So I Tried… Hobby Horse | GameGrin

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Each edition of So I Tried… I will try a game that I have never played before. Will I find something new to love? Will I find something new to despise? I’ll take a full half hour, no matter how bad it gets or how badly I do, to see if this is the game for me. This time around, I tried out the ancient and honourable pastime of Hobby Horse.

What I thought it was

Look, I’ll be honest: I saw the title of the game and I hit download.

Though my knowledge is limited, I do know that the art of hobby horsing is basically the same as horse riding, with the difference being the mode of transport. Instead of riding the equally powerful and graceful equine beasts we’re used to, this hobby prefers the strength and speed of one’s own legs while sitting astride a wooden facsimile.

So, yes, this is a game about racing stick horses. I had no idea how that would work, but the concept got a laugh out of me, so it was naturally worth a try.

What it actually is

Hobby Horse starts off with you creating your trusty wooden steed, though the options are somewhat limited in the beginning: you pick a colour, a type of mane, a pair of eyes, and that’s your lot. There are other options in all categories and a whole section available, but they’re locked for now. Once your mighty mount is ready, you can saddle up and head to the track!

The racing itself was surprising! I was assuming it to be multiplayer or at least feature other, computer-controlled racers, but no. Instead, each race seemed to be a time-trial where you attempt to get the best possible time. As you gallop through the arenas, you will be faced with tight turns, obstacles, and hurdles to leap over as you run between checkpoints.

Riding your stick horse is a blast, as the game does make it feel like you’re going pretty fast, with overdone speed lines and suitably heavy controls. You can even drift between corners, which adds a bit of Tokyo Drift to the mix! The racetracks themselves are varied, running the gamut from an indoor gymnasium and country road to a fairy forest filled with titanic mushrooms that act as trampolines.

Each race has a Bronze, Silver, and Gold time to beat, though only the Bronze is required to unlock the next stage. In addition to a lovely trophy in your room, you will also unlock new cosmetic items, such as eyes, mouths, and horns, to make your loyal equine even better. You will also gain varying sticks to try out with different stats, such as the heavy Metal Rod or the unwieldy, but fast Umbrella.

Will I keep playing

Hobby Horse was a fun idea, and I did enjoy playing it, but regretfully, it did lose me by the end. Sure, each level adds some new twist to the track, and you can always aim for a better time, but it does get a bit repetitive quite quickly. Adding other forms of races or something to do outside of said competitions could have worked, but as it is, I may not be adding this one to my rotation.

It’s not a bad game by any means, but so far it lacks content to keep me engaged. If you want to give a quirky time-trial racer a try, this is definitely worth a look and can be a fun, if facetious, dip into the hobby horsing world.