Rally Point 4

Summary

Rally Point 4 gives you more of the same goodness as the previous offerings in the popular series, but keeps the same simple format so you can finish it all during your lunch break. (Assuming you don’t blow up your engine too frequently!).

The solo point-to-point stages are now faster than ever. You’ll need to juggle the drift feature to fly through the corners and the nitro that rewards you for getting close (but not TOO close) to the danger zone on the straights.

The mixed garage and desert, snow, and jungle stages provide plenty of variety, and each unlockable car has its own unique feel when you’re behind the wheel. You’ll be challenged by the varied terrain that constantly switches things up. From sunny beaches to deep snow and midnight mountain climbs (which often end up with you driving into an unsuspecting wall or off a cliff).

Besides the old-school simplicity (which isn’t for everyone), it admittedly lacks longevity, which isn’t always a bad thing, and decent drivers will likely complete the game in under half an hour. As a quick time burner, though, it’s ideal. Our collection of racing games has plenty more alternatives when you’re done.

Features

• Release date – October 5, 2021
• Difficulty – Beginner
• Levels/environments – 9 tracks (3 environments)
• Number of vehicles – 9
• Vehicle customization/upgrades – No
• Multiplayer – No
• Mobile – No
• Developer – Xform

Physics

Just like the previous games, it offers a predictable, beginner-friendly take on rally handling. There’s no DiRT Rally-style simulator unforgiveness here, don’t worry!

Each car has its own unique feel, making them totally different from one another, while the generous target times and quick resets help keep things fun (so don’t worry about pushing them to their limits).

You’ll immediately notice the huge Bison is (unsurprisingly) much slower and less agile compared to most of the others. However, the Hound (pick up truck) is a welcome surprise, and way quicker than its appearance suggests.

Pressing the dedicated drift key feels more like yanking a handbrake than a full-blown drift system. It scrubs off some speed (great for snapping your car into a bend), then suddenly grips up the AWD system when you release it.

While it’s still good fun, it’s nothing like what you’ll get from drifting games like Drift Hunters MAX. It’s dedicated to the art of drifting, and arguably (we might be a lil biased) the best sideways experience you’ll get in your browser.

Graphics

The chunky models and simple scenery still give the game an unmistakably retro browser look, but the sense of speed from the motion blur has stood the test of time and still looks great.

If you enjoy the dark levels here (which are thankfully more forgiving than RP3) but fancy drifting through nighttime streets with stunning visuals, online multiplayer, customization, and mechanical upgrades, UNBOUNDED sets the visual standard for modern browser games.

Controls

PC/laptop/Chromebook

• W/Up arrow – Accelerate
• S/Down arrow – Brake/reverse
• A/Left arrow – Steer left
• D/Right arrow – Steer right
• Z/Space – Nitro
• X/Left Shift – Drift
• R – Reset
• Esc/P – Pause

Mobile (iOS/Android)

Unfortunately, Rally Point 4 runs on WebGL (like the previous games), which means it isn’t playable on phones or tablets, despite the touch-like in-game buttons. We’ve got plenty of other mobile games if you need something made for touchscreens, though!

How to Play Rally Point 4

Initial Setup

The recognizable magazine-style menu returns, along with the icons that open the achievements, help screen, graphics settings, and sound toggle.

The trophy list mixes standard (easily bagged) milestones along with some more amusing goals such as losing a race, wrecking your cars, and holding a 100-meter drift. Obviously, we all know which one should be the top priority!

Choose a car and track to begin. You’ve got a choice of three vehicles, along with Desert 1, Snow 1, and Jungle 1 levels available immediately. “Try a Car” also lets you sample a locked ride before earning it (in exchange for a quick ad), which is handy when you can’t wait to get behind the wheel.

Getting Started

You’ll need to beat the displayed target time at the top to advance to the next level, and sometimes unlock a fresh whip.

Visual pace notes on the left show you the upcoming bends with arrows and messages such as “Hard right,” while illuminated inflatable tube man-style checkpoints mark the route. They’re particularly useful at night, which you’ll soon appreciate as you progress.

Nitro is effectively unlimited, but holding it quickly fills the heat gauge, which is what you really need to be careful of. A flashing warning and red screen tell you to back off the gas. If you stay greedy for too long, it’ll only be a matter of time until your car explodes, forcing you back to the start line.

Rocks, trees, road signs, lampposts, cliffs, and the sea (who put that there?) can all spoil a run. Unlike games like Deadly Descent, there’s (unfortunately) no lasting vehicle damage, and a major off-course excursion triggers a quick automatic reset that’ll only cost you a few seconds.

I went the wrong way (a little too confidently) and launched it off a mountain a few times. The car quickly returned… Dignity not included.

Game Modes

Just like the previous RP (and most rally) games, the solo against-the-clock rally stages are the only mode on offer. However, you have got a selection of achievements to work through.

You’ll race alone from point to point, beat the target time (shown at the top), and unlock the selection of tracks and cars as rewards. Three of each are open at the start, and completing Jungle 3 eventually unlocks the E30-style “Meister” as the final boss vehicle.

If this stopwatch isn’t lively enough company, Drifted has plenty of multiplayer games where actual humans can ruin your perfect line instead. Drift King and Drift Hunters Pro (its JDM-focused sibling) have become two of the most popular choices here.

Alternatively, if you’d rather hoon around in online lobbies with over 60 cars all unlocked from the start, Madalin Stunt Cars 3 is a great alternative.

Car List

The garage mixes a great selection of hatchbacks, pickups, and big Dakar-inspired big rigs, and thankfully, their shapes aren’t merely cosmetic. Unfortunately, there still isn’t an upgrade shop, and every car’s performance (and appearance) is fixed.

It’s great fun to give the quirkier choices a shot rather than just sticking to whatever looks quickest. Throwing the huge Bison sideways is awesome, while the Hound becomes a surprisingly rapid missile, especially on the downhill sections (you’ll likely bag your first 150mph+ achievement with this).

Here’s the full roster:

• Spear (Ford Fiesta RS WRC-inspired)
• Juggernaut (Random 4×4/Dakar-style mashup)
• Bison (Similar to the massive Dakar-style DAF CF rally truck)
• ForceZ (Based on the Honda CR-Z Touring Car)
• Ichiban (Mitsubishi FTO-style)
• Tsunami (Toyota Celica ZZT231 vibes)
• Hound (Americans will undoubtedly recognize the familiar Dodge Ram cues here)
• Rhino (Hummer HX concept-style styling)
• Meister (BMW E30-inspired, replacing the M6-based Vulcan from RP3)

Five familiar cars from Rally Point 3 return: Spear, Juggernaut, Bison, ForceZ, and Tsunami. Meanwhile, the Meister clearly replaces the Vulcan as the BMW-based option.

Track List

• Desert 1, Desert 2 & Desert 3 – Three super dry, rocky stages make a great starting point
• Snow 1, Snow 2 & Snow 3 – Despite the icy look, the roads remain surprisingly grippy, and you’ll often get to drive through the snowy areas
• Jungle 1, Jungle 2 & Jungle 3 – A selection of tropical scenery, beaches, and mountain roads

Across the routes, you’ll pass towns, tunnels, darker areas, big elevation changes, and solid scenery that’s desperate to stop you in your tracks. The lampposts are especially brutal and not overly obvious at breakneck (literally) speeds.

Rally Point 4 provides more variety without making the routes harder to learn. The night runs remain the trickiest because of the low visibility, but they’re nowhere near as brutal as RP3 (thankfully!).

Once you’ve completed the entire game, maybe you might wanna move on to a more serious “sim-style” rally game? If so, our Assetto Corsa Rally alternatives roundup offers some great alternatives for longer (much) more challenging options. But expect to be humbled pretty quickly if this is your current benchmark!

Advanced Tips & Tricks

Boost from the start, then tap nitro to keep near its heat limit

Using nitrous to its full potential (from an empty tank) is the perfect opportunity to blast off the line. It immediately gets your car shifting (thanks to the AWD grip), then you’ll need to switch to using short bursts as the gauge fills.

When you see the flashing red frame around the edge and glowing red “!” on the nitrous bar, let it cool (very) briefly before tapping again, and you’ll keep max speed. Just make sure you don’t get carried away and miss the red warning while concentrating on drifting through a corner!

Use the drift button to snap the back end around

Plan around the sharp return to grip instead of treating the button like a typical “drift” function, as you’ll soon bog down.

Turn into a tight bend while steering, and stay on the throttle so it’ll launch itself forward when you let go. Once you get used to it, nitro, and drift also work together nicely when the road opens up, but keep an eye on the engine temps!

Keep an eye out for the pace notes on the darker levels

Thankfully, the towering, glowing checkpoints often confirm the route, but they’re sometimes hidden around a blind bend. If so, check the arrow and turn description early, especially on night stages and over crests, or you’ll likely regret your decisions.

If you’re feeling lucky, save your biggest nitro gamble for the finish

When the line is only seconds away, you can hold boost longer because it’s likely to end before the heat penalty catches up, but it’s a risky (yet entertaining) gamble!

Rally Point 4 FAQ