Qvadriga

Lore & Background

Qvadriga was developed by Spanish video game designer Daniel Lopez Soria under the Turnopia label, inspired by the 1979 board game Circus Maximus. The game features forty-three hippodromes and circuses, all modeled after real-life historical examples using satellite imagery and John H. Humphrey's reference work Roman Circuses: Arenas for Chariot Racing. Lopez visited circuses on the Iberian peninsula, including those in Mérida, Miróbriga, and Toledo. Eduardo Barragán created the venue artwork, and Pedro Alcaide composed the soundtrack.

Races take place over three laps from a top-down perspective on Greek hippodromes or Roman circuses. In hippodromes, chariots line up on a starting line in the middle; in circuses, they burst from curved carceres at one end. Races are divided into 10-second turns, with the option to pause at each turn or run seamlessly. Players issue orders to change speed, change lane, attack, or defend. Cornering too fast may flip the chariot, and fallen horses and chariots become obstacles.

An early beta was released in May 2012, followed by a further beta in October 2013 after Slitherine Software became the publisher, adding a campaign mode and real-time turn mode. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in March 2014, with Android and iOS versions following in June 2014, though those mobile versions are no longer available.

Reader's Guide

Qvadriga received a generally positive critical response, with Rock Paper Shotgun declaring it the best racing game of 2014. Review aggregation site Metacritic awarded the PC version 72/100, indicating a lukewarm critical response, though other outlets such as Rock Paper Shotgun and Wargamer were more positive. Softpedia named it runner-up racing game of the year. Critics found the graphics unappealing but praised the interface for effectively conveying information and controlling the action. Gameplay was described as tense and engaging, with some reviewers noting that surviving a race or attacking an opponent could be more strategically important than winning. The lack of multiplayer was noted as a missed opportunity, though the developer acknowledged implementing such a feature would require a huge effort. Eurogamer's Daniel Starkey found the turn-by-turn racing exciting but felt randomness played too great a role, especially in the later campaign where all teams were evenly skilled. In 2022, publisher Slitherine announced Ancient Arenas: Chariots, a 3D spiritual successor to Qvadriga.

Did You Know?

• The game features 43 hippodromes and circuses modeled after real historical venues.
• Rock Paper Shotgun named Qvadriga the best racing game of 2014.
• A 3D spiritual successor, Ancient Arenas: Chariots, was announced in 2022.