Games like Formula D are a perfect example of the importance of theme in a game. At a fundamental level, there isn't much of a difference between this game and Chutes and ladders. You roll a dice and you move. Of course there are things like different dice that correspond to the gears in a car, points that correspond to things like engine, brakes and tires that wear out as the race progresses. These are the things that mechanically make the game different. But the theme of being in a race with up to 9 friends is what makes it fun. We've been racing each other since we could crawl so a race to the finish line is the most natural thing to anyone, even if they don't play board games. A game takes less than an hour and rules can be explained in less than 10 minutes. The board has 2 sides that feature different tracks and has advanced rules once you want to bump the complexity a bit. A great game for groups or family but plays well with even a few players.