9 Beginner Tips And Tricks In Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Published Oct 17, 2026, 9:58 AM EDT Nick is a gaming news writer for TheGamer, and has been covering the games industry for over three years at sites such as Twinfinite, DotEsports and The Phrasemaker. Born and raised in a small town in Pennsylvania, Nick studied Media and Professional Communications at the University of Pittsburgh, refining his writing and fact-checking to ensure clarity and entertainment value in everything he writes. Star Wars: Galactic Racer is some of the most fun in either a Star Wars game or a racing game in quite some time, but it can take some time to really figure it out. To boost ahead of the crowd, we've compiled some nifty tips to help guide you along your journey. There are a lot of things to consider in any given race, as well as before the race even starts. Some of these tips might be a challenge to implement at first, but once you've got them figured out, it's going to be a huge help going forward. Don't Neglect Your Abilities There is a lot that goes on in any given race. It can get pretty overwhelming trying to keep track of opposing racers, obstacles on the track, your afterburner and your ramjet, but you should never overlook your abilities. These can be the difference between life and death, both for you or the other racers. For example, if you've got a shield, and you get an alert that someone is coming up behind you, it's key to activate that shield to keep yourself safe. There are also offensive abilities that will knock out some of the other racers, or even just cool down your ramjet. Properly timing these abilities can massively impact any race, so it's important to take the time to get familiar with them and implement them accordingly. Structure Your Build Around Your Vehicle Every vehicle in Galactic Racer is different, which means that they've all got their own pros and cons. With that, you'll have a much better time if you work your build to either enhance the strength of the vehicle or to counter the cons. It's usually a losing game to try and build a "jack of all trades" vehicle, because there's just not enough time during a tour to get it exactly where you want it. Therefore, it pays to focus your upgrades on things that will make the most noticeable difference in the long run. For example, if you're piloting a Skim Speeder, the cornering is already impressive, so it's worthwhile to focus heavily on things like afterburners or the ramjet. Resilience is also lacking in those vehicles, so building them up to counter their weaknesses can leave you with a truly competitive machine. Keep Track Of Your Parts Not all the vehicle parts in Galactic Racer are built equally, no matter what Hibi wants you to believe. It's worthwhile to focus those parts along with the upgrades you've got, because they can really enhance your build. Say you're focusing on afterburners in your upgrades. It's helpful to grab parts that reduce afterburner cooldown or increase their efficacy. In the same vein as the previous tip, parts can also be used to fill in some of the gaps in your build, like improving your battery or other less-upgraded areas. It's also important to watch the level of the parts you're purchasing. Higher-level parts will have more impact on your vehicles, so even if you're maxed out on parts, sometimes it's worth replacing one with a better one. Just make sure it works with the build you're going for. Focus on Improving Your Weakest Performing Planets Not every planet is the same as far as racing goes, and it can take some time to really get used to each one. Sometimes, it's tough because, by the time you've got a planet figured out, you're already on your way to the next one. The next time around might then be just as challenging as before. For example, racing on Ando Prime can be challenging because of the Frozen effect. The main way to counter this is by flying through the defrosters along the track, but sometimes getting into those can be tough. Therefore, it might help to really dial in your handling before getting to Ando Prime. This goes for all the different status effects you might get on any given planet. Sentinel I can be tricky with corrosion, while Lantaana leaves you vulnerable to being burned or hitting the walls. Dial in the tough planets, and the easier ones will be no problem by the end of the tour. Choose Your Favors Wisely Favors are one of the most silently useful parts of playing Galactic Racer. You can only choose them at the start of any given tour, but the impact of each of them can make a massive difference on the campaign. They're unlocked by continuing through the story, or by using different backers. Favors can affect a variety of aspects of each tour. For example, Hibi's favor allows you to wreck out of more races per tour, so where you would have lost your league token and been finished, you'll get extra tries. You can also get discounts on certain parts, which can be huge later in a tour. Playing with each favor equipped also makes them way more effective as time goes on. Completing planets with them equipped will level them up further, increasing the amount of upgrades you get per favor. You can play with three different ones at a time too, which means you can try an assortment of combinations. Choose The Right Racer Style Your racer style is another aspect of the game that can only be changed at the start of a tour, but has a huge impact on your racing. These are essentially upgrades that affect things that can't be changed by upgrades or abilities. For example, the Redliner style gives you a massive boost to your ramjet when you're redlining it. It encourages you to fly more on the edge and use the ramjet as long as possible, more so than other styles would. It takes a bit of playing around to figure out which styles fit best with your personal racing methods. Some styles benefit those who actively clear status effects, while others benefit racers who battle during the races. It all depends on what you think works best for you. Don't Be Afraid To Take A Gamble Along your path, you'll encounter friends and foes who will offer you various deals to affect your tour. Sometimes, these deals work out great, other times, not so much. However, without any risk, there's little reward to be had, so it's always good to consider these deals before just turning them down. These deals can range from discounted upgrades to free parts, but they're not always what they seem. Oftentimes, you'll be offered a faulty part, which can be great when it's repaired, but can do serious damage to your racing while it's still faulty. Just save some credits for the scrap dealer to make the most of it. There will also be some encounters that are only simple conversations, and these can also have a drastic impact on your races. For example, badmouthing Kestar Bool can lead him to trap your speeder, blowing it up off the start line and costing you one crash in the next race. Plan Your Path Ahead Of Time Given the game's structure as a roguelike, the event you choose will affect the next few events, which can have a major impact on any given tour. You might think that choosing between three of the same event might not make a difference, but you have to check what comes after it. Field tests are always going to be the safer option, given that failing them will not cause you to lose a league token. On the other hand, eliminators might be more challenging because you have to finish in the top three, which isn't always the easiest task. Make sure you pay attention to what events follow the ones you're going into next to extend your longevity in the tour. You can have a trip to the scrap dealer, meet with one of your fellow racers or some other surprise that impacts your overall experience. Choose Your Backer Carefully Backers are the lifeblood of the Galactic League. Choosing the right one can earn you massive rewards over the course of the tour, as long as you deliver on your promises. They will have you work to complete certain challenges while you race, ranging from things like maintaining high speeds to performing double overtakes. Don't pick backers with challenges that you can't complete, but the challenge adds extra weight to each tour. Not only that, but performing well enough with any given backer will give you new favors that you can equip the next time around. You can also earn the Poodoo Racer achievement if you don't perform well enough for a backer, so if you're looking to 100 percent the game, it's in your best interest to do poorly.