Next Car Game: Wreckfest for Windows

A demolition-derby racer that breaks the rules

Next Car Game: Wreckfest from Bugbear is a racing title that celebrates vehicular mayhem instead of polished driving etiquette. Rather than rewarding tidy lines and clean passes, it invites you to cause chaos — think high-speed melees where metal folds and races end in spectacular crashes. It draws on the spirit of Bugbear’s earlier work while leaning toward the rough-and-tumble traditions of demolition events rather than straight arcade burnouts.

Damage settings and lasting carnage

Wreckfest gives you control over how punishing collisions feel, and the environment shows the results.

• Realistic damage: impacts have serious consequences — a single costly error can leave you limping, missing components, or otherwise struggling to finish.
• Normal damage: cars shrug off hits better, letting you keep racing after multiple collisions for a more forgiving, action-first experience.

Beyond just vehicle damage, wreckage accumulates on the track. Tire fragments, bent panels, and splintered wood litter the surface lap after lap, so races evolve as debris piles up and alters racing lines.

Vehicles built for contact

Most cars look hand-me-down rough, but their toughness and handling are what count here. The roster spans large, heavy American bruisers to compact European and Japanese models, plus oddball entrants like double-decker buses, school buses, and massive harvesters that change the dynamic of an event.

Customization and upgrades let you tune a car’s role on the track: add armor and reinforcements to create a durable bruiser, bolt on mass for heavier hits, or strip weight and tune for raw speed. A few conveniences are missing, though — the paint and visual editor is rudimentary, and there’s no quick-save/load for setups, which can be frustrating compared with more polished racing UIs.

Gameplay structure and modes

Wreckfest leans on classic racing principles rather than modern assistive features. There’s no rewind button and no ghosted ideal line; you must carve your own opportunities and recover from mistakes in real time.

• Career and progression: play championships and challenges to earn experience and points that unlock higher-tier events.
• Multiplayer: online races mirror most campaign events so you can test your setup and aggression against real drivers, though multiplayer doesn’t currently expand far beyond the campaign offerings.

Progression can feel a bit old-school — unlocking new content often depends on playing through what’s available and meeting point thresholds rather than following a guided linear campaign.

Who this game is for — verdict

If you want a hybrid between simulation and arcade where collisions matter and races are often chaotic, Wreckfest delivers a satisfying mix. It isn’t flawless — visual glitches and a sparse off-track presentation are noticeable — but those shortcomings fade when you’re in the middle of a heated, crushing race. For players craving aggressive, physics-driven demolition racing, it’s a solid pick.

If you want something different

Consider trying Project Wheels Free (or similar free-to-play arena racers) if you want a faster way to jump into driving and destruction without a steep progression path — they emphasize accessible pick-up-and-play action and can scratch a similar itch.