As someone who's spent countless hours in arcade kart racers from Mario Kart to Crash Team Racing, I approached Jili Try Out with both excitement and caution. Let me be honest from the start - this game delivers that classic kart racing thrill but comes with its own unique challenges that can either make or break your experience. When I first booted up Jili Try Out, I expected the usual array of power-ups and items that add spice to races, but what I encountered was something far more complex and, at times, frustratingly unpredictable.
The item system in Jili Try Out represents both its greatest strength and most significant weakness. During my first dozen races, I found myself constantly surprised by the sheer volume of items available - we're talking about what feels like 40-50 different power-ups, each with their own peculiar effects and activation methods. The problem isn't the variety itself, but rather how these items interact during actual gameplay. I remember specifically struggling to understand the Chao items - there are at least eight variations of these, and after thirty hours of gameplay, I still can't confidently say I understand when to use the Golden Chao versus the Silver Chao. They look nearly identical when you're racing at 200 mph, and the game does little to distinguish them in the heat of competition.
What really stands out - and not necessarily in a good way - is how many items feel downright unavoidable. There were multiple instances where I'd be leading a race, only to see that ominous ring hovering above my head with no clear way to counter whatever was about to come out of it. The game does provide occasional prompts for the few items that can stop these nearly unblockable attacks, but these moments feel too few and far between. To put it in perspective for Mario Kart veterans, imagine facing blue shells in approximately 60% of your races rather than the typical 20-30% you'd expect in Nintendo's flagship racer. The frequency makes races feel less about skill and more about who gets lucky with item drops at crucial moments.
I've had particularly frustrating experiences during what should have been triumphant victories. Just last week, I was inches from the finish line, comfortably in first place, when three separate items hit me simultaneously - an ice blast from behind, some sort of electrical field from the side, and that cursed ring above my head spawning what appeared to be miniature tornadoes. The result? I dropped from first to eighth place in about two seconds flat. Now, I'm all for dramatic comebacks and unexpected twists, but when the game mechanics feel stacked against you regardless of your driving skill, it starts to undermine the core racing experience.
The counterplay system needs serious work. Based on my experience across roughly 150 races, I'd estimate that only about 15% of items have clear, reliable counters that players can consistently execute. The other 85%? You just have to hope they miss or that you're fortunate enough to have the one specific counter-item at the exact right moment. This creates situations where item usage feels more like random chance than strategic decision-making. I've found myself hoarding certain items "just in case" rather than using them proactively to gain advantages, which slows down the overall pace and excitement of races.
That being said, there's still tremendous fun to be had with Jili Try Out once you adjust your expectations. The core racing mechanics are solid - the drifting feels responsive, the track design is creative, and the vehicle customization offers meaningful statistical changes rather than just cosmetic differences. I've probably spent about five hours just tweaking my kart's setup in the garage, testing different combinations to shave precious milliseconds off my lap times. The game truly shines during those rare, perfect races where items enhance rather than dominate the competition.
If I were to suggest improvements, the developers should consider rebalancing the item distribution. Based on my tracking, offensive items appear about 70% more frequently than defensive ones, creating this constant barrage of attacks that leaves little room for strategic defense. Reducing the spawn rate of the most powerful items by about 40% while increasing defensive item availability would create much more engaging and balanced races. Additionally, clearer visual indicators for different item types would help players make split-second decisions rather than guessing what each power-up actually does.
Despite its flaws, I keep coming back to Jili Try Out because beneath the chaotic item system lies a genuinely compelling racing game. The sense of speed is phenomenal, the tracks are beautifully designed with multiple routes and hidden shortcuts, and the vehicle handling strikes that perfect balance between arcade accessibility and technical depth. I've found that focusing on time trial mode first helps build the fundamental skills needed to compete online, where you'll face players who have mastered both the racing lines and the unpredictable item meta.
My advice for newcomers would be to spend your first ten hours concentrating on learning the tracks and mastering the drift mechanics rather than worrying too much about items. Once you can consistently post clean laps without hitting walls or missing shortcuts, then start experimenting with the item system. Keep a mental note of which items consistently give you trouble and try to always have their counters ready when you're in vulnerable positions. It's not a perfect solution, but it's the best strategy I've developed through trial and plenty of error.
At the end of the day, Jili Try Out offers a mixed but ultimately rewarding experience for kart racing enthusiasts. The item system may need rebalancing, but the core gameplay is strong enough to keep you engaged through the occasional frustrating moments. I've recommended it to friends with the caveat that they'll need patience to overcome the initial item-related hurdles, but those who stick with it will discover one of the more unique and technically proficient arcade racers to emerge in recent years. Just be prepared for those heart-breaking moments when victory slips away at the last possible second - consider it part of the game's peculiar charm.