back on the tracks

You’ve played Subway Surfers before. You know the drill. Run, dodge, collect, repeat.

In this Subway Surfers City review, we take a look at how the latest version modernizes the classic endless runner formula. From new mechanics and game modes to monetization and progression systems.

SUBWAY SURFERS CITY first impressions

Running down the same tri-lane tracks is extremely nostalgic. You soon learn that there are new mechanics, different Surfers and Boards that have different effects, different game modes. Feels a little overwhelming, but I chose to mainly stick with the endless run.

Very quickly, though, it becomes clear that improving your high score in Subway Surfers City isn’t just about reflexes. Progression depends heavily on resources earned through challenges and events, or by spending money. Stronger Surfers and upgraded Boards directly impact your scoring potential.

As runs extend, the difficulty ramps up fast. Obstacles tighten, vertical platforming becomes more frequent, and powerups demand quicker decision-making. The modernised gameplay loop feels more intense than the original.

When you crash, you can revive — but not for free. Revives require a premium currency or watching an ad, and each revival in the same run becomes progressively more expensive. At the end of a run, an advertisement is also triggered. Watching it allows you to play a few more runs ad-free, whereas restarting the app simply triggers another ad.

Overall, Subway Surfers City delivers a fun, incremental experience that tests reflexes while subtly encouraging longer sessions through its progression and monetization systems.

IS SUBWAY SURFERS CITY free-to-play FRIENDLY?

Many in-game events, activities and dailies give you valuable currency to progress. At times, they seem very slow and limited. My playthrough of the game gave me a lot of Surfer Tokens to level up my characters, but not enough gold to do so.

The events and daily challenges get cleared easily by simply going for a run. No need to go out of your way.

As with many games, there are faster ways to progress, if you decide to spend.

• Battlepass: As you complete missions, you progress your battlepass rewards. However, you only unlock the free rewards, which is decent – but the paid ones are (of course) much better. You can even unlock new characters and skins.

• In-game Currency: Resources are actually quite tight, and you can purchase the required resources to level up your Surfer and Boards to increase your highscore potential.

• Premium Packages: You can also spend money to get special packages, usually marketed to be worth 500% value or something. These usually give you a really good head start, but as you progress these packs can get incrementally pricy.

*Note that any purchase will remove forced ads, but you can still watch ads for in-game rewards.

CREATOR SPOTLIGHT

Here are some creators of Subway Surfers City.

MR. SUBWAY MAN – DAILY SUBWAY SURFERS CITY CONTENT

While ProtoSight brings you the First Look, Mr. Subway Man shows you what the game has to promise.

IS SUBWAY SURFERS CITY WORTH YOUR TIME?

If you are a long-time enjoyer of Endless Runners with incremental progression, like games such as Jetpack Joyride and Temple Run, you will enjoy this game.

To fully maximize your scores though, you’ll need to play extra missions to gain sufficient currency to be able to achieve it.

At it’s core, if you enjoy the simple gameplay of endless running, with a bit of difficulty and challenge, it’s definitely worth trying.

But don’t let me tell you that – download it and try it for yourself!

ProtoSight Verdict

Fun Factor: 8/10
Time Investment Required: Medium
Monetization Pressure: Medium
Innovation Level: Medium
Daily Stickiness: Medium-High

Final Call: Absolutely Worth trying. A great way to pass the time, with a little challenge.

FAQ

Is Subway Surfers City free to play?
Yes, Subway Surfers City is free to download, but includes ads, optional purchases, and a battle pass system.

Does Subway Surfers City have multiplayer?
Currently, Subway Surfers City focuses on solo progression and leaderboard competition.

Is Subway Surfers City pay to win?
Progression can be accelerated with purchases, but skill remains important in achieving high scores.