Classic Racers Elite Switch Review
I feel like the Switch is lacking racing games compared to the other platforms. While there’s Forza and Gran Turismo on the Switch’s counterparts, there’s not too much on offer for those looking to scratch that racing itch. Classic Racers Elite has been out for a few weeks now and flew under the radar. The premise was interesting enough to warrant a look, but can this retro racer take pole position? Let’s find out…
Classic Racers Elite is set in the classic 60’s racing era and focuses on Rally Style Hill climbing. The concept seems solid enough, and despite the game not featuring officially licensed vehicles, you can easily discern what the featured car models are like the Mini, or the Ford Escort (or in this case, the Fred Escort!)
The cars all feature different handling and stat’s but don’t have as much impact on the race as one would like. All cars are very well rendered and look great, while the environments and effects may not have the same level of polish. Not that it matters really, as most of the time the scenery will zip by in a blur as you race to the finish line to beat the set time. These times are uploaded to a cross-platform global leaderboard online, which makes getting the fastest time a rewarding experience and gives it a “just one more go” feel to the game. There are also detailed cockpit views of the cars which added extra realism and difficulty (for me anyway) that I thought was a nice touch.
The course layouts are fun and will see you make mistakes and restart your run. I did find that the game required a fairly precise run to beat the times, and instead of correcting mistakes, it’s best to restart and go again. Most courses have a quota of finishing in under a minute, making runs fast and fun. Layouts might be a standard hill climb, or something more challenging like a slalom run, which can lead to some hair-raising moments, or frustrating restarts…
Racing handles well and the gameplay is fast as one would expect, but unfortunately, the value will really boil down to how much you like the 4 car categories you can choose from, and the 17 tracks which variations of the tracks make 50 different versions. For me, I’m a huge fan of rally, so I feel like I get my money’s worth, but for someone wanting a bit more variation in tracks and vehicles, there are other options on the Switch that may suit them better.
I find the biggest point of contention for Classic Racers Elite may be the price point, qualifying at $45 for the game. Considering its (somewhat limited) competition, there are cheaper Racers with more to do in them like Gear Club 2. The Cross-Platform Leader board is a good hook, but the limited number of cars and courses might be a hard sell for some.
All in all Classic Racers Elite is a good racing game that’s a love letter to the ’60s racing era but with limited features. It’s a fun and challenging racer that appeals to a very niche audience. While very competent, the lack of cars and courses will make Classic Racers Elite, struggle to get pole position for your attention.
So What’s it Like?
Classic Racers Elite is a mix between Colin McRae and Gear Club Unlimited.
A review copy was provided by the publisher, but this doesn’t influence the score.