Synthwave Racers [Developer Showcase]

In the late 90s, William Corrin III, like many kids of his generation, relished the opportunity to play video games on his dad’s Nintendo 64. However, unlike most of his peers, this marked the initial stride on his journey towards a lifelong dream career.

At the age of 12, William delved into game development, and from that point forward, his destiny was sealed. His senior project in high school involved crafting a video game, a precursor not only to his college years but also to his subsequent professional trajectory. In his early twenties, he appeared to have realized his childhood aspirations. Yet, as life often demonstrates, the path to success is rarely straightforward or effortless. After five highly successful years in the realm of professional game programming and on the brink of a second promotion, he faced an unexpected setback. In April 2023, he and forty percent of his team found themselves laid off amidst widespread cutbacks in the gaming industry.

William characterizes the past few months as an “unusual, nerve-wracking, yet exhilarating period.” This time tested his self-belief to its limits, as he turned down multiple job offers, enduring countless sleepless nights. Eventually, his determination paid off. “Synthwave Racers” marks the inaugural release from Corrtex Games, a company born from the crucible of unforeseen circumstances and unwavering perseverance.

The goal with “Synthwave Racers” was to revive the nostalgia and enthusiasm of older kart racing games from the 90s and early 2000s while melding it with a contemporary and whimsical gameplay experience. This game invites players to relish the nostalgia of past racing games while embracing a modern approach to eccentric kart racing. Players can anticipate racing at hypersonic velocities, executing physics-defying drifts on imaginative tracks, and immersing themselves in a complete collection of original Synthwave music tracks. “Synthwave Racers” offers a range of features, including rider customization, solo offline play, competing against friends’ ghost racers, and engaging in online battles with other players.

The goal was to rekindle the nostalgia associated with cherished, passion-fueled childhood games and reintroduce them to the contemporary gaming scene. The three games that served as the primary sources of inspiration were Mario Kart 64, F-Zero X, and Super Monkey Ball 2.

When queried about potential changes to his approach if given the opportunity to redo the process, William affirmed that he would unquestionably opt for the utilization of a networking library rather than laboriously constructing the netcode from the ground up. This choice could have significantly accelerated the game’s release by several months. However, he acknowledges that this endeavor provided him with invaluable learning experiences and placed his extensive professional expertise under the ultimate test.

The game is suitable for children, featuring only mild cartoon violence and playful mischief, with no instances of blood, gore, profanity, or any mature themes. The game, with a single upfront cost, is devoid of any in-game purchases. Every element, from the extensive roster of 150+ characters, karts, bikes, power-ups, to the diverse array of courses, is readily accessible within the game, waiting for players to explore and enjoy.

The forthcoming planned updates encompass an array of exciting features, including local multiplayer, seasonal content such as new courses, characters, karts, and more. Additionally, William has confirmed that he is exploring the possibility of incorporating a versatile level editor and streaming and sharing system for an even more enriching gaming experience!

The continuing development of “Synthwave Racers” will obviously involve ongoing-costs and William is keen to point out that he is always receptive to funding and investment opportunities or potential partnerships. Any opportunity that enables them to sustain their work on games they find enjoyable, well-crafted, and valued by the gaming community is warmly welcomed.

As an experienced solo developer skilled in porting and game development across multiple platforms, William decided that the most pragmatic approach to meet the project’s set time frame was to select a singular platform. Developing games primarily on the Windows platform and frequently utilizing Steam for playing other Windows-based games, it became clear that this platform was the optimal choice. A free demo is available on the Steam store, although it lacks several of the main game’s courses and features, such as online functionality. Nevertheless, it offers a completely cost-free opportunity to give it a try.