Picture Trackmania, then throw in the frustration of Only Up!, replace the climbing with driving, suspend half the tracks hundreds of feet in the air and put an avocado-loving pug in charge of the whole thing. Welcome to AVOPUG SHOW, a racing game where simply reaching the finish line can feel like an achievement. Tracks disappear beneath you, obstacles appear with very little warning, roads twist through the sky and one wrong movement can send your car flying straight into the abyss.
Thankfully, you’ve got Avocado, the game’s lovable pug mascot, keeping you company while everything around you tries its absolute hardest to ruin your day. This isn’t your typical racer where you complete three laps, shave half a second off your best time and blame one corner for costing you the race. Here, the track itself feels like your biggest opponent. So buckle up, because this could get messy.
Welcome to the Show
AVOPUG SHOW doesn’t rely heavily on a traditional story. Instead, its campaign centres on becoming increasingly successful in a digital competition, completing challenges and earning more likes and followers as you progress. Think less emotional character development and more “Look at me, Internet. I somehow survived that track.” Each successful stage moves you further through the show while introducing increasingly ridiculous obstacles and environments.
At the centre of everything is Avocado, who provides commentary, encouragement and the occasional bit of pug wisdom while you’re desperately trying not to drive straight off the track. Once the campaign is finished, Infinity Mode sends you through track after track until you inevitably crash, with the aim of surviving longer and beating your previous score. There’s also a Level Select, so previously completed stages can be revisited whenever you fancy another attempt.
Roads Are Apparently Optional
Where AVOPUG SHOW really starts showing its personality is through the track design. Forget traditional circuits and predictable corners; sometimes you can forget the actual road as well. Certain sections disappear completely and only reveal themselves as you approach, forcing you to react quickly and trust your instincts. One second you’re confidently speeding ahead, and the next you’re staring into empty space wondering whether there was supposed to be a road there. Spoiler: there probably was.
The game constantly throws barriers, traps, sharp turns and other hazards your way, meaning you’re being tested on far more than your ability to hold down the accelerator. That unpredictability is one of the game’s strongest qualities because you never quite know what the next section is about to throw at you.
More Than Just Speed
Speed matters, but AVOPUG SHOW isn’t purely about being the fastest driver. Precision is just as important, especially when you’re avoiding obstacles while trying to collect coins along the way. These are tied to progression and can unlock additional content such as new levels, power-ups and customisation options, giving you another reason to risk going slightly off the ideal racing line.
Blindly flooring the accelerator therefore isn’t always the smartest strategy. Sometimes you actually need to slow down, line yourself up and think about what’s coming next. Of course, you’ll probably ignore all that sensible advice, hit something at full speed and launch yourself into another dimension anyway. Rather than completing laps around repetitive circuits, each stage feels more like an obstacle course that’s just happened to give you a vehicle.
Expect the Unexpected
One thing I really enjoyed about AVOPUG SHOW is how willing it is to mess with the player. A section can begin looking relatively straightforward before suddenly introducing disappearing roads, sharp corners or strange obstacles that completely change how you’re driving. Memorisation becomes part of the experience: the first attempt teaches you what’s coming, the second teaches you how to deal with it, and the third normally teaches you that you apparently learned nothing from the previous two.
That trial-and-error design won’t suit everyone, but finally beating a section that’s repeatedly thrown you off the map can be incredibly satisfying. There’s a genuine feeling of accomplishment when you eventually nail a troublesome sequence and realise that yes, maybe you actually are getting better.
After completing the campaign, Infinity Mode becomes one of the main reasons to keep playing. Instead of tackling individual stages, you’re challenged to survive as many tracks as possible before eventually crashing. Every successful section adds a little more pressure because you know one tiny mistake could bring the entire run to an end.
It’s a simple concept, but it fits AVOPUG SHOW extremely well because there’s always that temptation to give it another go. Maybe you’ll survive another stage, maybe you’ll finally beat your high score, or maybe you’ll drive directly off the first platform and pretend that run never happened. Nobody needs to know.
Avocado Steals the Show
Every racing game apparently needs a mascot, and thankfully Avocado fits the role perfectly. He’s cheerful, charming and constantly comments on your progress, giving the game a lighter personality even when the track itself is doing everything possible to destroy your confidence.
Having him around also prevents the experience from feeling lonely. He’s basically your travelling companion, motivational coach and commentator rolled into one adorable pug – potentially the only creature left who still believes in you after you’ve fallen from the same platform six times. His upbeat personality, contrasting with the absolute chaos happening on screen, gives AVOPUG SHOW a lot of its charm.
Around the World and Beyond
Visually, variety is one of AVOPUG SHOW’s biggest strengths. You’re not constantly racing around the same stadium or city. Some tracks hang high above the clouds, surrounded by mist and open sky, while others take you into outer space, with twisting roads set against stars, planets and cosmic scenery.
Then the game changes direction completely with environments inspired by 1930s black-and-white cartoons. These were among the most memorable areas for me because their vintage aesthetic and quirky surroundings feel completely different from everything else. Other locations include forests and cityscapes, giving the campaign plenty of visual variety without losing that intentionally unpredictable identity.
Those environments aren’t purely there to look pretty either. Different locations introduce their own obstacles and track layouts, forcing you to adapt as you progress. A road suspended in the clouds might require careful positioning because one wrong turn sends you falling into nothingness, while another section could focus on tight bends or pieces of road appearing just before you reach them.
Because the game keeps changing things up, there isn’t much opportunity to switch your brain off and simply drive. The second you start feeling comfortable, AVOPUG SHOW seems more than happy to remind you that comfort is temporary.
The visual presentation suits the game nicely, with colourful, exaggerated and deliberately playful environments that help each location stand out. Even during frustrating races, there’s usually something visually interesting happening around you, and the scenery often feels like part of the attraction rather than something simply placed in the background.
Cloud-covered tracks feel almost dreamlike, space courses completely alter the atmosphere, and the black-and-white cartoon areas feel like you’ve somehow driven through an old television screen. That constant change of scenery goes a long way towards preventing the experience from becoming visually repetitive.
Turn It Up
The soundtrack gives the races additional energy, shifting between more intense music during hectic sections and lighter melodies elsewhere. It complements the fast-paced gameplay without becoming distracting, while the sound effects help sell the speed, movement and inevitable impacts when everything goes horribly wrong.
Avocado’s voice naturally plays a big role as well, but the game lets you independently adjust or disable the music, sound effects and Avocado’s voice. Personally, turning Avocado off feels slightly disrespectful. Look at him.
Five Years of Passion
One thing that deserves recognition is the work behind the project. AVOPUG SHOW was created by a solo developer over roughly five years, and there’s plenty of ambition on display. Between its different environments, unusual track mechanics, multiple modes and Avocado himself, the game manages to establish an identity beyond simply being another arcade racer.
That doesn’t mean everything reaches its full potential. The campaign’s idea of gaining followers and becoming increasingly successful within the show is interesting, but it remains fairly lightweight. I would have liked to know more about why we’re competing, who’s watching and what our increasing popularity actually means. There’s a foundation for something interesting here, and expanding that side of the experience could have made the campaign feel more meaningful.
final thoughts
AVOPUG SHOW is weird, and I mean that as a compliment. It’s a racing game where roads disappear, tracks float through outer space, 1930s cartoons become racetracks and a pug called Avocado provides moral support while you repeatedly launch yourself off the edge of the world. What’s not to like?
The strongest element is undoubtedly the track design. Instead of relying on traditional racing circuits, stages feel like obstacle courses built specifically to test your reactions, patience and driving ability. Sometimes you’ll crash because you made a mistake, and other times you’ll stare at the screen convinced the game obviously cheated. It probably didn’t, but blaming the game makes us feel better. The constant shift between clouds, space, cartoon worlds and other imaginative environments keeps things visually interesting, while Avocado gives the whole experience plenty of personality.
My biggest criticism is that the campaign could have done more with its premise. The social-media-inspired progression involving followers and likes is a fun concept, but it never develops into anything particularly deep. Even so, what’s here is entertaining, and AVOPUG SHOW understands that an arcade racer doesn’t always need realistic physics, enormous garages or a massive open world. Sometimes all you need is a car, a ridiculous track, a pug and absolutely no idea where the road is going next.
If you enjoy precision racers, obstacle-course games or experiences where repeatedly failing somehow makes you even more determined to try again, AVOPUG SHOW is definitely worth a look. Just remember: if the road suddenly disappears, don’t panic. Actually, no – definitely panic.
A code for AVOPUG SHOW was provided for review purposes.
Positives
✅ Track Attack – Creative obstacle-course-style tracks constantly keep you guessing.
✅ Avo Good Time – Avocado brings plenty of charm, humour and personality.
✅ Around the World – Varied environments prevent the experience from becoming visually repetitive.
✅ Expect the Unexpected – Disappearing roads and unpredictable obstacles keep races interesting.
✅ One More Run – Infinity Mode gives score chasers another reason to keep playing.
✅ Your Way to Play – Keyboard, controller and several settings offer useful customisation.
Negatives
❌ Where’s the Story? – The campaign premise could have been developed with considerably more narrative depth.
❌ Not for the Impatient – Certain tracks can become frustrating after repeated failures.
❌ Accessibility Gap – Dedicated accessibility options feel limited.
❌ Trial and Error – Some obstacles rely heavily on learning what’s coming through repeated attempts.
Owner of Indie Critical. I’m passionate about highlighting independent voices in film, games, and culture. I focus on honest, thoughtful reviews and love helping great indie projects get the recognition they deserve. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m probably diving into the latest hidden gem or discovering the next big thing in the indie scene.
Written by
Lewis Langton
