Horizon Chase Turbo – Nintendo Switch | Review

By Myles Jordan
| 29th November 2018
| Review, Switch
| 0

For over a year, I’ve owned but barely used, my Nintendo Switch. That’s not to say the console hasn’t had a stellar lineup since launch with awesome single player titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Breath Of The Wild and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze.   But looking beyond those games, I always felt like the Switch was created for local multiplayer, something I think Nintendo knew when it created the initial reveal videos of all those hipster looking folk using their Switch at their rooftop garden parties.

But beyond Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I felt like there’s been no real Multiplayer title to pull me and my friends in. This is where Horizon Chase Turbo nicely fills the gap. A game that’s just as fun as Mario Kart, but possibly twice as interesting.

Horizon Chase Turbo | Review PS4

Being a Sega fan growing up, I always heard about the likes of Outrun. A racing game that has a very specific style, feel and presentation that sets it apart from the other motor racing titles of the past.

Horizon Chase Turbo feels like the Sonic Mania of Outrun. What do I mean by this? Well, for all intents and purposes, it IS Outrun. (Albeit with a cool synth soundtrack, awesome minimalist visual design and support for all the modern day features/game modes)

You drive cool cars around tight turns in big races, competing in a worldwide tournament whilst collecting fuel to keep the meter running and coins to unlock new cars and races.

I found right from the beginning that Horizon Chase Turbo felt very much at home on the Switch. Not only because of the obvious home/portable console feature, but more because of the joy-cons.

Horizon Chase Turbo | Review PS4

Now, I’m aware that what I’m about to say is extremely subjective, but that’s the entire point of a review. Regardless: I don’t much care for the joy-cons. At a base level I feel they’re too small, they’re uncomfortable to use for multiplayer and they’re more designed for portable play than home play. Again, completely my opinion.

Horizon Chase Turbo however, felt like the perfect game for the joy-cons. The smaller buttons, the less range of travel for the analogue sticks, the smaller distance between face buttons. All of these things helped lend a hand to the reactive nature of racing and improved my response time on bendy sequences of corners and sharp turns.

Besides that, I was also impressed with the variety of modes featured in the game. Not only do you have the typical single/multiplayer modes in World Tour and Tournament respectively, but also the new Playground mode that offers a unique, more arcade experience not too different to a Time Trial.

Final Impressions

With that said, I think anyone looking for a more retro racing experience will find a lot to enjoy in Horizon Chase Turbo. I can’t wait to play more of it with my friends next time we get together, it may just have to replace Mario Kart in our group lineup.

Add my NSW Friend Code if you wanna beat my times and scores! (SW-0260-5240-9161)

*Code kindly provided by the publisher for review*

Developer: Aquiris Game Studio / Publisher:Aquiris Game Studio
Release date: 28/11/2018
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch