Mastering Polytrack Physics: How to Build the Perfect Loop Every Time

Building a track in Polytrack is an exercise in both creative freedom and grueling physics management. While the low-poly aesthetic might suggest a simple arcade experience, the underlying engine is surprisingly sensitive to velocity and geometric precision.

If you have ever watched your car inexplicably fly off into the void halfway through a vertical climb, you have felt the sting of a poorly optimized loop. Creating the "perfect" loop requires more than just connecting blocks; it demands an understanding of how momentum interacts with the game's specific collision resolution.

The Physics of Polytrack Loops

In Polytrack, staying glued to the track isn't just about driving straight. It is about centripetal force. When your car enters a loop, the track must exert enough normal force to keep the vehicle from falling. If your speed drops below a certain threshold, gravity wins, and your car detaches from the surface.

Conversely, entering a loop with too much speed—especially on a tight radius—can cause the physics engine to "bounce" the car. This happens when the frame-by-frame collision detection fails to reconcile the car's position with the rapidly curving track. The car clips slightly into the block, and the engine's resolution logic ejects it outward with violent force. To avoid this, your entry angle and speed must be perfectly synchronized.

The Golden Ratio: Speed vs. Radius

There is no single "magic number" for speed because it depends entirely on the size of the loop you are building. However, through rigorous community testing and engine analysis, we can establish a reliable baseline.

• Small Loops (3-4 Blocks High): These require a minimum entry speed of approximately 180 km/h. Because the curve is tighter, the car experiences higher G-forces. If you go too fast here (above 250 km/h), the car will likely jitter or flip.
• Medium Loops (6-8 Blocks High): This is the sweet spot for most competitive tracks. An entry speed of 280 km/h to 320 km/h provides a smooth, cinematic arc without risking a physics "pop."
• Mega Loops (10+ Blocks High): These are dangerous. You need to be pushing 400 km/h+. At these heights, even a minor steering adjustment can cause the car to lose its line and fall.

Entry and Exit Angles

The most common mistake is a flat entry. If you transition from a flat straightaway directly into a steep upward curve, the car’s suspension will compress fully, causing a loss of speed or an accidental jump.

Always use transition slopes. Start your loop with a gradual incline block before hitting the vertical sections. This "primes" the car's suspension and ensures the wheels stay in contact with the collision mesh.

When exiting, the same rule applies. A sharp transition from a downward vertical to a flat surface will cause the nose of the car to hit the ground, killing your momentum.

Advanced Building Techniques for Smoothness

To make a loop feel "professional," you must account for the way Polytrack handles the car's center of mass. The car isn't just a point in space; it is a rigid body with four distinct contact points.

• The Smaller Grid Advantage: In the latest 2025 updates, the track editor allows for much smaller grid snapping. Use this to overlap your loop segments slightly. Overlapping prevents the tiny "seams" between blocks that can occasionally trip up the car's tires at high speeds.
• Air Brakes and Mid-Air Correction: If your loop has a gap at the top—a popular "stunt loop" design—remember to use the Air Brake feature. This allows you to level out the car's pitch mid-rotation. Keeping the car parallel to the landing surface is the difference between a smooth transition and a race-ending crash.
• The "Inward Funnel" Strategy: For loops that incorporate a slight turn (corkscrews), build the wall slightly inward. As centrifugal force pushes the car outward, this inward tilt acts as a safety net, keeping the car centered on the drivable surface.

For those looking to dive deeper into the technical side of how these environments are structured, Kodub's official devlog provides excellent insight into how the physics buckets and suspension changes in version 0.5.0 have altered track interactions.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Perfect Loop

If you are struggling to get a loop right, follow this template for a "Medium" smooth loop:

• Step 1: Build a straight approach of at least 15 blocks to ensure you can reach a speed of 300 km/h.
• Step 2: Place a "Small Slope Up" block to begin the transition.
• Step 3: Use the Rotation Axis tool to tilt your next three blocks at 30-degree increments.
• Step 4: At the peak of the loop, ensure you have at least two flat blocks (inverted) to stabilize the car before it begins the descent.
• Step 5: Mirror the entry for the exit, ensuring a gradual taper back to the ground.
• Step 6: Test the track. If the car "jitters" at the bottom, your entry is too steep. If it falls at the top, your speed is too low.

Pro Tip: If you can't get enough speed, don't just add more track. Use the Overlap feature to hide boosters inside the transition blocks. This provides a hidden "kick" that keeps the car stuck to the ceiling of the loop without cluttering your visual design.

Troubleshooting Common Physics Glitches

Sometimes you do everything right, and the game still breaks. This is the nature of low-poly physics engines. If your car is clipping through the floor at the base of a loop, it is often due to "Suspension Bottoming."

The car's suspension in Polytrack was recently updated to be smoother, but it can still be overwhelmed by extreme vertical G-forces. To fix this, increase the length of your entry curve. By spreading the vertical change over a longer distance, you reduce the instantaneous force on the springs.

For a broader look at track design philosophy and how to maintain "flow" throughout an entire course, the TrackMania community guides offer timeless advice that applies perfectly to Polytrack. Mastering the loop is just the first step; connecting it to a meaningful race line is where the real challenge lies.

Mastering Polytrack Physics

This video showcases high-level gameplay and various track configurations, which can help you visualize the speeds necessary to clear complex loops and jumps successfully.