The Trials racing series has gone quiet for a little while so the stunt filled subgenre that pits you against the clock and the elements has a gap to fill. Enter Stunt Paradise, a lo-poly version of the Trials formula that focuses on approachability and a subtle difficulty curve that slowly turns up the heat over its 50 levels of fun.
The 50 levels in Stunt Paradise take place across a variety of environments taken from cinematic worlds. Some have you driving in duet with a steam train, dipping in and out. Others see you dodging lava bombs from a volcano. Later scenes see you driving through temples avoiding swinging blades or flying around loop-de-loops in construction sites or freighter ships. The camera often swoops in and out, or you have slow-mo shots of planes smashing through bridges or a giant shark jumping out the water barely missing you as their jaws snap shut. There is a lot of personality and charm to the camera work to make it feel cinematic and raise the stakes, even if you are just flooring the throttle to avoid everything.
The level design itself starts off very basic and for most of the first 25 levels, you’ll only be having to feather the throttle and using the left analogue stick to spin your car to land on your wheels. Tracks start off with big jumps but soon turn to moving loops and quickfire bounce pads. As levels chain bounce pads or wind fans that blow you towards new platforms, re-orientating yourself is key to survival. This often means you might land on a ramp and have to hit reverse to flip off it and flip back the right way again before you land on your wheels. Stunt Paradise is incredibly forgiving if you land off kilter and you can often right yourself instead of exploding. The same applies to hazards like saws, spikes and traps – you get the benefit of the doubt unless something really spanks you. As you progress, more and more traps are included and braking, timing dodges and having to flip quicker like a ballet dancer becomes the norm.
What stands out is how responsive and predictable the handling model for jumping and flipping are. Each track has an optional star to collect which often involves taking some alternative routes and so getting a perfect launch on a jump or hitting the brakes at the peak of a ramp so you gently teeter down the other side to collect is rewarding but consistent. Along the way you’ll also pick up coins. Coins can be used to buy additional cars but it is cosmetic only – they all handle the same.
For me, Stunt Paradise knows exactly what it is and sticks the landing repeatedly. By being approachable and satisfying to play. It is a joy to play and whilst it takes a little while to ramp up and I’d love to have a some time trial leaderboards available, what’s here is engaging and rewarding to tackle. Trials may be on an extended break but Stunt Paradise will keep you busy in the meantime.
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