Golden Lap
{{Short description|2024 video game}}
{{use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
| image = Golden Lap cover.jpg
| caption = Steam edition cover
| developer = Funselektor Labs
| publisher = Funselektor Labs
| platforms = {{ubl|Windows|macOS}}
| released = {{start date and age|2024|09|26}}
| genre = Management
| modes = Singleplayer
}}
Golden Lap is a 2024 management video game developed and published by Funselektor Labs.
Gameplay
File:Golden Lap screenshot.webp
Golden Lap is a sports management video game.{{Cite web |last=matus_ace |date=2025-03-13 |title=Golden Lap - recenzia - hra |url=https://www.sector.sk/recenzia/39692/golden-lap.htm |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Sector |language=sk}} Set in the 1970s, the player takes control of a Formula One team, managing personnel, car construction, driver training, and race performance. There are two game modes available: Career, where the player creates a team and manages it throughout the season, and Quick race, where a single race is played with preset teams; core gameplay is shared between the two.{{Cite web |last=Waite |first=Daniel |date=2024-09-26 |title=Review: Golden Lap |url=https://moviesgamesandtech.com/2024/09/26/review-golden-lap/ |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Movies Games and Tech |language=en-GB}}
The first part of a race is qualifying. Here, each car is sent out individually, with drivers competing for faster lap times and better start positions that come with it. They gain tuning tokens while on the track, which is spent on upgrading the car once they return to the pits.{{Cite web |last=Lyons |first=Ben |date=2024-09-26 |title=Golden Lap - Review |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/golden-lap-1437623/ |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Gamereactor |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=White |first=Chris |date=2024-09-30 |title=Golden Lap review |url=https://www.godisageek.com/reviews/golden-lap-review/ |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=God is a Geek |language=en-US}} Tokens are spent on three categories that represent different metrics of car performance, each with its own sweet spot, known as the "Golden Tune". The closer the tune is to golden, the better the car will perform; however, a tune exceeding Golden results in a penalty and significantly worsened performance.{{Cite web |last=Rigg |first=Marc |date=2024-09-27 |title=Golden Lap PC Review |url=https://www.impulsegamer.com/golden-lap-pc-review/ |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Impulse Gamer |language=en-US}}
After qualifying, which lasts thirty in-game minutes, concludes, the main race begins, with cars lining up on the starting grid and racing along the track.{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Mark |date=2024-09-26 |title=Golden Lap review: A love letter to racing’s past with near-immaculate vibes |url=https://www.vg247.com/golden-lap-review-a-love-letter-to-racings-past-with-near-immaculate-vibes |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=VG247 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bolt |first=Neil |date=2024-10-22 |title=Golden Lap Review |url=https://www.gamewatcher.com/reviews/golden-lap-review/13433 |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=GameWatcher |language=en}}
Development and release
Golden Lap was created and published by Funselektor Labs, an indie developer best known for their singleplayer racing games Absolute Drift and Art of Rally. It was released for Windows and macOS through Steam on September 26, 2024, following two playtesting periods in April and May.
Reception
Golden Lap was released to a positive reception. Review aggregator Metacritic gave the game a score of 78, meaning "Generally Favorable".{{Cite web |title=Golden Lap |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/golden-lap/ |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Metacritic |language=en}}
Its simplistic gameplay received praise, with Mark Warren of VG247 labeling it "wonderfully relaxing minimalism" and Ben Lyons of Gamereactor describing it as "an F1 management simulator without all the fuss".