Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Simple, fun all-ages arcade-style racing game.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Pico Rally
What's It About?
PICO RALLY doesn't have a story. Instead, it's just a series of races in which players have to drive multiple laps around tracks that are often twisty. The game also boasts simple touch controls, and is played from an aerial perspective, which actually makes it feel kind of like a video game version of a slot racing track. Of course, the main point of the races is to come in first ahead of your competition, but that's easier said than done when racers are willing to bump and crash into you to keep you from the checkered flag.
Is It Any Good?
While fans of realistic or even semi-realistic racing game won't appreciate this arcade game, fans of slot car racing will feel right at home...virtually speaking. In Pico Rally, you engage in a series of multi-lap races around twisty tracks. Except that because this has an aerial point of view and super simple controls with only one button for the gas, and no others (i.e. no brakes, no shift, not even a radio), this arcade racer plays more like slot racing than, say Mario Kart or Gran Turismo. Which isn't to say it's shallow, because it has a ton of courses, and some seem to have been made by slot track masters who really like figure eights and sharp turns.
That said, not every track is a winner. There are a bunch where you can just hold down the gas to win, though most require you to let up sometimes so you can take a turn smoothly. It also doesn't tell you where you are in the standings during a race, which can be an issue when your race has people other than your competition on the track. It would also help if this had a mini-map so you could see where you are on the track during a race, though since most of the races were short, and only a couple laps, this isn't as big of an issue as the lack of standings or the more simplistic tracks. In the end, Pico Rally won't replace deeper racing games for your speed fix, but if you need something simply fun, this gets the checkered flag.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about automotive safety. In Pico Rally, you drive fast and crash often, but your driver is never shown getting hurt or killed, so do you think this sends the right message about driving really fast and recklessly? Is this just a simplistic arcade game that doesn't need to include these messages about safety?
In Pico Rally, ads pop up from time to time, but give you no reward for watching them, so why do you think the designers made this decision? Was it just so you'd buy the ad-free version? Does it seem right to reward them for this behavior?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPad
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : July 2, 2020
- Genre : Racing Games
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks )
- Publisher : Raketspel AB
- Version : 1.4
- Minimum software requirements : Requires iOS 8.0 or later
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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