Ray Browser is the place to be when it comes to playing the very best web games. Smash Karts is one of our most popular titles, and for good reason. This action-packed multiplayer game is loved around the world thanks to its fun gameplay and polished social features. The developer behind Smash Karts—Tall Team—has been working on web games for many years, and their next project is approaching the finish line. We sat down with co-founder John Halloran to ask him everything you need to know about Obby Roads and the future of web gaming.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you're working on?
I'm John Halloran, one of the founders of Tall Team. Right now, I’m working as the product lead and developer on Obby Roads. That’s what I’m focused on at the moment.
How’s development going on Obby Roads?
It’s going well. We’ve gone through closed beta, then open beta over the last few months, and we’re moving toward full release. We’re really excited about it. We have a few big features left to add before launch, and then the plan is to release around September—hopefully the start of September.
That said, we're not a studio that sticks to deadlines at all costs. If we decide to delay the release, it's usually because we’ve come up with something that could make the game better. It’s not that we've made a commitment to a partner and can’t deliver—our delays are more about wanting to get things just right. We're creatively driven, and I think that shows in the kinds of games we build.
But yeah, I do still think September is likely. We’re excited to see how it all goes.
Where did the inspiration for Obby Roads come from? Why did you want to create this type of game?
It started a few years ago, initially as a possible mode in Smash Karts. We played around with the idea of a non-competitive, Fall Guys-style obstacle course—kind of a hangout space rather than a combat arena. But it didn’t catch on at first, and we parked it for a while.
Then I was playing Roblox with my daughters, and we were getting into obbies. They really clicked for us—we had a lot of fun. That brought back the earlier idea, and also reminded me of players in Smash Karts who just liked hanging out and not necessarily shooting at each other. That feeling—of wanting to give players a space to just move around and enjoy—is what got this whole thing going again.
As development progressed, Obby Roads started to stand on its own. It became its own game, not just a spin-off. And then we started playing it more competitively as well—racing against each other through obstacle tracks. That part’s not fully in the game yet, but it's a big focus for us. So, it will become a competitive experience, too.
One thing we're actively thinking about is what parts of the game resonate most with players. There’s the competitive racing side and the more relaxed obby side. Some people might like both; others might prefer one. That dual experience is intentional.
As for why we stuck with cars—that comes from Smash Karts, obviously. But also, we love what car mechanics allow us to do in terms of skill-based gameplay. There's a game called What the Car? that we like, which also uses car controls in platformer-style levels. It’s hard to describe, but that kind of thing inspires us.
Looking back at Smash Karts, which has such a vibrant community, is competitive multiplayer a core part of Obby Roads too?
Yeah, I think it still is. On our team, we each like different aspects of Obby Roads. Some of us love race mode and the competitive element; others really like the non-competitive obby part. I think it’s going to be the same with our audience.
When I played obby games with my daughters, I really saw the value of a relaxing, fun experience. But race mode is great fun for us too. We play it internally and it gets competitive really quickly—so we know it works. We think Smash Karts players will enjoy that mode. And we also expect some new players to come in just for the obby side of the game.
That’s one of the things I enjoy most about game development—not knowing exactly where it will go, and working with our community to figure it out. Our Discord has played a huge role in how we make decisions. We’ve learned to listen to our players and shape the game with their feedback.
So yes, race mode is competitive, and I think it’s going to be very popular. But the obby part is equally important.
Are you trying to attract a new audience, or do you want Smash Karts players to transition over?
I definitely don’t want our Smash Karts players to leave, and I don’t think they will. Most of them already play other games. If Obby Roads becomes one of those, that would be great.
We do hope that Obby Roads fits into different parts of a player's life. For example, maybe you play Smash Karts in a big group at school or with friends, but when you're home alone, you want something different. That’s where Obby Roads might come in—you could play solo, try to beat other people’s times on the leaderboard, and just chill. We think there’s room for that kind of play among our existing audience.
At the same time, we definitely want to reach new players—especially people into obby games, who might not be familiar with Smash Karts. And maybe they’ll end up trying Smash Karts, too.
Ultimately, we want to build large, massively multiplayer web games that last for years. We don’t release many games—we work on them for a long time. Our hope is always to build big communities around each one. Smash Karts launched in 2020, and it’s still growing in 2025. We actually have more people working on it now than ever. So support for that won’t stop. That’s our approach.
Right now in Obby Roads, players see ghosts of each other. Will real-time opponents be part of race mode?
Yes. The ghost mechanic makes sense in obby mode, where you're racing the course—not each other. You're not supposed to bump into anyone. In fact, it’s kind of a co-op vibe. You're trying to get through the course together, even if you're not necessarily helping one another.
But in race mode, it’s completely different. You will bump into other players, just like in any real-time racing game. So that’s where real-time opponents come in. That’s always been the idea.
How did players react to the ghost system during the beta?
At first, during the closed beta, there weren’t enough players to really notice the ghosts. People just kind of bounced around and said hi. But once we added leaderboards, that gave the game a strong sense of asynchronous competition. You could compete even when you're not playing at the same time—and players really responded to that.
We're planning to add ways to communicate with other players in Obby Roads, probably through emotes rather than chat. That’s even more important in an obby setting than in Smash Karts, where interaction is more straightforward. In an obby, you're doing something together, even if it's indirectly. And communication helps that feel more complete.
During bigger playtests, when we push a lot of players into the game at once, you do see lots of ghosts around—and that gives a real sense of community. But the ghost mechanic might be unfamiliar to people who haven’t played obbies, especially older players. That’s something we’re keeping in mind as we continue to refine the experience.
The garage shows vehicles with different stats. How are you balancing that? Will items affect gameplay?
When you say “items,” if you mean cosmetic stuff like wheels—those will always be cosmetic only. No gameplay effects. That’s a core principle for us.
Currently, vehicles can level up a bit, and that does have an effect on race performance. But we’re still deciding how that will work long-term, especially in competitive modes. I’m not sure I want race mode to allow those differences, but we’re exploring what’s most fun. It’s something we want to figure out before launch, because changing it afterward is more disruptive to players.
In Smash Karts, players have often asked us to add power progression—like better weapons or faster cars the more you play. But we’ve always resisted that. The idea is: you can jump into a match and be on equal footing, whether you’ve played for one hour or five years. That’s a key part of what makes our games accessible.
That philosophy carries into Obby Roads. We don’t do progression that makes you objectively better. No items that you buy or spin for, will ever improve your performance. That’s just not how we do things.
What are the last big pieces you're working on before launching 1.0?
Race mode is the main one. We also want to complete the next world—outer space. Right now, the game is a little light on content. Players who've been with us since closed beta have mentioned that the courses can start to feel similar. That’s valid—we’ve been working on systems more than new content.
I think the game needs at least 3–5 worlds to really hit its stride. We’ve already played the space world internally and with some players, and it’s great. It features jetpacks, which people have really enjoyed.
There are also smaller goals: more customization depth, improved onboarding, and making sure the first-time player experience is really solid and polished. That’s a big deal when you're launching a game.
So yeah, we’ve got a lot to do. Maybe September is ambitious. We’ll see.
What are the biggest challenges in developing web games today?
Honestly, it’s more about the opportunity than the challenge. The hard part is choosing which opportunities to chase without spreading ourselves too thin. But that’s a good problem to have.
I really enjoy making web games—it’s the most fun I’ve had in my career. I’ve been making games for a long time, and I’m more excited about web games now than I’ve ever been.
What do you think the future holds for web gaming?
I think there’s going to be a lot of disruption. New technologies, new platforms—things are shifting rapidly, and that’s part of what makes it fun.
Ray Browser is a great example. It’s something new that will bring more people into web gaming. We’re already seeing venture capital and investor interest in the space, and that’s going to drive even more innovation.
One thing I’m really excited about is WebGPU. We're using Unity, so it’s not quite ready for us yet, but in a few years it will be. When it is, it’ll let us build even more complex and visually rich games. Right now, we need to support a massive range of devices—from low-powered Chromebooks to high-end desktops. That’s a huge challenge, but a rewarding one. WebGPU will help us bridge that gap more easily.
We’re keeping an eye on it, and I’m looking forward to the day when we can release a WebGPU-based game. It’ll be a big change.
Any final thoughts for your players, especially those using Ray Browser?
We’re really happy to have such a great audience. It’s a pleasure to share what we’re working on. Keep playing, and please let us know what you think—especially about race mode. Hop into our Discord, share your feedback, and we’ll be listening. We expect to make a lot of changes based on what we hear from you, and that’s how we’ve always worked.
Would you like to try Obby Roads out? You'll get the best performance using Ray Browser. Play Obby Roads and join our Discord server to find people to play with!
