In a battle between Ska and Eurobeat, who would win? It’s an age-old question, or one that’s been raging since the 1980s at least. The 1980s is when Eurobeat came onto the scene (according to Wikipedia), anyway. Ska, by contrast, has been around since the 1950s (again, according to Wikipedia), and has come in a number of different iterations, from the Jamaican roots to the 3rd wave that came to prominence in the 1990s. Both genres have had an impact on the music that would come after them and the sub-cultures they would become associated with. For many, Eurobeat is inextricably tied to street racing by way of Initial D (a manga of immense fame and influence). Ska, by comparison, has a similarly impactful legacy, often being described as, “what plays in a 13-year-old kid’s head when he gets extra mozzarella sticks.” So real.
Of course, this influence has led to the creation of media beyond music. It seems like almost every driving game with a drift mechanic pays homage to Initial D; if nothing else, these games owe a debt of gratitude to that series for helping to popularize drift racing and to Eurobeat for providing the soundtrack. Ska, by contrast, has tended to make smaller appearances in more eclectic offerings like Incredible Crisis (as written and performed by Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra), Animal Crossing (“KK Ska”), Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (“Superman”), and Sonic Adventure 2 (“Escape from the City”). The two video games we’ll be discussing today each draw from one of the aforementioned lineages, with Parking Garage Rally Circuit leaning on ska for its soundtrack and Drift86 heavily featuring Eurobeat. With the stage set, let’s lay out the basics.
Parking Garage Rally Circuit
- Released in September 2024 by Walaber Entertainment, LLC
- $10 USD suggested retail price
- Available on PC and Nintendo Switch
Drift86
- Released in November 2019 by RewindApp
- $2 USD suggested retail price
- Available on PC
What’s Best: Parking Garage Rally Circuit (PGRC)
There’s a lot to like about Parking Garage Rally Circuit. For a one-sentence sales pitch, it, “plays a lot like Mario Kart without items and looks like a game that could’ve been released on the Sega Saturn.” It also has a reasonable amount of achievements (15) that unlock over the course of play. The game also includes car customization, allowing the player to choose their livery (color scheme) and number. PGRC includes a number of “display options,” too, from “original hardware” to “PC port” with matching resolutions and overall looks. Beyond that, the game has an excellent soundtrack and already has DLC titled “European Tour,” which was released in April 2026. It’s great to see that the developer is continuing to support the game!
What’s Best: Drift86
I was able to download the game for free, a price that’s very hard to argue with. Even at full price, the game is $2 USD. There are also lots of cars and tracks to choose from (as compared to other free / very inexpensive games where what you get is a glorified demo and you need to buy DLC for the full experience). Like Parking Garage Rally Circuit, Drift86 has a strong soundtrack. It even includes Running In the 90s, a Eurobeat track that is sure to bring a smile to the player’s face. Drift86 also includes a more robust customization suite than Parking Garage Rally Circuit for each car’s looks (including a horse livery that got a chuckle out of me). Some of the cars are truly wacky, too, like a shopping cart, a mobility scooter, and a tofu shop. The weirdness doesn’t stop there, but I won’t spoil the surprise of the other vehicles.
What’s Worst: Parking Garage Rally Circuit
Each track only has one song. This isn’t a deal-breaker, especially since the song does not restart every time you restart the track; instead, it continues seamlessly forward. I did find it a bit grating as I tried for ever-faster runs on each speed (difficulty) level. Beyond that, I occasionally found the physics to be a bit wonky, meaning the car did unexpected things. This happened most often during jumps and when the car was airborne. I’m willing to admit that this was, in part, a skill issue, but I regularly felt that the car was too unruly when going off ramps. Like with the soundtrack, this issue is remedied in part by the fact that each track is relatively short to play, taking no more than 2-5 minutes. I also wouldn’t have minded more customization options for my car’s appearance, but I was always able to find a combo that I was happy with for each class (light, heavy, ultra) of car.
What’s Worst: Drift86
The game’s worst transgression, in my opinion, is that it does virtually nothing to onboard the player. Not only is there no tutorial to be found, there’s nowhere in the game that lists the controls. I couldn’t find a way to change the controls, either. This was only compounded by the fact that each car I selected felt unwieldy to drive, almost like it was always drifting. I couldn’t try and learn from the game’s built-in opponents, either, as they regularly crashed. The issues don’t stop there, unfortunately. While the soundtrack is good, it’s limited to only a handful of tracks (i.e. less than 5). I hope you really like Running in the 90s, because you’re going to be hearing it a lot. There are smaller annoyances, too, like the fact that the game aggressively markets to the player. There’s a pop-up for the developer’s next game every time you return to the title screen (which is often). You can unlock new cars by wishlisting said game, but I felt little inclination to do this with so many other cars already included. A given livery needs to be reapplied after every race, too. Oof. Ultimately, while the game may be fun for some, I just found it frustrating. I get that this could be called a “skill issue,” but if the game is unwilling to help me develop my skills, what can I do other than quit?
Conclusion
In a battle between Ska and Eurobeat, who would win? It’s not a question with an easy answer, mostly because the framing has been a farce from the start. Which game is better, though? While that comes down to personal preference, I think it’s clear to see that most will have a better time with Parking Garage Rally Circuit, given its more engaging, arcade-y, and approachable gameplay loop (and clearly defined controls). I would argue that there are other benefits, too, like the throw-back aesthetic, but that’s more a matter of preference.
