If you’ve ever wondered why Optimus Prime doesn’t just transform into a truck and drive away when a fight gets too hairy, Transformers Galactic Trials on Xbox finally lets you live out that logic. Released by Outright Games and developed by 3DClouds, this title is a curious hybrid that attempts to weld high-octane arcade racing with third-person shooter combat.
To be honest, I went in expecting a standard kart racer with a fresh coat of paint, but I was pleasantly surprised. The gameplay variety is genuinely refreshing and challenging in a way that was unexpected but deeply appreciated. It’s not just about holding down the accelerator; it’s about shifting your mindset mid-lap.
The Premise: A Race for the Relics
The story is classic Saturday-morning cartoon fare: the villainous Nemesis Prime has stolen the Prime Relics, artifacts capable of granting immense power. To save (or conquer) Cybertron, the Autobots and Decepticons must compete in a series of “Galactic Trials” to recover them.
Gameplay: The Great Hybrid Experiment
The core loop of Galactic Trials is split into two distinct phases within a single race. This is where that unexpected challenge comes in—balancing your performance in both modes is key to victory.
- Vehicle Mode (The Racing): You’ll spend most of your time drifting around corners and hitting boost pads. The handling is pure arcade—think Mario Kart meets Burnout. You charge your Energon meter by drifting, which you then spend on speed boosts to pull ahead of the pack.
- Robot Mode (The Combat): At specific points, the track opens up into a combat arena. Your character automatically transforms, and the game shifts into a third-person shooter. You’ll dash, jump, and blast through waves of drones or rival racers using character-specific abilities like Bumblebee’s Plasma Stings or Optimus Prime’s Gravitational Axe.
Pro Tip: Don’t get too comfortable in the lead during the race segments. If you haven’t leveled up your combat skills, a rival can easily take you down during the robot-mode segments, sending you right to the back of the pack.
The Roster and Customization
One of the game’s strongest suits is the fan service. You start with icons like Optimus, Bumblebee, and Megatron, but can eventually unlock a total of 11 playable characters.
As you progress, you collect over 70 Prime Relics. These act as a rogue-lite progression system, allowing you to customize your bot’s health, speed, and damage. It adds a layer of strategy—do you build a “tank” Megatron that can soak up damage in combat segments, or a “speedster” Arcee that dominates the asphalt?
The Highs and Lows
| The Good | The Bad |
| Refreshing Variety: The constant switching between racing and fighting keeps you on your toes. | Visual Variety: With only 10 tracks, the environments can start to feel repetitive after a few hours. |
| Authentic Vibes: The voice acting and character models feel true to the 40-year history of the franchise. | Lack of Online: In 2026, the absence of online multiplayer feels like a missed opportunity for a racing game. |
| Local Multiplayer: The 2-player local “Versus” mode is a blast for couch co-op sessions. | Complexity: The difficulty spikes in combat might be a bit steep for very young players. |
Final Verdict
Transformers Galactic Trials is a solid entry for fans and die-hard collectors. While it might not have the depth of a hardcore sim-racer, its unique “race-then-fight” mechanic adds a layer of engagement I didn’t expect. It’s a bold experiment that pays off by offering more than just a simple lap around the track.
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