Racing games don’t have to be intense, Tokyo Drift-style ultra-realistic course racers. Free ones, especially, are typically not. Box Racing is a good example of this, and unless you’re looking for a hardcore street-racing feel, it’s worth a play.

Don’t get me wrong, free flash racing games can be very hit-or-miss. Especially simple, lo-fi ones like Box Racing. The controls can be shaky, the AI unbalanced and the graphics uninspired. Box Racing avoids most of these online game pitfalls, even poking fun at its own simple graphics with its name — the racers are, after all, vaguely colorful boxes.

One of the stranger aspects of the game is a series of “skill bars” that allow you to adjust your racer’s relative levels of health, top speed and “skill”. Top speed and health — the ability to stay alive while your racer hits walls, signs and other objects — is pretty straightforward. I could never quite figure out what “skill” was supposed to do — do let me know in the comments if you can figure it out.

The “health” aspect is a bit annoying, especially with respect to Box Racing’s controls. It’s tough to avoid hitting the sides of the track, and the “health” aspect seems to be a bit of a crutch to avoid building in a more complex damage system. It’s understandable, though — after all, the game is free, and has a fairly well-balanced AI.

If you’re looking to play a free online racing game, this is a simple and well-designed option. Check it out below to play.