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Shana Zlotin22 May 2020
FEATURE

Five Nintendo Switch racing games to entertain you while in iso

Being stuck at home has never been more entertaining thanks to online gaming and the Nintendo Switch.

As of December 31 2019, Nintendo had shipped 52.48 million units of the Switch console worldwide. It may also interest you to know that it was the Nintendo Switch which basically single-handedly saved the business financially due to some challenging prior years. Today, the Nintendo Switch is this generations fastest-selling console.

Due to the virus-who-shall-not-be-named, the Switch is again seeing record numbers, having doubled their sales in March compared to the same time last year. Everyone wants a Switch and they want it now more than ever.

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If you were lucky enough to grab one pre-pandemic or have finally received your online order then you understand what all the fuss is about. Like the excitement of starting your own village in Animal Crossing so you can reminisce about the good old days (when you could actually explore the outdoors).

To fill the void of the Sunday afternoon drives we can’t take anymore, we’ve undertaken the arduous and downright exhausting task of finding the five best racing games available on the Nintendo Switch, along with their “zoom score”. The zoom score is a measure of the games overall rating and has very little scientific basis.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Image: Nintendo

Do not even question this decision. Mario Kart has been and will always be the best racing game. Mario Kart is to society what Tim Tams are to Australians; an icon. Nintendo has sold 8.1 million copies making it one of the best-selling games in history. The game has been praised by industry experts (actual experts and not just us on our couches) to be "the most vibrant home console racing game in years”. The online multiplayer mode is a delightfully seamless experience. The success is in the quality, and the quality is absolutely brilliant.

Zoom score: 4.6/5

SEGA AGES Out Run

Image: Nintendo

The legacy that is Out Run has been brought back for all you old-school cats. This '80s arcade style game has paved the way for modern racing games and is a founding father amongst the others. At the crazy cheap price of $10.95 online, it sits almost $60 cheaper than Mario Kart making it an easy purchase to justify.

Zoom Score: 4.2/5

GRID Autosport

Image: Nintendo

GRID stands to be the most realistic AAA racing game available on the Switch today. The game allows you to customise your difficulty levels so you can build up your experience and consequently, your race time. Featuring some real hot muscle cars, hyper cars and hot hatches this game is sure to satisfy your digitally realistic racing needs.

Zoom Score: 4/5

Crash Team Racing - Nitro-Fueled

Image: Nintendo

What CTR misses out in banana points it makes up for with Nitro boxes. This remastered PlayStation game offers the original layout and characters with a refreshed graphic display, making it the nostalgic treat we need right now. It still has all those unique sounds you remember and love like the crate jumping noise and the notorious “rutabaga” from Aku Aku. Because of its slightly older design, gameplay users who didn’t grow up with the game might not feel the 5th zoom point. They might also not understand any of the gibberish about the game’s sounds.

Zoom Score: 4/5

Gear.Club Unlimited 2

Image: Nintendo

In this game you can pick your driving route like the mountainside or along the coast, so it’s like your real life from 2019! The impressive range of cars includes Porsche, McLaren, and Lotus allowing you to create the garage you want as opposed to the garage you can afford. The downside of the game is the poor frame rate and long load times as felt by many users.

Zoom Score: 3.8/5

For some, quarantine has produced a spurt of creative energy. People are now pursuing their hobbies, taking time to practice and learn new skills and exploring novel passions. It’s an incredible opportunity to allocate time for the activities you weren’t able to prior. And for others like us, well, thankfully there’s Nintendo Switch racing games.

Related: Six classic car games of the 2000s
Related: Six classic car games of the ’90s
Related: Four 1980s arcade titles that changed the game
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Written byShana Zlotin
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