Today, we are checking out the Nitro Turtles demo on Steam. It’s a fast-paced racing game, turtle style. The object is the same: just beat your opponents to the finish line, but in a unique turtle style!
In the demo, you can try out the Nitro Turtles Circuit or the Rainbow Reef, but the developer Lucky Turtle says there will be nine vibrant and unique courses, including Sandstone Spires, the Cracked Shell Crater, and more!
You can choose from single-player, multiplayer, or a speedrun to begin your turtle race. When the full version is released, you will be able to play single-player, online multiplayer against your friends, split-screen, or LAN multiplayer. There is also a tutorial option, but it just shows the controls at this point in the game development.
Single-Player
In the demo, you can race against zero or up to seven bots in a one-to-ten-lap race, depending on how you choose to set the race up in the game options.
Along the way, you will find “dash pads” that significantly boost your speed in selected areas. But that’s not all, some high-tech shell-attached gadgets can help you gain or speed away from your other shelled opponents. Each gadget is activated with the A button and deactivated with the B button. All of the high-tech gadgets do different things and can help you beat your opponents along the way.
To be the fastest turtle around, you will have to master the track and the attachments, such as shellicopter, seagull, bubble, urchin, and performance-enhancing seaweed that has not been tested for safety and likely has numerous side effects.
Speedrun
The speedrun mode is a timed 3-lap run in which you can try to improve each lap on the Nitro Turtles Circuit or the Rainbow Reef. It’s also a good starting point to learn the tracks before you take on your opponents. Once you get the hang of it, you will improve with each lap. Hitting the dash pads is key in Speedrun; then you will be speeding around the track, turtle-style. It’s fun to try to beat your previous laps and see your overall time after the three laps, and see how good or bad you rank amongst the other turtles.
Final Thoughts
Nitro Turtles is an excellent game for all ages. You find yourself wanting more turtle racing action with each race. Surprisingly, the bots are more of a challenge than expected at the start, but once you improve your turtle skills, you will be ready to take on some real opponents.
It will be exciting to try out the online multiplayer action against some friends or other players and see what the other tracks have to offer. Maybe there will also be some new high-tech gadgets along the way.
The planned release date is March 10, 2026, so be sure to check out the Nitro Turtles demo on Steam and give the developer Lucky Turtle some feedback!
System Requirements (Minimum)
- WindowsSteamOS + Linux
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600x or Intel i5-8400
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050-Ti or AMD RX 560
- Storage: 2 GB available space
- Additional Notes: These requirements are estimated, and there will be further testing!
