Star Wars Galactic Racer Podracing Guide – How to Unlock and Play It

TL;DR – Podracing in Star Wars Galactic Racer at a Glance

• Podracing is not the default mode — the main campaign uses landspeeders, speeder bikes, and skimspeeders.
• Fastest way in — Arcade mode has Podracing available immediately, no Campaign progress needed.
• Campaign unlock is a two-act process — Sebulba’s Tales of Podracing open in Act 2, your own Podracer arrives in Act 3.
• Podracers are the fastest vehicles in the game — they handle completely differently from standard speeders.
• Six playable pilots in multiplayer — all unlock together when you reach Multiplayer Rank 5.
• Anakin Skywalker is not in the game at launch — Sebulba, Ben Quadinaros, Gasgano, Ody Mandrell, Dud Bolt, and Teemto Pagalies are your options.
• Podracing Tour (multiplayer) — unlocks at Rank 5, supports 8 players across a 5-planet series.

Podracing is the thing that gets a lot of people interested in Star Wars Galactic Racer in the first place. The Boonta Eve Classic, Sebulba’s podracer, the chaos of those twin-engine monsters flying inches from rock faces — it carries a lot of nostalgia. So when new players boot up the game and find the campaign is built around landspeeders and speeder bikes, there’s a moment of confusion. Where is the Podracing?

It’s in there. It just takes a little work to unlock in the Campaign, and there’s a quicker path through Arcade if you don’t want to wait. This guide covers every route in — Campaign, Arcade, and multiplayer — plus how to handle a Podracer once you’re actually sitting in one.

For the full picture on the game, read our Star Wars Galactic Racer review. For general gameplay help, our tips and tricks guide covers Campaign fundamentals. And for everything about racing other players online, the Star Wars Galactic Racer multiplayer guide has you covered.

The Three Ways to Access Podracing in Star Wars Galactic Racer

Before diving into the step-by-step breakdown, it helps to know there are actually three separate entry points for Podracing in this game. Which one you use depends on how much Campaign progress you have and whether you want to play solo or online.

• Arcade Mode — Available immediately on day one, no Campaign progress required. This is the fastest way to get into a Podracer.
• Campaign (Tales of Podracing) — Unlocks in Act 2. You play as Sebulba in flashback races, using his iconic Podracer.
• Campaign (Shade’s own Podracer) — Unlocks in Act 3. Shade gets their own Podracer and Podracing challenges become part of the main story.
• Multiplayer Podracing — Unlocks at Multiplayer Rank 5. Two modes available: Quick Podrace and Podracing Tour.

How to Access Podracing Immediately – Arcade Mode

If you just want to drive a Podracer right now without touching the Campaign, Arcade Mode is the answer. It’s available from the main menu the moment you start the game, and it includes a dedicated set of Podracing events and time trials that you can jump into straight away.

The Arcade Podracing events follow a sequential unlock structure — you need to earn at least a bronze medal (third place or better) on a track to unlock the next one. It’s not a huge barrier, but it does mean you can’t just skip to the Boonta Eve Classic immediately. Work through them in order and the track list opens up progressively.

Arcade Mode is also the best place to learn how a Podracer actually handles before you commit to Campaign unlocks or multiplayer. The physics are very different from standard speeders, and getting a feel for the controls in a low-stakes environment makes everything else easier.

How to Unlock Podracing in the Campaign – Step by Step

Act 1 – No Podracing Here

Don’t look for Podracing in Act 1. It isn’t there. The opening act of the Campaign establishes Shade’s story in the Galactic League and builds toward your first encounter with Sebulba, who has been hired by the antagonist Kestar Bool. Beat Sebulba at the end of Act 1 to qualify for the Galactic League and open Act 2.

Act 2 – Tales of Podracing (Sebulba’s Flashbacks)

This is where Podracing first becomes playable in the Campaign. Once Act 2 begins, Sebulba starts travelling alongside the Galactic League. When you arrive on a new planet, look for Sebulba in the hub area — he’s usually near the coffee shop, and an icon over his head indicates he has a Tales of Podracing event available.

Talk to him to kick off the Tales of Podracing quest line. These are flashback sequences where you play as a younger Sebulba, piloting his Podracer through key moments in his championship history. The first race is set on Tatooine at Mos Espa. Subsequent events — including Legends of Speed on Lantaana — unlock as you complete each one.

Two things to keep in mind for this section:

• You need to win first place (gold) in each flashback race to unlock the next one — bronze isn’t enough here
• Don’t ignore the icon over Sebulba’s head between planets — missing those conversations delays the next memory sequence
• The Tales of Podracing are a side quest, but they’re not optional content you can safely skip — they’re the main Podracing unlock path through the Campaign

Act 2 – End Boss and the Podracer Theft

At the end of Act 2, Kestar Bool defeats Shade and steals Sebulba’s Podracer for himself. With a Podracer in his possession, Kestar now has a significant speed advantage going into the championship. This sets up the transition into Act 3 and directly triggers your own Podracer storyline.

Act 3 – Shade Gets a Podracer

At the start of Act 3, speak with Hibi, who agrees to serve as your mechanic. Then find Sebulba — he offers to loan Shade one of his backup Podracers, under the condition that Shade help him recover his original Podracer from Kestar. Sebulba then becomes your Podracing mentor for the rest of the Campaign.

Act 3 adds a Hunk of Junk test flight on Tatooine as an early mission — this is your first chance to actually fly Shade’s own Podracer and get used to its handling. From this point forward, new planets in Act 3 come with dedicated Podracing challenges on the side map. Sebulba also continues offering Tales of Podracing flashbacks, so keep checking in with him between events.

The Campaign eventually builds to a final Podrace pitting Shade against Kestar Bool in the championship — the full Podracing story payoff that the whole Campaign has been building toward.

All Six Podracing Pilots in Star Wars Galactic Racer

All Six Podracing Pilots in Star Wars Galactic Racer

In Arcade and multiplayer, you’re not locked into Sebulba’s Podracer. Star Wars Galactic Racer brings back six classic pilots from the Boonta Eve Classic in The Phantom Menace, each with their own distinct characteristics.

• Sebulba — the aggressive choice. Built for players who treat other racers as part of the track. Strong contact, high intimidation factor.
• Ben Quadinaros — surprisingly strong straight-line speed with no upgrades, making him a solid early option in multiplayer before builds come into play.
• Gasgano — a more forgiving option on technical tracks, good for players still learning Podracer physics.
• Dud Bolt — benefits most on tracks with long straightaways where his speed bonus can be fully exploited. Less effective on technical courses that constantly break momentum.
• Ody Mandrell — available alongside the others at Rank 5, each with distinct handling characteristics.
• Teemto Pagalies — rounds out the six-pilot roster, unlocking simultaneously with the rest at Rank 5.

One notable absence: Anakin Skywalker is not in Star Wars Galactic Racer at launch. The six pilots above are the full Podracing roster as the game shipped. No individual unlock grind is needed — all six become available the moment you hit Multiplayer Rank 5.

How to Unlock Multiplayer Podracing in Star Wars Galactic Racer

Podracing in online multiplayer is locked until you reach Multiplayer Rank 5. Once you hit that threshold, two Podracing modes unlock simultaneously and all six classic pilots become available at the same time — no individual unlocks required.

The two multiplayer Podracing modes are:

• Quick Podrace — a single standalone Podracing event for up to 8 players with no upgrades. Pure speed, pure skill, level playing field. Available immediately once Rank 5 is reached.
• Podracing Tour — a full 5-race series across different planets, with vehicle upgrades between races, culminating in a final championship race on Tatooine. Also 8 players max. This is the deeper mode for players who want the full roguelite-style experience in Podracing.

The fastest path to Rank 5 is playing Multiplayer Tour rather than Quick Race — Tour victories pay significantly more XP, and finishing the full six-race Tour generates meaningful rank progress even without winning. Read our multiplayer guide for a full breakdown of how the Tour system works.

How to Drive a Podracer in Star Wars Galactic Racer – Tips and Handling

The first thing to know: a Podracer handles completely differently from a landspeeder or speeder bike. The speed is significantly higher, the margin for error is much tighter, and the physics feel genuinely distinct. Don’t expect to jump in and immediately be competitive — there’s a real adjustment period.

Manage your heat constantly

The Ramjet system that governs standard speeders is still present in Podracers, but Podracing turns the heat management pressure up considerably. Use the cooling/vent system during long high-speed stretches to prevent engine strain. Sustained boosting without managing temperature will cause engine failure — the same as it would in a standard speeder, but the consequences arrive faster given the higher base speeds involved.

Avoid jerky steering inputs

Podracer steering is significantly tighter and more sensitive than other vehicle classes. Sharp, aggressive steering corrections that would save you in a landspeeder will cost you in a Podracer — the handling amplifies those inputs and can send you into a wall or off the racing line. Smooth, deliberate inputs are the correct approach, especially while learning tracks.

Use Arcade Mode to practice before multiplayer

The Podracing Tour in multiplayer involves upgrades and a competitive build phase, but the baseline handling is something you need to have already figured out before you arrive. Arcade Mode’s Podracing events let you learn individual tracks at your own pace without the pressure of other players or League Token consequences. Put time in there first, and multiplayer Podracing will feel far less overwhelming when you get there.

Keep working through Sebulba’s Tales in the Campaign

Even after Shade’s own Podracer unlocks in Act 3, keep talking to Sebulba between planets. Each new Tales of Podracing flashback is a separate race with its own rewards, and they continue to teach different aspects of Podracing technique through the scenarios themselves. The Arcade equivalent can’t replicate that structured learning progression.

Choose your pilot based on the track type

In Arcade and multiplayer, different pilots suit different track layouts. Dud Bolt thrives on long straights but suffers on technical courses that break momentum frequently. Gasgano is more forgiving overall, making him a good learning pilot. Sebulba rewards aggressive contact-heavy racing on tracks with competitor traffic. Match your pilot to the course rather than just defaulting to Sebulba every time.

Star Wars Galactic Racer Podracing – FAQ