Pitchcar Review

‘Real world’ games have an important advantage over video games: they’re physical, tangible objects. While it’s possible to simulate games such as pool, snooker, darts and so on, there’s little satisfaction to be had in doing well at simulated versions of those games as the majority of the enjoyment comes from being able to physically interact with the table, the balls or the darts themselves. Doing well at a game such as pool requires a certain level of physical and mental competence, and it’s immensely satisfying when things come together and players start doing well at games that have a high level of physical interaction and real-world physics, free from the virtual tables where physics can be wrongly implemented.

Which is why Pitchcar is so appealing. Coming in a brightly coloured and weighty package containing solid, wooden pieces, it’s immensely satisfying to behold even before you play. The aim of the game in Pitchcar is to flick your wooden disk (which is adorned with the picture of a car) around the track and be the first to complete three laps. Players take turns to flick their ‘car’, and if the disk flips over or falls off the track, it must go back to where it was flicked from, then play passes to the next player. Similarly, if a player knocks an opponent’s car off the track, they must go back to where they flicked from, while the car that was knocked off goes back to where it was (effectively losing the active player their turn).

Pitchcar is an amazing game that can be set up in minutes on any large, flat surface, and provides immediate fun for up to eight players. What’s important is that there is very little to learn – even without reading the rulebook, it’s a very intuitive game and one that can be enjoyed by anyone without any lengthy explanations or constant referring to the rules. Games play very fast and are always incredibly fun, with players cursing themselves for being too cocky and launching off the track or reprimanding themselves for being too cautious when a car doesn’t move as far as hoped. It’s a very satisfying game to play due to its physical nature, and provides a similar kind of thrill that games such as pool provide, albeit on a slightly smaller scale and for more than two players.

Some people may have a problem with the size of the game, but there is a smaller sized version (Pitchcar Mini) for those gamers who don’t think they’ll have enough space to accommodate the game. Expansion packs for both the full sized version and the Mini edition are also available, thus providing even more track pieces with jumps and chicanes included – further enhancing an already stellar experience.

It’s very hard to convey just how exciting and addictive Pitchcar is without actually physically seeing it in action, but this is one game that absolutely begs to be played with, touched, flicked and shouted at. Pitchcar is an exciting experience as well as an absolutely stunning game.

Summary

Presentation: Large, sturdy wooden track pieces form the majority of what’s included in the game – they’re well made, very solid and great fun to put together. The wooden ‘cars’ are all brightly coloured and distinct, but the actual car stickers do have a somewhat odd choice of colours in some cases. 9.2/10

Clarity of Rules: Short and to the point, with a few variants thrown in for good measure. 9.6/10

Game Length: Games move incredibly fast and a race with 8 players using all of the track pieces is over surprisingly quickly. Players always seem to be hungry for more games too! As tracks can be custom built to individual needs, game length can be tailored to be as long or as short as players wish, depending on track size. 9.8/10

Value: Pitchcar is expensive, but it is a very addictive game that doesn’t ever outstay its welcome – therefore the cost per play ratio (if you’re worried about such things) will end up being pretty low. 9.7/10

Overall: A highly compelling game that is thrilling and instantly appealing for pretty much anyone that lays their hands on it. I cannot recommend Pitchcar highly enough. Unquestionably one of the very best games in my collection. 9.8/10 (not an average)