the cloud gaming service Amazon Luna.
The console and Luna release was on May 15, 2023.
Is Trackmania a single player game only?
No, Trackmania can be played online with friends or offline alone. It’s possible to race against other players on the same track at the same time, but your opponents will appear as “ghost cars” with no collision physics enabled.
What Makes Trackmania So Addictive?
Trackmania is a simple online or offline game where players tackle imaginative tracks aiming to set the fastest lap time possible. Depending on how quickly you complete the course, there are gold, silver, and bronze medals. Online leaderboards allow for competition between friends while showing your regional position.
Due to the offbeat nature of some point-to-point courses, sometimes just completing a stage is an achievement in itself, and many literally require a leap of faith to complete.
Vehicle handling in Trackmania is also a delight; with enough intuitive grip (not on all surfaces, mind you) to push the boundaries of any environment. The game can also be run on PCs with modest specs, so the pace of the action doesn’t slow down.
Is Trackmania free to play?
Yes, Trackmania’s Starter Subscription Pack is free to play but offers two paid subscription tiers; Standard and Club.
What’s included with the free version of Trackmania?
Trackmania’s free starter subscription allows players to participate in a new solo or online campaign each quarter. This includes new tracks and medals to collect.
Players can also play against friends online in royal and ranked matches, with a rudimentary track editor also available (though with a limited number of objects to use).
What does a standard Trackmania subscription offer?
The Standard Edition of Trackmania includes all the features of the Starter version plus advanced track creation tools and objects. Plus, every seasonal campaign (as of July 2020) is available to try.
In addition, thanks to the curated “Track of the Day” feature, players can try a new community-made track every day, participate in club activities and set up their own local server. It is also possible to submit your own custom track to the Track of the Day review server.
How much does a standard Trackmania subscription cost?
A standard Trackmania subscription costs £8.49/$9.99 per year.
What does a Club Trackmania subscription offer?
The Club Trackmania subscription includes all aspects of the Starter and Standard levels, as well as the ability to use custom car skins, form clubs, play against the ghosts of the fastest players and, crucially for budding pro players, on Participate in official Trackmania esports competitions.
How much does a Club Trackmania subscription cost?
A Club Trackmania subscription costs £25.99/$29.99 per year or £49.99/$59.99 for a three-year subscription.
What’s included in the 2023 Spring Season Update?
The 2023 Spring Season Update adds 25 new tracks and 100 additional medals to earn for free. Players can also unlock a new prestige skin by completing Campaign mode and earning the Track of the Day medals.
More than 150 track creation blocks are also available in the game’s track editor mode, with a new club creation UI and two additional selectable driver body types (also known in game as morphology).
Do you need a UbiSoft Connect account to play Trackmania?
Yes, you need to sign up for a free UbiSoft Connect account to play Trackmania. You can log into your UbiSoft Connect account on any platform you want, but you cannot be logged into the same account on multiple platforms at the same time.
Does Trackmania offer crossplay?
Yes, Trackmania not only offers cross-play but also cross-platform. This means players can save their progress in one format and pick up where they left off in another format. This also means that players can compete against multi-generational console owners and against PC players at the same time.
The game also has a handy replay editing feature that allows players to edit together the most spectacular views of their runs. A screenshot mode is integrated into it, in which effects such as depth of field can be added.
What game modes are available in the starter version of Trackmania?
There are three tabs of playable events on Trackmania, but many of these are locked behind the subscriptions paywall. What you can get in the free version includes the campaign under the Solo tab as well as Training.
There are two modes under Live. The first is Royal mode, which is a team-based battle royal affair, and the second is Ranked mode. For local multiplayer, splitscreen and hotseat are the two available options.
Are there Trackmania esports competitions?
There are a few things to watch out for once you’ve finished using this beginner’s guide. Two standout games are the Trackmania World Tour and the Trackmania Grand League World Cup.
Can you create and share custom tracks in Trackmania?
Yes, but you must own a subscription-level version of the game as mentioned above.
