City Car Driving

A city driving simulator is an odd treadmill companion, but I think the slow traffic and ordinary driving decisions could keep your attention without demanding that you play like your thumbs are in a race. I’d treat it more like a careful drive than a racing game, which is kind of the point.

Gameplay

The appeal here is that City Car Driving takes the boring parts of driving seriously, and I mean that as a compliment. You’re trying to handle a car in traffic and build basic driving skills, so the fun is in paying attention to what’s around you and making the next ordinary decision correctly. It’s not giving you a finish line every few minutes to chase. Some people will find that calming, and some people will feel like they’re practicing for a commute they already have.

I think traffic makes the simulator more interesting than just steering around an empty city, because you have to keep track of what other cars are doing while also following the rules. That gives your brain a job while you exercise, but it’s a fairly quiet job. You’re not getting a new surprise every few seconds, and I can see the same careful driving becoming a little repetitive once you’ve settled into it.

There’s something appealing about a game that doesn’t need to turn every drive into a dramatic event. You can focus on the basic skills and the traffic conditions, and that’s a pretty direct fit for a simulator. I also know that I’m not the person who wants every game to be relaxing, so some of my hesitation here is probably just me expecting a car game to go faster than it should.

The slower pace could work well on an easy workout, especially if you like games that give you room to think instead of asking you to react constantly. I’d probably get more out of the driving itself than from treating it like a traditional racing game, because there isn’t a big score chasing me around the screen. That’s fine. A quiet drive can still be a game.

I don’t know how much variety the different traffic situations would give you over a longer stretch, and that matters more here than it would in a game with a story or a lot of races to unlock. The premise is clear, and I like that it sticks with learning to drive instead of piling on unrelated stuff. If you want speed and spectacle, I’d look elsewhere.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

A bike seems like the easier place to start, because the game asks you to steer and pay attention, but a treadmill could work if you keep the workout gentle and don’t try to make the drive more intense than it needs to be. I’d use a gamepad, since the game supports one, and take a little time to get comfortable with the controls before moving. The controller is useful, but it doesn’t make steering precise by magic.

I’d choose a calmer drive and avoid turning every traffic situation into a challenge. You’re dealing with traffic and basic driving rules, so it’s possible to get distracted trying to make a careful turn or react to what’s happening around you. I think that’s manageable at an easy pace, but I wouldn’t pair it with a hard run where your hands and attention are already doing a lot.

The nice thing is that it doesn’t sound like a game built around split second reactions or a rival who’s about to pass you at the finish line. You have more room to be deliberate than you would in a fast racing game, and that makes it more plausible for exercise. Still, I’d expect the occasional moment where I’m thinking about the car and not the workout, which is a bit of a problem if your treadmill is moving faster than your brain wants to.

On a bike, I’d expect the slower pace to feel more natural, especially if you can keep your cadence comfortable while steering. On a treadmill, I’d start at a walk and see whether the controller feels steady before trying anything faster. I’m not sure I’d want to manage both a brisk pace and the game’s traffic at once, and I don’t need to prove anything to a virtual intersection.

This is a better fit for someone who wants to concentrate on a low pressure driving task than for someone who wants a game to keep throwing action at them. If you’re looking for a workout where you can mostly steer with loose inputs, this might take more attention than you want. If you’re okay with a slower, more careful pace, give it a try.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Computer Requirements

The minimum asks for an older dedicated graphics card, so you probably don’t need a new gaming computer, but I wouldn’t assume that integrated graphics will work reliably. I’d check the graphics card first, since the store page specifically warns that operation on integrated graphics and laptops isn’t guaranteed.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

City Car Driving makes sense for you if you want a slower driving simulator that gives you something to focus on while you exercise. I’d skip it if you need speed, frequent excitement, or a game that barely asks for precise input.

Overall Score: 2.33 out of 3