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Kartoon racers

May 20, 2020

Kartoon Racers is a fast-paced, stylized racing game developed by Exanwo Studio, blending playful design with competitive gameplay. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the game delivers smooth driving mechanics, fun environments, and cartoon-inspired visuals that stand out.

ClientJohnny MitchellDateFebruary, 2025Share
Kartoon racers

Game Concept

Our vision for Kartoon Racers was to combine arcade-style racing with cartoon-inspired design. The game focuses on:

Fast-paced, family-friendly gameplay

Quirky and customizable karts

Playful character personalities

Tracks filled with bold colors and interactive obstacles

Visual Style

We designed the game with a stylized art direction, using exaggerated shapes, vivid colors, and smooth animations. This gave Kartoon Racers its cartoon charm while ensuring clarity and readability during fast gameplay.

Gameplay & Features

Customizable Karts: Unique designs and color options

Dynamic Tracks: Filled with ramps, hazards, and shortcuts

Arcade Racing Mechanics: Easy to pick up, fun to master

Playful VFX & Animation: Boost effects, drifting, and victory poses

Blue and White Project Proposal – Presentation – 10

Development Process

Pre-Production

We started with concept sketches of karts, characters, and tracks. Our team defined the game loop and core mechanics while planning the visual style.

Production

  • Created 3D models of karts, characters, and environments
  • Developed driving mechanics in Unreal Engine 5
  • Implemented VFX for speed boosts, collisions, and drifting
  • Added UI elements for menus, race stats, and customization

gAME MECHANICS AND PROGRAMMING

Kart Physics & Handling – Built using Unreal’s physics system, with fine-tuned acceleration, drifting, and collision responses for smooth arcade-style driving.

Boost System – Speed boosts triggered by drifting, pickups, or ramps, with VFX and camera shake for impact.

Power-Up System – A modular system that allows adding new items like rockets, shields, or turbo boosts with minimal changes.

AI Racers – CPU opponents that use pathfinding, decision-making, and adaptive difficulty to create a competitive challenge.

Lap & Checkpoint System – Tracks player progress with checkpoints, lap counts, and race timers.

Camera System – Dynamic follow-camera with shake and zoom effects during drifts, jumps, and collisions.

eNVIRONMENT AND WORLD DESIGN

Developed in Unreal Engine 5, the environments of Kartoon Racers were crafted to be bright, playful, and interactive. Tracks feature ramps, shortcuts, and dynamic obstacles for engaging gameplay, while bold colors and stylized assets keep the world fun and easy to read at high speeds. Optimized lighting and VFX bring the cartoon-inspired racing world to life with smooth performance.

Testing & Polish

We tested gameplay to ensure smooth handling and fun balance, then refined animations, added sound effects, and optimized performance for consistent frame rates.