When Makuri Islands was first released on Zwift back in May/June 2021, the Japanese-inspired world was well-received with plenty of sights to see from paddy fields to scenic gravel routes, Japanese castles and quaint little towns. The roads were especially fast, not unlike any that I’ve encountered in Watopia or any other world in Zwift.
During Halloween, the towns were decorated with Japanese yokai (spirits) which was a pretty nice touch. Makuri Islands received its first expansion this month, Neokyo, which is Zwift’s interpretation of Tokyo city at night. There’s a slight cyberpunk feel to the expansion, with plenty of neon on the buildings. Some of the tracks will bring you through an arcade where you get to see NPCs cycling on Zwift arcade machines, or take you past what would be analogues to the Tokyo Tower and an in-city Japanese castle while other tracks can take you through the rooftops and the overhead rail tracks.
Since I’m usually pressed for time when it comes to cycling at home (usually a session would take between 30-60 minutes), I prefer shorter laps since there’s joy in repetition. So my current favourites on Neokyo include Railways and Rooftops as well as Sprinter’s Playground.
I’ve not tried out the routes that take you out-of-Neokyo and into the Makuri Islands proper, but I’ll be sure to check them this weekend. In the mean time, check out the routes that I’ve tried out below:
