Pixel Racer is an retro styled racing game from developer Assyria Studios. In actuality, I wouldn’t really call it a traditional racing game as the game itself is really just a series of time trials. You’re really just racing against the clock in order to get the fastest time. On top of the racing aspect of Pixel Racer, it’s also about improving your hand-eye coordination as you’ll need to pay close attention to when the track turns all of a sudden and be fast enough to react to it.

Graphically, the game is very simple in nature. The tracks themselves are all based on using square blocks and all feature 90 degree turns. It has a very retro 8-bit feel to it and even the soundtrack has that retro feel with it’s techno inspired loops. Track designs are varied enough from level to level. Depending on what speed car you are using, the tracks can be either really easy or really challenging. Controls are easy to learn as you only need to tap on the left or right side of the screen to turn left or right.

There are only 24 levels in the game. It is possible to go through all the levels fairly quickly if you play them on the lower speeds so if you only play the game this way, it can be quite short. The proper way to play this is to replay each level until you can do it at the highest speed setting. That way, you’re sure to at least get the fastest possible time and play the game on the most challenging setting.

If you’re looking for a hardcore racing game, Pixel Racer isn’t it. If you are looking for something casual that is a bit different from the traditional racer, than Pixel Racer fits that bill. It’s a fun little game you can just pick up and play and one that your kids can enjoy if you lower the difficulty settings a bit by having them choose a slower car to use.

Pixel Racer is available now in the App Store for $1.99. It is a universal app and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.