Cars of Fire: car racing game online

How does the online car racing game work?

It is an arcade racing game that runs right in the browser, with nothing to install. You accelerate, brake, steer and use the turbo on seven tracks with curves and hills. Race mode is three laps against seven rivals. In time trial, each checkpoint adds extra time. It works with keyboard, touch and a game controller.

How to play

1. Pick the track, the mode and the difficulty in the panel. Then tap Start the race or tap the game screen.
2. Wait for the start lights. The three red lights turn on one by one. When they turn green, the race begins.
3. Accelerate, brake and steer to keep the car on the asphalt. Your car is the light blue one, seen from behind.
4. In curves, centrifugal force pushes the car outward, and it pushes harder the faster you go. Brake or lift off the gas before a tight curve, then steer into it.
5. Went in too fast? The car skids, makes smoke, runs wide and loses speed. Off the asphalt it shakes and slows down. Hitting a tree, rock, lamp post or building nearly stops the car.
6. Touching the back of another car also costs speed. Change lanes before you reach the car ahead.
7. The turbo gives extra speed for a few seconds. The turbo bar empties as you use it and refills on its own.
8. In race mode, you start in eighth place and run three laps against seven rivals. Your result is the place in which you cross the finish line.
9. In time trial mode, the clock counts down. Each checkpoint adds time. Finish the three laps before the time runs out.
10. The first three tracks start open. To open each of the others, finish in the top three on the track before it. The game saves your best lap on each track on this device.

Controls

• Keyboard: arrow keys or A and D to steer, up arrow or W to accelerate, down arrow or S to brake, space bar for turbo and P to pause.
• Touch: large on-screen buttons to steer left and right, brake and fire the turbo. With auto accelerate on, the car speeds up by itself. Turn that option off in the panel to also get the accelerate button.
• Game controller: left stick or D-pad to steer, right trigger (RT or R2) or the A (✕) button to accelerate, left trigger (LT or L2) or the B (○) button to brake, the X (□) button for turbo and Start (Options) to pause.
• The controller trigger is analog: the harder you press, the more the car accelerates or brakes.
• Full screen: tap View in full screen in the panel. On a phone held upright, the game rotates and fills the whole screen sideways.

The seven tracks

• Coast: a seaside road at sunset, with palm trees and medium curves. It is the first track.
• Farm: a sunny morning among green hills, fences, sunflowers and hay rolls. Wide curves, good for getting the feel of the steering.
• City: avenues at night, with lit buildings, long straights and tight corner turns.
• Desert: long, fast curves between cacti and rocks, rolling up and down the dunes.
• Forest: rain at dusk, tall trees and glowing mushrooms. Curves in a row and wet asphalt, which grips the car less.
• Mountain: a snowy mountain road with pine trees, tight curves and big climbs and drops. The snow also makes the track more slippery.
• Volcano: night with embers in the air, dark rocks and lava pools. Hairpin curves and the steepest climbs in the game.

Tips to play better

• Brake on the straight, before the curve. Inside the curve, just steer, and speed up again on the way out.
• The steering wheel takes a moment to turn and to come back to the center. Start turning a little before the curve.
• Save the turbo for the straights. In a tight curve it only throws the car outward.
• Enter the curve from the outside and close toward the inside. That gives the car more room to slide.
• Watch the minimap in the corner of the screen to know which curve comes next.
• Before a hill you cannot see what is on the other side. Stay in the middle of the track on the way up.
• The yellow signs with arrows warn of sharp curves and show which way to turn.
• In time trial, the traffic is slower than you. Pick the free lane early.
• Start on easy to learn each layout, and only then raise the difficulty.

Frequently asked questions