Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Desert Child
Oscar Brittain · Published by Akupara Games · Official site ↗
Content notice: The game has some strong language, and use of tobacco and alcohol.
Mixed — 56% positive (355 reviews) · Metacritic 60 · 23 achievements
Last updated 27 Sept 2026
You are a hungry, young hoverbike racer who needs to get off Earth before it E-X-P-L-O-D-E-S. Hunt bounties, throw races, and do whatever you can to get to Mars and win the Grand Prix.
£9.59
Lowest price we've ever recorded
View on SteamPrices can lag the live Steam store — always confirm before buying.
Price history
Action, Indie, RPG, Simulation, Racing · 2018 · More £5 - £15 games
Embark on a thrilling journey as Desert Child's hungry protagonist races through dangerous tracks to earn bounties and secure a spot in the Grand Prix before Earth's fate becomes catastrophic.
About this game
Feature List
- Hunt bounties, deliver pizzas, throw races - do anything you can to earn cash
- Explore a pixel-art solar system inspired by Cowboy Bebop, Akira and Redline
- Customize your beloved bike with Guns, Amplifiers and shameless advertising
- Dine on a range of interplanetary cuisine with sweet buffs to help you win
- Master deep combat and racing mechanics and define your own style
- Race, shoot, and get better! Designed for replayability, with secrets that keep you coming back
- Chill to an original lo-fi hip-hop soundtrack
- Challenge your friends through local multiplayer
About the Game
You’re broke, you’re hungry, and your only friends are a vintage hoverbike and a bowl of ramen noodles.
In Desert Child, you are a young and talented hoverbike racer who needs to figure out how you can scrape enough cash together through racing and odd jobs to punch your one-way ticket to the Red Planet to enter the biggest race in the universe, the Grand Prix.
The world as we know it is slowly starting to become unhabitable, as many people on Earth have moved to Mars for a better quality of life, thanks to a government subsidy that assisted in relocating citizens by providing affordable passage. After several years of running this program, the government announces that in two weeks, tickets to Mars would go up in price, making the exodus to the Red Planet unobtainable for regular citizens.
You’ll deliver pizzas, collect gun parts, hunt bounties, and make some fans along the way. In between races, you’ll explore colorful cities where you can repair and upgrade your bike, dine on the local cuisine, and fight your way through gangsters, bounty hunters, and all sorts of interesting characters, just so that you can have a decent meal and keep your bike running.
Nothing’s free in Desert Child.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: 3rd Gen i3/AMD FX-4100 Series
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce 7 Series/Radeon R7 Series
- Storage: 150 MB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: 5th Gen i5/1st Gen Ryzen (or better)
- Graphics: GeForce 7 Series/Radeon R7 Series (or better)
- Storage: 150 MB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
AnnouncementsOfficial
Akupara Games Celebrates 8 Year with Sales and Livestream
Hey Akuparians! Guess what, it’s our birthday!, Akupara Games is turning 8 years old and to celebrate, we have put Desert Child on sale for 78% off! Be sure to grab those deals, check out our lovely event page, and check out the sales! Maybe the game you’ve been waiting for is waiting for you here, with a crisp sale to match. https://store.steampowered.com/sale/akuparagames8thanniversarysale {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/32663218/1b810888a3baac10bb6e47830de98f6cfaa88b2c.png Also, to celebrate, we will be hosting a multi-hour stream with tons of activities, announcements, and more! Stream is starting at 11:45 PM PDT! We really hope to see you there - and here’s to another year of publishing your favorite indie games on the market https://www.twitch.tv/akuparagames - Riv otterRead full article on Community Announcements ([AG] riv otter)AnnouncementsOfficial
Halloween is here on Mars!
Hey, Racers! Spooky month is here which means it is time to decorate, dress up, and eat some candy! We take the celebration of Halloween a million miles away from Earth and incorporate it into Desert Child! Load up Desert Child in October to see the spooky decorations that the residences have put up! Make sure to keep your eyes on the road when driving your hoverbike and good luck on your next race! -Riv OtterRead full article on Community Announcements ([AG] riv otter)AnnouncementsOfficial
Even Mars Celebrates Halloween!
Hey, Racers! Just because we're not on Earth anymore doesn't mean we don't celebrate All Hallow's Eve! Everyone enjoys a good pumpkin, even if it's gotta be grown in red sand under a sun 150 million miles away. Load up Desert Child and take a look at the spooky decorations hidden all across Olympia. As always, I wish you the best of luck in the Grand Prix! -BuddyRead full article on Community Announcements ([AG] Buddy)AnnouncementsOfficial
Desert Child - Remote Gameplay Feature!
Check out Buddy & Chris go head to head on Remote Play! Grab the game right now at 60% off here! https://youtu.be/h_g2ikGNTjM In Desert Child you are broke, but talented, hoverbike racer who needs to find a way off Earth to get to Mars to compete in the Grand Prix, the greatest race in the universe. Explore a vibrant pixel-art solar system in this stylized racing adventure flavored with colorful sidequests, fierce hoverbike competitions, and a chill, lo-fi hip-hop soundtrack. Game Features Hunt bounties, do odd jobs, throw races - do anything you can to earn cash. Explore a pixel-art solar system inspired by Cowboy Bebop, Akira and Redline. Customize your vintage bike with various modifications. Dine on a range of interplanetary cuisine with sweet buffs to help you win. Master deep combat and racing mechanics and define your own style. Race, shoot, and get better! Designed for replayability, with secrets that will keep you coming back. Chill to an original lo-fi/hip-hop soundtrack.Read full article on Community Announcements (Sir Moosealot)Press Coverage
Humble Choice begins today, replacing Humble Monthly
Game subscription services are everywhere these days but Humble Bundle have been doing this for a while. Their former service Humble Monthly is being replaced with the fresh-faced Humble Choice which comes with the ability to choose the games you get, but a higher price tag as well. The service launches today under its new name. (more…)Read full article on Rock, Paper, Shotgun
