By Adam Riley 10.12.2017
You could be forgiven for thinking there is no need to get anything more racing related on Nintendo Switch after playing through the highly addictive Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, or getting futuristic kicks from Shin'en Multimedia's FAST RMX. However, given how the latest Micro Machines, World Series, has seemingly skipped Switch, there has so far been a gap in the market for that off-shoot of track-based shenanigans. Now, though, the highly rated Mantis Burn Racing has made the leap from other formats to Nintendo's system, with all of its extras clumped together into one meaty package.
Cubed3 has covered the original base and subsequent DLC releases for the top-down game, Mantis Burn Racing, in various stages over the past 12 or so months across PC and PS4, with the quality being rather up and down in terms of the value of each package. Here, though, VooFoo Studios has wrapped everything up into one pleasantly-priced little bundle and dropped it onto Nintendo Switch's eShop, filling a void in this particular niche of the racing genre, and it is a very welcomed addition.
There is no time wasted with fancy introductions or complicated menus, nor is there anything particular fancy about the visuals or soundtrack in general. This is all about the racing, pure and simple, and considering how strong the racing element is - running supremely smoothly in both handheld and docked mode - there can be no complaints. This is the sort of pick-up-and-play action that is ideal on Switch, and works fantastically well in multiplayer sessions, be it up to four players in split-screen antics, local Wi-Fi multiplayer with multiple Switch systems, or even with up to eight players not just online, but across multiple formats in the Cross-Network Play feature. There is even a battle mode thrown in for good measure, as well as online leaderboards.
There are only twelve courses spread across numerous difficulty levels, however, so get ready to become extremely familiar with these tracks as you attempt to overcome the challenges offered up, be it coming first, drifting a certain distance, destroying as much of the trackside barriers as possible, reaching a specific points total the quickest, and so on. There is a great variety included, and achieving different levels of objective completion rate results in 'gears' being dished out, and the total amassed determines how far progression can be made through the competition. It is not just the gears, though, as points are garnered that allow for new vehicles to be unlocked (including F-Zero-esque hovering ones) or slots added to existing vehicles, allowing for them to be upgraded (boost capabilities, engine power, handling, and more).
The racing all starts off very slow indeed, and early adopters may be forgiven for thinking this is going to be as boring as the 50cc competition in Mario Kart, but it soon ramps up in the velocity stakes as varying vehicle classes are acquired, and even the atmospheric conditions start to play their part, especially the snow-covered courses that make for some dicey driving situations. It should be noted that this is no mere walk in the park, by the way. Sure, as mentioned earlier it is easy to jump into, and a riot with friends, but VooFoo has ensured solo players will get a heck of a lot of mileage. Gaining the upper hand on the very intelligent computer-controlled competitors will take some skills. There really is something for everyone.
There is so much crammed into Mantis Burn Racing that its bland visuals and forgettable audio can easily be overlooked, with an extensive single-player campaign that brings together previous DLC releases into one handy bundle, plus the addictive local and online multiplayer options give it a massive boost, helping it overtake the rest of the pack and creep up swiftly behind FAST RMX and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the racing ranks on Nintendo Switch. Perfectly accessible for friends and family to enjoy, yet also deep and challenge enough to give solo players great value for money.
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