Definitely Not Fried Chicken
Definitely Not Fried Chicken
Game
Game2020
Rival Stars Horse Racing: Desktop Edition
Developer PikPok
With stunning, realistic horses, an in-depth breeding system, and a range of exciting game modes, Rival Stars Horse Racing offers horse fans the ultimate racing and riding experience. Take the reins and become an equestrian legend! From the Steam store page
322 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
78
LovedLoved
192 positive · 55 negative
95% range 72–82%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 192 | 55 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 11 | 1 | 56 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,545 of 3,830 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
75% recommend · 168 yes, 55 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 223 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (4,902 of 5,344 positive).
Some reviewers warn that the desktop edition receives fewer updates than the mobile version. [1][2][3] Several players recommend buying the game only when it is on sale. [4][5][6]
Liked
Representative posts
- [3]
I’ve spent a lot of time with Rival Stars Horse Racing: Desktop Edition, and at its best, it’s a genuinely enjoyable game. The one‑time purchase, lack of microtransactions, and access to features that don’t exist on mobile make it a strong foundation with a lot of potential, it's got a lot of what horse loving gamers look for in a horse game! But despite how much the community has supported this version, it’s become …
- [4]
As a horse girl, would recommend. As a student with a budget, wouldn't recommend paying the full price - it's not worth it. The mobile version is very good and free! However, this is a great cozy game for people who like horses. I like the story even though I wish there was more to it - especially the "side stories". I love all the different races, cross country and show jumping and the horses are very pretty!
- [7]
Bought this after getting so tired of all the microtransactions necessary to be competitive for the mobile app version, and I wish I had done it way sooner! Loving that all the new features eventually come across to this version as well so I literally haven't touched the mobile version since. Makes breeding for the perfect combo of stats and colour actually exciting and challenging rather than frustrating and a …
- [6]
Honestly?? Got it on 50% sale, worth it. There's just something brainscrathing about this game. Braindead and fun. (Not worth full price)
- [1]
great game. BUT the lack of updates it gets compared to mobile is just disapointing.
Summarised from 34 of the 303 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Rival Stars Horse Racing: Desktop Edition sits at 78% positive across 247 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 322 · most liked firstI REALLY wanted to like this, but it feels like a mobile game to me. I got stuck on a quest, and I couldnt find any help online at all. Says I need to race, but my storage is full, cant upgrade storage till quest is done, and cant finish quest. Im sorry, cause I never usually give bad reviews, but this just frustrated me to much!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’ve spent a lot of time with Rival Stars Horse Racing: Desktop Edition, and at its best, it’s a genuinely enjoyable game. The one‑time purchase, lack of microtransactions, and access to features that don’t exist on mobile make it a strong foundation with a lot of potential, it's got a lot of what horse loving gamers look for in a horse game! But despite how much the community has supported this version, it’s become clear that PikPok has never prioritized the Desktop Edition, and recent events…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As someone who has been cursed to eternally look for the perfect horse game for me... Rival Stars is not that game. As implied by the "Desktop Edition" in the title, this is the secondary game to their mobile game, and as it's harder to justify all the microtransactions here, this version is largely abandoned. It hasn't had a major update in nearly a year, before I even picked it up. Pros: - Cute animations and coats for the horses, they don't look like slapped together cheap assets like a lot…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like the horses in this game. The graphics are great and the genetics system seems really thought out with different breeds, colours, markings, etc. However, playing this game feels like playing a mobile game with constant grinding for seemingly little return, no sense in the cost of things, caps on how much income your homestead can make passively (but a requirement to keep upgrading it anyway). Shockingly, annoying mobile game mechanics are not what I'm looking for when I BUY a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After spending over 100 hours playing Rival stars on PC, VR and mobile, I fear in it's current state I cannot recommend it to anyone who was thinking of buying it. Although it was fun at first, it quickly feels simply like a grinding simulator to complete quests. The horses are cute, but there is a really horrible variety of tack, considering the fact this game is no longer racing focused and has XC and show jumping, they really should be adding more tack focused on those disciplines It has…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Are you ready for this because I don’t think you are: I‘m attending a press event for the console release of Rival Stars Horse Racing that also features a hobby horsing competition. I am locked in and committed
neutral · AI labelView post →If anyone plans on purchasing the desktop version DONT!!!! Its a scam, at this point! PikPok announced they will no longer be updating the desktop version until further notice meaning if you see Mobile game play that's much more updated the desktop version will most likely NOT have the update. Meaning you will be paying for a NONE UPDATED GAME!! SCAM!!!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →newer players i don't recommend buying this game as of Feb.2 they have stated that desktop isn't getting any updates and they have no idea when desktop will get another update. Do not give your money to this money hungry company.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Please dont get me wrong i love this game, i really do! But at this point its just unfair how big the gap between the desktop and the mobile version is. I get it that they wanted to take a break from this version, but its still just unfair. I mean the mobile version wich is mostly pay-to-win gets all the new content while i have to wait multible months for the same content? And now they are taking a break from this version, wich means that i will probably never get the friesian horse breed and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TERRIBLE GAME! I had over FIVE YEARS of playing wiped out by a SINGLE UPDATE. THERE IS NO WAY TO BACK UP! UPDATES ARE FORCED BY STEAM AND TIME MACHINE DOES NOT INCLUDE THEM!!!!! 100% DO NOT RECOMMEND DOWNLOADING OR BUYING THIS GAME!!!!!!!!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a horse girl, would recommend. As a student with a budget, wouldn't recommend paying the full price - it's not worth it. The mobile version is very good and free! However, this is a great cozy game for people who like horses. I like the story even though I wish there was more to it - especially the "side stories". I love all the different races, cross country and show jumping and the horses are very pretty!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →READ THIS BEFORE CONSIDERING BUYING!!! I love this game don't get me wrong. But it has it's problems the biggest (at least for me) is the huge gap between updates of the desktop and mobile version. At the time I am writing this mobile aka the FREE version got a new breed the Friesian (8 months ago!), yet there has been no news about that coming to desktop any time soon. Barrel racing was annouced for Star Club members 3 months ago. Star club member pay $14.05 (cad - $9.99 usd) a MONTH. Yet…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →DO NOT BUY! NO LONGER SUPPORTED! So, the Mobile Version is ahead by multiple horse types and events. New locations as well that we have only hinted at. At this point just port the phone version to those who paid $30-$47 to get the VR version (which is updated even less) ... oh wait they wont. The computer is a one time purchase. The mobile is a daily sell. To quote google "The Computer version is a purchase game without microtransactions or wait timers, while the mobile version is a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Used to love this game. When I was about 10, that is. And back when it was actually about racing. I'm gonna start my rant with the stuff I actually have some expertise on. Like breeds. And the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that the breeding system is. Not sure about now, but PikPok used to pride themselves in the latter, going all about how realistic it is. Is it really, though? Can someone for the love of God explain to me how dominant white can be a base color? Please? And the dilutions? Then you get some…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →May be fun in the beginning but it get's repetitive and it's no longer worth it at full price. Updates are forgotten about on here and consoles because it's not their "cash cow" like mobile is. A pc game should get regular updates and maintenance like the mobile game. As of writing this review, mobile has barrel racing update and soot and tail update, along with multiple events, hotfixes and maintenance. Multiple players have stated that this game might not even be updated any longer and at…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is okay, I'd give it 5/10. The UI and multiplayer are buggy. I can't even scroll through options. There's been little progress over the past few years. Announcer can't say common words like "agility". A rest period after races seems more realistic rather than just race after race, there's no discrete time period/progression, no horse ages. No time requirement for training. It costs just as much to breed with your own stallion vs. the stud farm which seems ridiculous when a foal sells for…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[Epic Mobile] Down in Bermuda, [Epic] Rival Stars Horse Racing: Desktop, [Epic] Breathedge. Claim Everything (PC / Android & iOS) - [Here.](https://store.epicgames.com/purchase?offers=1-08ae29e4f70a4b62aa055e383381aa82-8401414902e84f2cb9afa9142f051d32&offers=1-f570d80aa4fe463ca53c4410d1c75e1e-8f1fcf01e32e4fd4b2ae0a9737992760&offers=1-0558e58003aa447a8ace48c3a0d53b54-e427b24483d2461e8ea2af4deebea32d&offers=1-0558e58003aa447a8ace48c3a0d53b54-1ee5dc8596734d2eb02a38b387570814#/free-checkout) Claim…
neutral · AI labelView post →I would reccomend the game if it weren't for the lack of new content. It's frustrating to see they are willing to put more time into the mobile version which is literally pay to win and full of micro transactions. I've played both the mobile and the pc version and hands down love the pc version so much more. Just wish the creators weren't so money hungry.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →yes, very fun and realistic, this is by far the best horse racing game I have ever played. It doesn't take super long to get through all of the levels but it takes long enough that it keeps you busy for a while. I definitely recommend this over the phone version
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →NEW VIDEO! I had a wildly fun day yesterday and I need to tell you all about it: PikPok and Dead Good PR invited me to London for a Hobby Horsing Competition to celebrate the console release of Rival Stars Horse Racing
neutral · AI labelView post →> buy full version on pc to avoid microtransactions on mobile > developer stops updating the "premium" pc version to focus on mobile > uninstall
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →richard calthorpe i swear to god i will wipe your stupid smirk off the face of the earth if you ever beat me in a race again you piss me the hell off. don't act like we're friends just because you found out why our families are fighting after all the ♥♥♥♥ you've been talking to me. don't you ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ joke ever again with me lad. you will not live through the harsh winter. also the game's really fun. 10/10 yay horsies yayyy
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Extremely obvious mobile game port, and far too pricey for what it is. Might be worth it at ~$15 or less, but for $40? Hell no. You can't interact with the horses at all. There's racing, where you wait for a bar to fill up and then tap space in time to get a speed boost, cross country, where you follow a path and hold space to speed up before jumps, and jumping, which I didn't play long enough to unlock but looks like more of the same. The breeding system is fairly involved, but it's hard/rare…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For other millennial horse gamers like me, I'd describe this game as a mix of Gallop Racer and Lucinda Green's Equestrian Challenge... with the depth of neither. The only real thing you have control over with your horse is speed and steering, and even your speed control is just holding a single button or letting go. The gameplay loop starts fine, but quickly becomes unrewarding and tedious. By level 10 (halfway to max), the game became an endless loop of breeding a horse with my legacy line…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have my farm leveled up to 16. All my horses are level 8 horses AAAA rated trained to level 40. There is a game glitch in Majestic range course 6 , pro mode where the horse slows down and stops at the same several spots in the course when you're sprinting and have plenty of sprint energy so you can't beat that quest. Also with the Rival Race there's no way to beat it. Even with top leveled up horses and doing everything right, the other horses always blow right past you and you can't win.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →NEWS ARTICLE: Rival Stars Horse Racing is Coming to PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch www.themanequest.com/blog/2026/3/...
neutral · AI labelView post →It is a desktop adaptation of a mobile game, and it has not been adapted well. The gameplay is very repetitive, stretched thin by a tedious "checklist" like progression system. While I enjoy grinding for a build, this isn't it. The races offer zero challenge because your horses are perpetually overleveled—a side effect of being forced to grind specific quotas just to unlock the next tier. This design kills all user agency. You don’t breed for aesthetics or race for profit; you do it because…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly, no regrets of getting the pc version. This money greed on mobile is crazy wylde. Love it. Super cozy. No long waiting times, everything easily affordable only by grind. No Subcription, and controls are also easier than on phone. But still recommened to only get it, while on sale.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No updates forthcoming on this platform. No point playing this game as its just grinds to a halt
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →NEXT WEEK ON XBOX New Games for April 27 to May 1: • Invincible VS • Aphelion (GP) • inKONBINI (GP) • TerraTech Legion (GP) • Heroes of Might and Magic (Game Preview) (GP) • MotoGP 26 • The Coma 3: Bloodlines • Rival Stars Horse Racing news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →great game. BUT the lack of updates it gets compared to mobile is just disapointing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To keep in mind - PikPok officially announced on their Discord server that the Desktop Edition is going on an indefinite hiatus. They confirmed that the game will not be receiving major updates during this period. As a whole, the game is… fine. It’s nice to have a more structured horse racing game with a bit of actual story behind it, especially in a genre full of bland sims. The foundation here is solid, and there’s definitely potential. The biggest issue though, is that this is very clearly…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So @hatterhrg.bsky.social got me an early birthday gift, Rival Stars Horse Racing And uh. Please look at these names of the horses for sale in the marketplace
positive · AI labelView post →it was great till the developers abandoned it with no content updates in favor of the mobile version. your better off spending your money on the mobile version instead of wasting it on the desktop version
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While Rival Stars is a well-made horse racing game as it presents itself as, I agree 100% with the other reviews that if you are not getting this game on sale, it is not worth it. Plus, at the time of posting, the development team as announced that they have stepped away from updating desktop to focus on their mobile version. If you bought the desktop before buying the mobile version I'd recommend not making an account. The mobile version, while has promised updates that desktop does not,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My daughter is a "horse girl" and plays this... a lot. She likes the realism and goals/challenges...and of course, the horses. Be warned. If you delete a horse, it's not coming back. Unlike the tears, because those ARE COMING.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Can't recommend this game. It's very basic and barebone, all the mechanics feel half-assed, no cups no derbies, breeding feels very basic and everything has to be RNG for some reason (especially the market and the horse selection for breeding, why?) and you have to wait a few minutes for every little things, like dude I paid for this game why do I have to wait?? If waiting has proper gameplay and management impact I wouldn't mind at all, but this is just pointless waiting. It's not worth full…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition Announcement Trailer.
neutral · AI labelView post →Lately, I've been thinking a lot about horse games 🐴 ✨ #theranchofrivershine #thesims4horseranch #rivalstarshorseracing #starstable
neutral · AI labelView post →Devs have stated there will be no updates in 2026, despite updates to mobile of course (and it coming to consoles). Overall a fun game to have on while watching TV. It is nice it doesn't have the mtx of its mobile version (which I would never play). However, the delay between updates and now an actual cessation of them make it impossible to rec this game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The horse girlies have it rough with one of the better games being a phone port that is being shown no love by the developers.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A selection of some of the names I got from the generator in Rival Stars Horse Racing. Finally, a game that understands how to name horses
positive · AI labelView post →Bought this after getting so tired of all the microtransactions necessary to be competitive for the mobile app version, and I wish I had done it way sooner! Loving that all the new features eventually come across to this version as well so I literally haven't touched the mobile version since. Makes breeding for the perfect combo of stats and colour actually exciting and challenging rather than frustrating and a waste of time and money like it is on the mobile one. I do wish it had the same…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hi I’m Chelsea and I like: ✨ RDR2 🤍 TS4 ✨ Rival Stars Horse Racing 🤍 Zelda ✨ Farcry 🤍 Animal Crossing ✨ TLOU 🤍 Fortnite ✨ DBD 🤍 Rift Redm ✨Elder Scrolls 🤍 Stray ✨Mario Party 🤍 Life is Strange ✨Pokemon 🤍 Stardew ✨This Bed We Made 🤍 Creatures of Ava ✨ Star Stable Online 🤍 Ranch of Rivershine
neutral · AI labelView post →Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition Is Nintendogs For Horse Girls. It’s still early days for Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition, but there’s plenty to love already. The bright pastoral world is quaint and rendered carefully, summoning a fitting landscape for tending to horses, and this combination of ranching and nurturing tasks creates a surprisingly relaxing atmosphere. The highlight was, of course, the racing, which, despite any bouts of motion sickness on my part, felt approachable due…
neutral · AI labelView post →🆓 Currently free on the Epic Games Store: 🎮 Rival Stars Horse Racing : Desktop Edition 👉 https://store.epicgames.com/p/rival-stars-horse-racing-dd09de ⏳ Sale ends on September 3, 2026 at 15:00 UTC. #EpicGames #Games #Gaming #FreeGame #FreeGames
neutral · AI labelView post →A simple: YES When I was a kid, I played the mobile version. Which kinda sucked, ngl, because gold was so hard to come by. But the DESKTOP VERSION? I love ittttt This game is NOT abandoned by the devs, right now they're improving the mobile version, then desktop version.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun game, just wish you could play with your friends like breeding with their horses, selling a horse to them or even challenging them to races/events.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros : -Great graphics Cons: - FLAT GAMEPLAY thought for mobile, close to a point and click, no interractions, feels souless - Absolutely NOT OPTIMISED, the only times you can control your horse (cross) it runs at 15 fps and I have a good pc! - NEVER UPDATED, the team privileges the mobile version so they get the updates, we don't! - Progression is really NOT REWARDING you spend time levelling up only to earn an unsignificant item (useful on mobile not desktop) - EXPENSIVE, got the game on…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I bought the PC version because I find it hard to play games on my phone. I thought the PC version would continue to get the same updates that the mobile version does but recently they are making it seem as if they will not be updating the PC version. Bummed out, but it isn't worth the price for a game you will never get all the features for. If you don't care about all that- it's a decent game on PC & still enjoyable.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A lot more fun than the mobile version, although to my understanding doesn't get as many events nor updated as frequently. Still worth the purchase for entertainment if you want a horse game with good quality graphics and animations + several activities to keep you occupied. There is still room for improvement but the game has come a long way :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the game, as it is, is fine. if you like what you see, then it's pretty much that the entire way through. if you like that, go ahead the reason i dont recommend this game, however, is bc i - and i assume many others - assumed this game would be a premium edition of their mobile version, and thus, this game would stay up to date. that is not the case, and as far as i know, this game likely wont get any new content (or if it will, it's going to be slow). i believe the devs have said somewhere…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I LOVED this game until I realized that the breeding system (the biggest draw for the game for me and essential for progression) is bugged and not properly optimized for the premium desktop version. For example, breeding two horses of the same grade should result in a foal with an average of the parents’ stats (as per the tutorial). Multiple times I have breed two horses and the foal has lower stats than *both* parents, which should not be possible in the game’s code. Additionally, the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Was fun and a good game but they will no longer be updating the PC/Desktop version. They announced that there is no confirmed roadmap or anything for us on PC because they "need a break" and to "shift focus". Don't make a PC port from mobile to here then stop updating the game, I want my money back but that ain't gonna happen. Last actual "major" update was us getting showjumping. Mobile version has everything so best to go there and play it for free. Do not buy this game nor pay for their…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#NintendoSwitch Review Video: #RivalStarsHorseRacing - A very pleasant surprise of an approachable and still pretty compelling horse racing and breeding simulator that has its moments, but also some definite grinding per its mobile roots #IndieGames... youtu.be/HgoRS5h85jw
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is in fact fantastic, but is missing a lot of features! This game, in its current build, is not planned for further updates. Which means we will be missing HORSES and other genetic features. Which is very disappointing.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like the various options, and the fact you don't have to pay for anything while on the game to advance. Unlike mobile where you have to buy things with cash, this is a lot better in my opinion.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They've neglected this game for years, made many promises and did not deliver on most of them. Fun game but ♥♥♥♥ PikPok honestly. This game isn't getting any more updates, we aren't getting ♥♥♥♥ that was promised.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Decent game on sale, and I almost gave it a thumbs down, but visually it's nice. It's been on mobile for sometime and gets way too grindy and less enjoyable on pc to appreciate the story at all, for a single-player mindset especially. Could really benefit from Mods, or better ways to decrease the cost to train, in single-player mode for sure. I play games to enjoy them...this one becomes a chore quickly. *So that's my two cent, my digital horses might end up starving before I earn enough to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly?? Got it on 50% sale, worth it. There's just something brainscrathing about this game. Braindead and fun. (Not worth full price)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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