What is a Grand Prix in Animal Loop? (2026)

The short answer

A Grand Prix is the big race at the end of every world in Animal Loop: all nine of the world's tracks, raced back to back at one speed you pick, against that world's rival animal. Beat the rival and they join your roster. Your best total time stays on the Grand Prix card, and your Game Center friends' times show up next to it.

How a Grand Prix works

Find it under the tracks

Every world has nine tracks, shown as a grid of their outlines. The Grand Prix sits right under the grid. Its card shows all nine track shapes in race order and your best total time, so you know exactly what you're signing up for.

Animal Loop's track select screen for Coral Shallows: nine track outlines in a grid, with the Grand Prix card underneath showing all nine shapes and a best time of 5:22

Pick your speed and face the rival

You race the whole Grand Prix at one speed you pick. Before it starts, the doors close on the world's rival animal, on top, and you, below, with both of your best times.

The doors closing before a Grand Prix: the Ladybug, Fern Hollow's rival, on top, versus you, the koala, below, with best times

Race all nine tracks back to back

The Grand Prix runs every track in the world, one after another, with a lights-out transition between legs. Your times add up to one total. Tap to turn, stay off the walls and keep your hearts.

The Coral Shallows Grand Prix with the Puffer, its rival, and the nine track shapes raced in order

Beat the rival, win the racer

Beat the world's rival and they join your roster, so you can race as them on any track. Then come back to beat your own best total, and your friends'.

Animal Loop's Friends screen: your Grand Prix times in each world, with your friends' times as the gap to yours

The three Grand Prix and their rivals

Dune FlatsRival: the Armadillo
Coral ShallowsRival: the Puffer
Fern HollowRival: the Ladybug

Frequently asked questions

How many Grand Prix are there in Animal Loop?

Three, one for each world: Dune Flats, Coral Shallows and Fern Hollow. Each one races all nine of that world's tracks.

How do I unlock the rival animals?

Win a world's Grand Prix. Beating the Armadillo in Dune Flats, the Puffer in Coral Shallows or the Ladybug in Fern Hollow adds that rival to your roster, for free.

Can I race my friends in a Grand Prix?

Yes. The Friends screen shows your Game Center friends' Grand Prix times in every world, with the gap to your best, and friends' best runs race next to you as ghosts. See how to play Animal Loop with friends.

Any tips for winning a Grand Prix?

Learn each track on its own first: the stars on each track card show what you've mastered. Then race the Grand Prix at a slower speed, and turn it up once you know all nine tracks by heart.

Ready to race?

Animal Loop is free on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and everything in the game can be unlocked by playing.

Get Animal Loop free on the App Store See the game