When Star Wars: Galactic Racer brings you to your first demo race, chances are you’re going to crash. And chances are you’re going to see that rewind in spectacular slow mo, complete with trash-talking from your rivals as they pass. This can get frustrating, but this will be a common occurrence in Galactic Racer, especially since it’s a roguelike. Unlike other racing games, Galactic Racer runs are designed to cut short when you lose specific events or crash often enough. And it can take some time getting acquainted with the maps and the overall “feel” of the game before it starts to get equal parts challenging and fun.
Of course, for a gaming crowd who may not have all the time in the world to “take some time” to get familiar with Galactic Racer mechanics, the idea of restarting all the time can get daunting. But there’s a way to maximize your first Galactic Racer runs and learn as many lessons as possible.
Get a better “feel” of the cars in the demo races
Check which vehicle class fits your playstyle the most
It’s true that Galactic Racer definitely feels like a run-of-the-mill racing title, but there’s also a learning curve around the fact that it features more “open” tracks and you’re using floating vehicles. This means there’s not a lot of that recognizably visual “kick” that wheels-on-the-ground cars usually give, so you’d have to reorient yourself to what “good” acceleration and turning looks like.
Use your first races to get a sense of how the vehicles respond to your controls. The first few demo races you’ll have will get you acquainted with the three vehicle classes, so there’s not a lot of pressure there. This is helpful for much later when you decide to spend credits on buying your new vehicle. You’d notice:
The Landspeeder is the closest to the traditional car racer with a traditional drift mechanic
The Speeder Bike trades maneuverability for speed, and you can get even more speed out of tight turns (Kinetic Burst)
The Skim Speeder is more or less an in-betweener with a sideways bank (Knife Edge) to squeeze in tight corners and spaces.
The Landspeeder is your new best friend
The Landspeeder feels the most like a traditional racer
Compared to most ships in Galactic Racer, the Landspeeder feels awfully “pedestrian” in nature. They resemble traditional cars the most, so there’s not a lot of a Star Wars-y feel to them compared to, say, Skim Speeders (that look like small starships) and even the epic Podracers. But it’s that element of familiarity that makes Landspeeders relatively easy to use. They’re bulky and evidently heavy, so you need to use this to your advantage.
The Landspeeder helps you get acquainted with the overall “format” of Galactic Racer maps. Regardless of the planet, Galactic Racer tracks are very wide when there’s an open field, but they can get very constrained inside caverns, tunnels, and even most corners. Since the Landspeeder is heavy, you need to learn how to time your brakes to get into corners, when to accelerate back into action, and when Ramjetting is the best course of action. When you crash with a Landspeeder, it’s because you’re doing too much of something or not enough of anything. These are much harder to navigate with everything but the Landspeeder, because the other two vehicles emphasize speed and less maneuverability.
Sometimes you just have to survive
Finishing last just means you win less rewards
Most racing games need you to always finish in first place because you’re just some prodigy that even the police want you to work undercover to catch illegal street racers. Shade is a similar prodigy, but Galactic Racer is realistic enough (for a Galaxy Far, Far Away) that behind a popular racer’s illustrious career are sets of glorious wins and inevitable losses. When applied to your first run, don’t pressure yourself into having to win all the time. Unless, of course, you’re in the Eliminator.
But other than that, there’s really no need for you to finish first all the time. Granted, finishing anywhere near last means you won’t get good enough credits to save up for those juicy Abilities, which means if anything you’ll just get he stat boosts after every race. And for your first run, that’s fine. Survive long enough to get a sense of what’s coming on the other planets, so you’re more prepared next time.
Skip the Eliminator races if you feel a bit pressured
With the right layout, you might get only a few Eliminator matches
Just like in most other racing games, Galactic Racer has a variety of racing modes. But since it’s structured like a roguelike, no Galactic Racer run is the same. Your Tours will come with a series of races that branch off into different paths, so a normal race can lead into Mystery Events with rivals, into Time Trials that reward you when you finish before a certain time, or the dreaded Eliminator match. It’s never the same in any run.
In new maps, an Eliminator is scary, since not only do you have to secure a podium finish, but you’re doing this with no way of knowing what to expect (especially if it’s a completely new track). In the first few runs where you only have one League Token, that can cost the entire playthrough. But, again, the races often branch off into paths, and you somewhat already have an idea of what the run will look like from end-to-end (sans the qualifier). This means if you play your cards right (and with luck), you can find a path that takes you to the least number of Eliminator races.
Let loose with the Time Trial
You get unlimited crashes, so use that to “train” control over a new vehicle
Throughout your Galactic Racer runs, you will inevitably come across Time Trial races. These are solo challenges with the lore context of being asked to test some prototype vehicle or concept, and you’ll be asked to try beating a record time with some other conditions. Normally, you’d want to win because that’s the only part where you get bonuses. But if you want this to be a learning experience, you can actually just let loose. You won’t lose any League Tokens if you lose, and you can crash as many times as you want (this will delay your time, of course).
Most Time Trial vehicles are randomized, so oftentimes you can get another Landspeeder, sometimes you get to try the occasional Speed Bike or Skim Speeder. Use this opportunity to get a sense of how they “feel” in the race, what their turning intricacies are (especially versus the Landspeeder), and what conventions you think you’d have to learn if you want this to be your eventual upgrade. You only officially lose the trial and move to the next race when you finish, so just race to your heart’s content.
Don’t sweat the upgrades yet
Upgrade what you need now, more will come in time
During your first Galactic Racer run, you might be pressured into saving your credits or “focusing on the long term” by upgrading something you think is niche. Don’t do this. If there’s something you think is lacking in your vehicle’s performance, upgrade that now. Remember, if you get Wrecked, you’re out of the race anyway. If you feel you can control the Ramjet, get the Ramjet upgrade. And if you feel like you need more consistent acceleration, go for an Afterburner upgrade. If you’re nervous around your turns, get Cornering.
Your first runs will definitely lock more features behind progression. It’s only in Act 2 that you actually get introduced to other features like Backers who offer challenges for rewards, Side Bets that cash in if you guess a specific rival’s standing, and even more Abilities and bonuses you can purchase for your car. It will get better, so don’t sweat the small stuff yet.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer launched on October 6, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S
Star Wars: Galactic Racer Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reset my campaign in Star Wars: Galactic Racer?
Not traditionally. Being a roguelike, getting Wrecked or losing your League Entry Token in Act 1 practically takes you to the very start of the campaign, but any permanent upgrades you made will be taken with you. The only way to truly restart (as in, with the intro cinematics and demos) would probably be to manually delete your save files.
Can I use all vehicles at the start of my Star Wars: Galactic Racer campaign?
No, you can only use the Landspeeder at the beginning. You will have to work your way to 100 Tuning Points (for the Speeder Bike) and 200 Tuning Points (for the Skim Speeder), respectively. But once you’ve unlocked them, they permanently stay with your character.
Do I always have to win races in Galactic Racer to proceed with the campaign?
Winning is only a prerequisite for specific Events, such as qualifying matches or championship races. In most other Events, you either need to finish without crashing (most Races), finish regardless of the outcome (Time Trial), or get a podium finish (Eliminator).
Why can’t I see Backers yet?
The game rolls out these features gradually as you progress through the campaign. Backers arrive in Act 2, when you finish the qualifier in Act 1.
Published: Oct 10, 2026 04:23 pm