Trackmania

The Good
Super smooth controls. Awesome track builder. Great community with quasi infinite tracks to download. Instead of different car types like in previous Trackmania games, there are now different track types which basically allow the same car to behave in the ways of the different car types in the older games. But tracks can now mix and match allow for an even wider variety of tracks. Although lots of mixing doesn't often lead to a very good track, and merely to a more frustrating track.

The Bad
Subscription based, keeps you paying. While not expensive, it does feel a bit weird for a game that's more or less identical to the multiple games in the series I bought in the past.

The Bottom Line
First there was TrackMania (2003), a stunt racing game that evoked fond memories of the old DOS stunt racing game Stunts, albeit a bit quirky with cars that felt more like toy cars than real racing cars.

Then came TrackMania Sunrise which did away with the dinky toys to create a more serious look, which was different, but not necessarily more fun.

Then came free TrackMania Nations, which featured less modes, but focused more on the community building and eSports. This became the staple TrackMania we now know.

TrackMania United bundled all the previous games' modes into a single fantastically diverse game.

Then came another more stripped free game with Nations Forever. And TrackMania United was freely updated to United Forever to be brought up to par.

Then Trackmania 2 arrived on the scene, but required players to purchase each of the four game modes (released over time) separately. Leaving the game feel much less in quality and variety than United ever was.

Trackmania (2020) is an evolution of all the previous games. Instead of a boxed package like most of the previous games or free like Nations, instead it opts for a free base with a subscription model for all kinds of extras (like hosting LAN servers). It's not super pricey and if you like the game worth it in my opinion. But I can't help but shake the feeling I already bought this game multiple times in the last 20 years, with not a lot of changes. It solidifies and in a way is the most diverse Trackmania game yet, but on the other hand it doesn't really feel like much has changed at all since United in 2006. Not as bad as the Worms series, but still.

Big fan of the series? You probably just going to roll with this. New to the series? This is a great entry point. Casual fan of the series? You can just replay one of the older ones you already own if you just want to time trial.