Star Wars: Galactic Racer may look like a simple high-speed podracing game, but there is actually a lot happening during every race. Your vehicle, Racer Style, abilities, upgrades, and even the way you use your boosts can completely change how you play.
If you’re just starting the game, there are quite a few mechanics you should understand before jumping into the Galactic League. Some systems are not immediately obvious, especially crashes, Racer Styles, Tours, and the difference between the Afterburner and Ramjet.
In this guide, I’ll explain the most important things you should know before playing Star Wars: Galactic Racer, so you can understand how the game works and avoid some common mistakes.
Star Wars Galactic Racer Beginner Guide
There are three main vehicles available in Galactic Racer, and each one is designed around a different playstyle.
Landspeeder
The Landspeeder is the most balanced option. It has good handling and defense, making it a reliable choice if you want a vehicle that can handle different situations.
Speeder Bike
The Speeder Bike is smaller and has good acceleration. It also gets an additional boost whenever you come out of a drift, making it a good choice for players who like drifting around corners.
Speed Skimmer
The Speed Skimmer is much wider than the other vehicles. It works particularly well when you’re trying to maintain high speed on straight sections and can also be useful for clipping other racers.
Alongside the three vehicles, there are 14 different Racer Styles. These work like additional perks that affect your racer regardless of which vehicle you’re using.
For example, the Survivor style starts with the Shield ability and has a higher top speed. The Tenacious style starts with Autopilot and allows you to survive one additional crash, while Ramjet Rider starts with the Vent ability and provides better cooling.
How to Unlock More Racer Styles
You won’t have access to all 14 Racer Styles when you begin.
In the single-player campaign, you initially have access to the Survivor style, while multiplayer starts you with the Ramjet Rider style.
More styles are unlocked based on how you play. For example, using the Ramjet frequently can unlock the Ramjet Rider style, while aggressively eliminating opponents can lead to unlocking the Brawler style.
The game tracks these requirements in its logbook, so you can check your progress there.
In multiplayer, unlocking Racer Styles is more straightforward because additional styles become available as you rank up.
How to Unlock Podracers
The three main racers—Landspeeder, Speeder Bike, and Speed Skimmer—can be freely switched between.
Podracers are different. They are reserved for specific situations rather than being available as your normal vehicle choices.
How Tours Work
The campaign in Galactic Racer uses a Tour system instead of simply sending you from one race directly into another.
At the beginning of a Tour, you choose your vehicle and Racer Style. You are then given a League Token, which essentially acts as your life for that Tour.
If you lose your League Token, the Tour is over.
The Tour takes you through different events across several planets, and the route is presented as a branching path. This means you can look ahead and choose which events you want to take on.
Standard Races
Standard races work as you’d expect: race against the other drivers and try to finish as high as possible.
Eliminator Races
Eliminator races are more dangerous because racers are gradually eliminated from the back of the pack.
You need to stay near the front because falling too far behind can eventually knock you out of the race.
Test Flights
Test Flights are solo challenges with objectives such as beating a specific lap time or using the Ramjet for a certain distance.
Character Encounters
You can also encounter characters during a Tour. These encounters can provide unique opportunities, such as changing the prices of items in Hibi’s Shop.
Parts and Upgrades
After completing events, you’ll be offered different parts and upgrades.
These rewards are randomly selected and only remain active for your current Tour. They can provide useful stat increases and gameplay perks, so choose them according to how you want to approach the upcoming races.
For example, if you’re about to enter an Eliminator race, focusing on top speed and turbo-related upgrades can be useful.
On-Foot Moments
Galactic Racer isn’t entirely about racing.
When you arrive at new planets during a Tour, you’ll sometimes get out of your vehicle and explore on foot. These sections are mainly used for the story, but they also give you an opportunity to visit Hibi’s Shop before continuing.
If you failed a previous Tour and start a new one, you don’t have to worry about being completely broke. Hibi will always provide you with at least some scrap credits to spend.
Every new Tour also gives you a fresh set of modifications to work with.
Crashes and Wrecks
Crashing is one of the biggest dangers in Galactic Racer, especially because wrecking can eventually end your Tour.
Every speeder has a limited amount of damage it can take. You can damage your vehicle by scraping against walls, hitting obstacles, or getting hit by another racer.
The number of crashes you’re allowed depends on the difficulty. Generally, the limits range from four crashes down to one.
Some Racer Styles can change this. For example, the Tenacious style gives you one additional crash.
A normal crash doesn’t immediately eliminate you. You’ll respawn and continue racing, although you’ll lose valuable time and need to build your speed back up.
Once you’ve used all of your available crashes, you’ll be completely wrecked, lose your League Token, and be removed from the Tour.
Attack and Defense
Racing isn’t only about driving fast. You also need to deal with the other racers.
One way to attack opponents is by clipping or sideswiping them, potentially pushing them toward walls or into bad positions on the track.
Successfully taking out another racer briefly slows the race down and shows a camera shot of their crash.
Some Racer Styles are specifically designed around aggressive play.
Defensive players can instead focus on creating distance. Getting ahead and staying away from the other racers is often the safest way to avoid being hit.
Abilities can also help with defense. The Shield, for example, temporarily protects you from smaller attacks when activated.
How to Get a Good Start
Before every race begins, you’ll have several Pre-Race Checks displayed in the top-left corner.
The number of button sequences depends on how many abilities you have equipped. You should try to complete as many of these as possible before the countdown starts.
Successfully completing them gives you a full Afterburner meter at the start and buffs your abilities the first time you activate them.
There’s also a useful trick: complete the Autopilot prompt first, and it can automatically handle the remaining prompts for you.
Perfect Start
During the countdown, carefully feather the gas and try to keep your acceleration inside the second pip between the two white lines.
The exact spacing can change depending on your build.
If your acceleration is in the correct zone when the countdown ends, you’ll get a perfect start, helping you reach your top speed faster.
Afterburner vs Ramjet
The Afterburner and Ramjet are both forms of boosting, but they work very differently.
Afterburner
The Afterburner constantly recharges, allowing you to use it repeatedly throughout a race.
You can feather it around corners or use it on straightaways. When it’s fully available, there is generally little reason not to use it to maintain your top speed.
Ramjet
The Ramjet requires much more care.
The biggest danger is overheating. If you push the Ramjet beyond its warning zone, you can cause significant damage to your vehicle and its systems.
Overheating can temporarily disable your abilities and Afterburner. It can even give you a debuff that lasts for the rest of the Tour.
Unlike the Afterburner, you shouldn’t repeatedly tap the Ramjet. Once you stop using it, the system has to fully recharge before you can use it again.
The Ramjet can also be used offensively, particularly when driving the wide Speed Skimmer.
How to Use Abilities
There are several types of abilities in Galactic Racer.
Active Abilities
Active abilities such as the Shield can be manually activated whenever you have enough energy.
After being used, the ability’s meter will recharge before you can use it again.
Autopilot
Autopilot temporarily keeps your vehicle centered on the track.
It can also automatically activate your boosts and other abilities, making it particularly useful when you need help maintaining control.
Crash Abilities
Crash abilities activate when you’re knocked out.
For example, Ion Blast releases an EMP around your crash location that can affect nearby racers.
Your starting ability depends on your Racer Style, but abilities can be upgraded during a Tour through the random rewards you receive between races.
You can also eventually equip multiple active abilities, giving you more options during races.
Understanding the Currency
There are three main types of currency in Galactic Racer.
Credits
Credits are the basic currency.
You can use them to purchase things such as perks and abilities during a Tour. If you wreck and begin another Tour, you’ll still receive some credits to help you get started again.
Tuning Points
Tuning Points are used for permanent progression.
The campaign starts with only the Landspeeder available, and Tuning Points can be used to unlock the other two main vehicle types.
They’re also used to purchase permanent upgrades that apply to your vehicles.
Kit Points
Kit Points are primarily cosmetic.
They’re used for things such as new vehicle models, paint jobs, and other customization options.
The biggest thing to remember is that Galactic Racer isn’t simply about going as fast as possible. Your vehicle, Racer Style, abilities, upgrades, and driving approach all matter.
Learn how your chosen vehicle behaves, avoid wasting your crashes, use the right upgrades for each upcoming event, and understand when to use the Afterburner versus the Ramjet. Once you get comfortable with these systems, the races become much easier to manage.