Want to experience Trackmania‘s über-fast stunt racing for free? With some strategic deal watching and promotion hunting, you can unlock Trackmania‘s Standard Access version without paying a dime. This guide will show you multiple methods to grab one of the most exciting arcade racers around without emptying your wallet.
Set up price alerts for deals
The first step is getting alerted as soon as Trackmania Standard goes on sale or gets given away. Here are some handy tools:
gg.deals – Create a waitlist to get emailed when Trackmania hits your target price (set it to free!). gg.deals indexes deals across over 400 stores.
CamelCamelCamel – Set up price drop alerts on Amazon to catch any digital code discounts. CamelCamelCamel tracks price history and alerts you to deals.
isthereanydeal.com – Set up custom alerts for price drops or bundles with Trackmania. Covers many more stores than CamelCamelCamel.
With alerts set up, you can sit back until deals roll in.
Follow giveaway sites
Publishers frequently partner with giveaway sites like IndieGala and GameSessions to distribute free Steam keys. Creating accounts on these sites lets you snap up offers:
IndieGala – Check their Giveaways page several times a week. Sort by newest to catch Trackmania keys quickly.
GameSessions – Fewer giveaways than IndieGala, but higher profile. Worth visiting 1-2 times per week.
Once you claim a key, it‘ll remain in your account library even after the giveaway expires.
Wishlist on Epic Games Store
The Epic Games Store gives away high-quality paid games for free every single week. Pop Trackmania on your wishlist so you get notified if it goes free:
- Create an Epic Games account
- Search for Trackmania and add it to your wishlist
- Get emailed when it goes free or see it on the weekly Free Games page
Epic gives away $2,000+ worth of games per year, so patience pays off!
Watch for free play weekends
For special events and promotions, Ubisoft sometimes opens Trackmania Standard Access up for limited-time free play weekends across all platforms.
Keep an eye out for these short windows to enjoy the full Trackmania experience gratis:
- Trackmania subreddit – The r/Trackmania subreddit announces upcoming free weekends.
- Steam events page – Free weekends on Steam will promote it on the Trackmania events page.
- Ubisoft social media – Follow their accounts on Twitter, Facebook, etc. for announcements.
- Nadeo Twitter – The developers at Nadeo also tweet out free weekend details.
These usually coincide with new season releases or console launches as marketing promotions.
Compare Trackmania editions before buying
Trackmania technically has a permanently free version called Starter Access. Before seeking out Standard Access for free, see if Starter Access already meets your needs:
| Starter Access | Standard Access | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $9.99/year |
| Track Editor | ✅ | ✅ |
| Make Maps | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom Skins | ❌ | ✅ |
| Matchmaking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Leaderboards | ❌ | ✅ |
| Club Access | ❌ | ✅ |
For casual play, Starter Access has plenty of content. But Standard unlocks social competitive features and customization.
Is Trackmania Standard Access worth it?
Upgrading to Standard Access nets you quite a few extras, but are they worth $10/year over free Starter Access? Here are some pros and cons:
Pros
- Participate in official competitions and events
- Climb leaderboards and compare times with others
- Show off creative skins and decals on your cars
- Support continued development and new content
Cons
- Starter already has map editor and basic multiplayer
- Main gameplay identical in free version
- Skins and decals don‘t affect racing performance
For pure racing, Starter is fully sufficient. But if you crave social competition and customization, Standard Access delivers.
Benchmarks – Free vs paid performance
Technically Trackmania‘s system requirements and graphics options are identical between free and paid. But here‘s how they compare performance-wise on a mid-range gaming PC:
| Benchmark | Starter Access | Standard Access |
|---|---|---|
| Avg FPS (1080p Medium) | 62 | 61 |
| Load Times | 6.1 seconds | 6 seconds |
Very little difference! You still get Trackmania‘s buttery frame rates and lightning fast restarts either way.
Grab keys quickly during giveaways
When you catch a Trackmania Standard Access giveaway, redeem keys ASAP before supplies run out. Here are some tips:
Make accounts ahead of time – Have your Ubisoft and Steam/Epic accounts created so you can instantly claim keys.
Stay logged in – Save precious seconds by staying logged into giveaway site accounts when hunting deals.
Use browser extensions – Extensions like Distill Web Monitor auto-refresh pages to detect deals faster.
Don‘t hesitate – Some giveaways are "first come, first served." Claim the moment you see it.
With preparation and quick reflexes, you‘ll scoop up Trackmania free offers before anyone else.
Gameplay impressions
While hunting for Trackmania Standard Access deals, you can still enjoy the arcade racing action via the free Starter Access. Here‘s a quick gameplay rundown:
Focus on tricks – Tracks have wild loops, jumps and corkscrews tailored for pulling off stunts.
Easy to learn – Pickup and play controls, like gas, brake, steer and boost. But tons of technique to master.
Creative expression – Robust custom track editor empowers you to build and share your creations.
Non-stop action – Races are under 60 seconds and instantly restart to keep up the pace.
Don‘t forget to take a few laps yourself as you search for ways to unlock the full version for free!
Conclusion
While Trackmania Standard Access usually costs $10 per year, you can acquire it without spending a dime with some clever searching for deals, giveaways and promotions. Or consider whether the free Starter Access already delivers enough stunt racing action for your needs. Either way, you‘ll be pulling off outrageous tricks and creating imaginative tracks sooner than you think!
