Following within the jet path of futuristic racing video games like F-Zero and Wipeout, Fast Fusion’s blistering pace has all of the hallmarks of what has made the Fast series so enjoyable since its 2011 debut. Every muscle in my physique tensed up as I blazed by means of its handful of sci-fi programs, boosting my strategy to the end line whereas utilizing the brand new leaping mechanic to search out shortcuts. As one of solely a very small handful of present Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, that is a dazzling technical showcase for the ability of Nintendo’s newly minted system – however annoying development decisions and minimally creative modifications to a well-worn system boring some of Fast Fusion’s shine.
If I had a greenback for each racing collection that added the power to leap as half of its arrival on Switch 2, I’d solely be two bucks richer, however it’s nonetheless bizarre that it occurred twice. That bounce option can be nearly the one factor Fast Fusion and Mario Kart World have in widespread: the place the latter takes issues in a daring new path with its open world, right here developer Shin’en sticks to what it’s performed effectively since Fast Racing League on Wii. There are a few new bells and whistles to mess with as you tear by means of its fifteen programs ( three of which had been added in its first replace on June 26), however this taste of hypersonic pace will largely be very acquainted to anybody who has performed previous entries.
Fans of F-Zero or Wipeout may even know the drill: Fast Fusion is ready in a distant future the place the one pace is quick and each street is harmful. High-tech racing machines careen by means of obstacle-laden programs at blinding speeds. The Fast collection units itself aside with a distinctive increase system, the place driving over increase pads or by means of different parts of the course gives you an additional push as long as you turn your automobile to the corresponding orange or blue colour. Making that swap solely takes the press of a button and rewards you with a satisfying burst of pace. Fast Fusion is aware of how good it feels to go quicker than the pace of sound, and it leans into it as its extremely detailed, staggeringly spectacular environments soften into a blur as you carve by means of them.
You may acquire orbs to fill up an impartial increase meter, and switching as you weave between tight turns earlier than boosting by means of a straightaway to shave nanoseconds off your time provides simply enough to concentrate on with out changing into overbearing. But that has at all times been true of the Fast system, and Fast Fusion’s bounce button breaks from custom in a sensible however in the end not too impactful method. Shin’en used this alteration so as to add more complexity to its programs with alternate paths stacked on high of one another, however I want the Munich-based studio had leaned into the change even more, because it doesn’t quantity to a lot more than including small shortcuts and an additional strategy to dodge some obstacles.
These are nonetheless enjoyable, however I really feel like there’s simply a bit an excessive amount of rigidity in how and the place you need to use the bounce to put your self forward. It has a ton of vary, and you’ll cowl some large gaps with the best timing, however I by no means felt rewarded by pushing these mechanics to absolutely the restrict or mastering them past leaping the place it felt pure or apparent.
The mechanical modifications from 2017’s Fast RMX on the unique Switch to Fast Fusion mirror the equally incremental bounce in graphical energy between these {hardware} generations, leaning into one or two particular enhancements moderately than making an attempt a full overhaul. This is well one of probably the most impressive-looking Switch 2 video games accessible proper now, with unimaginable lighting and gorgeously easy visuals whereas taking part in in 4K docked, however it’s lacking some of the initial wow issue that Fast RMX had. Don’t get me incorrect, it nonetheless seems to be beautiful, however the generational bounce simply isn’t practically as thrilling or stunning.
Thankfully, Fast Fusion does a minimum of offer a respectable choice of totally different graphics settings, making it simple to favor framerate, graphical high quality, or a stability of each. I often went for the second-best high quality setting that promised 4K output and a few high-fidelity lighting whereas sustaining a constant 60 frames-per-second, however then opted for a larger framerate alternative when taking part in in splitscreen. I really like that Shin’en determined to incorporate this option, actually letting me juice my Switch 2 for each final drop of processing energy it has.
Just like Formula 1 or NASCAR, futuristic firms have a mechanical horse within the race. Instead of racing bounty hunters and samurai clashing on the monitor, you’re controlling faceless vehicles made or sponsored by totally different producers. That sterile, far-flung futuristic vibe has the identical considerably empty, tech-demo-like feeling you see in these videos of Unreal Engine fan mockups the place a beloved character runs round a gray field and the feedback are begging some writer to, “Please hire this man.” But Fast Fusion strikes so rapidly that you simply hardly have any time to concentrate to these basic-looking spiky balls rolling across the course except you’re doing all your finest to steer round them.
Separated by commonplace racing stats like high pace, acceleration, and increase, Fast Fusion’s storage has a great choice of automobile configurations that cater to tons of totally different playstyles. Maybe you’ll intention for a high increase stat, which rewards you for exactly switching between blue and orange when driving over increase pads or by means of color-coded zones. Alternatively, a high acceleration stat makes it simpler to get your zero-G legs, permitting you to catch up to the herd more rapidly as you take care of Fast Fusion’s considerably punishing wipeouts. I often went for a mix of high high pace and increase as soon as I acquired used to every course, dodging obstacles and nailing hairpin turns whereas optimizing routes that allowed me to spice up as a lot as doable.
Finding that excellent build isn’t simple at first since you begin with a paltry three autos, and are pressured to make use of the in-game currency received by finishing races to broaden your secure of zero-gravity racers – and finally fuse them collectively. Fusing autos leads to goofy company merger names and higher autos with improved stats. You’re all however required to unlock higher-grade autos and fuse them to compete on the highest speeds and difficulties Fast Fusion will throw at you.
Each fusion is nebulously graded on a lettering system, which I nonetheless haven’t fully deciphered even after a dozen hours of racing. But so far as I can inform, it rewards saving up money to unlock the costliest autos you’ll be able to and kit-bashing two high-ticket rides collectively more than the rest. Frustratingly, fusing racing machines removes the option to make use of both of the unique, pre-fusion autos. I get this from a taste perspective, however it doesn’t make sense throughout the context of an arcade-y racing game the place you wish to unlock many alternative choices. Fusing and de-fusing price in-game currency, making its synthetic shortage all of the more annoying; this wouldn’t be as a lot of a downside should you didn’t additionally need to make use of that currency to unlock new cups to compete in. To make issues even worse, Fast Fusion forces you to unlock the second, third, and fourth cups in every pace class, which doubles as a problem setting.
I perceive that Fast Fusion isn’t meant to be as forgiving or simple to choose up as a kart racer; gating larger difficulties behind reaching the winners’ podium in each cup would make sense. But obscuring cups I’ve already accomplished by making me unlock them at each problem – whereas additionally making me purchase practically each automotive after which moreover pay to fuse them into higher ones – unnecessarily stalls Fast Fusion’s financial system. It’s like placing coaching wheels on a Harley.
Side modes can a minimum of make for enjoyable alternate methods to earn additional money past simply repeating the identical cup again and again again, just like the sudden death-style Hero Mode the place your automobile’s increase and well being are linked. That’s neat, however I want the challenges supplied in these different modes had a little bit more happening. Instead, they’re principally simply slight tweaks to a regular race with no change to the programs themselves, which doesn’t alleviate the repetitive grind of unlocking every part.
Compared to 2015’s Fast Racing Neo, Fast Fusion is smaller – however what it lacks in amount, it makes up for in high quality. Most programs offer intelligent designs that had me white-knuckling my controller, from a enjoyable collection of shortcuts on Yama Crest to dodging tornadoes on Tempesta. This laser-sharp concentrate on great ranges might be the perfect and most fascinating half of Fast Fusion. Every time I’ve booted it up, I’ve discovered a new, satisfying strategy to shave a few seconds off of a lap I assumed I’d mastered. Boost orbs make for compelling breadcrumbs in that pursuit, encouraging you to search out new methods to strategy a flip or hinting at a hidden path or more environment friendly strategy to deal with an impediment.