WWDC 2009: First look at Galactic Racer on iPhone

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In that case, Galactic Racer plants a big, wet kiss on the cheek of WipEout. Parallel to the look and feel of that genre-defining series, this independently developed game intends to rev up its own unique interpretation with gravity-defying, obstacle-ridden courses.

Maximum velocity is your goal in this futuristic racer, tips of your handset enabling you to steer through winding courses. Gentle bends are joined by tighter turns and even full loops. One such track inverts on itself, propelling you forward then flipping upside-down for the homestretch.

There's also the ability to strafe past opponents and obstacles by pressing an on-screen button and tilting the device left or right. Strafing should prove useful when you want to bypass obstacles like boulders jutting up from the ground or damaging lasers that block sections of a track. Even when slipstreaming behind a competitor, strafing can help to launch you forward.

You could just as easily use boost or weapons to take out an enemy, too. Power-ups picked up during a races range from forward-firing rockets to more complex bonuses such as a teleport power-up that instantly transports you ahead on the track. One particularly creative power-up places your vehicle on auto-pilot as it's flipped around, giving you the ability to fire on opponents trailing behind you. Interestingly, power-ups will be activated via a cover flow-style menu that appears whenever you touch the centre of the screen.

Without weapons, you can rely on boosting to get ahead. Boost rings situated at specific points on each track provide a temporary jolt, as well as give a little juice to your boost bar. Fly through a bunch of rings and your boost bar fills up, giving you a reserve that can be used at any time with a press of your finger.

A slate of eight different vehicles allows you to choose one that fits your particular racing style. Variations in handling, maximum speed, acceleration, and boost ensure each vehicle benefits from specific on-track tactics. Learning how to drive each vehicle should prove as much of a challenge as the competing racers themselves.

Galactic Racer currently includes a single-player Championship mode that acts as a campaign. Multiplayer modes – namely local wireless play – has been discussed, but the focus is being levelled on finishing the core game before committing to any added multiplayer functionality. Given the undetermined release date for the game, we'd be happy to wait as long as necessary for some form of competitive multiplayer.

That could have an enormous impact on the final game's appeal, as Galactic Racer may have difficulty standing out of a growing pack of futuristic racers. The unique looping course designs and cover flow power-up interface are intriguing, though we need a thorough hands-on to see what this forthcoming racer really has under its hood.