NASCAR Rivals Review: The Power of NASCAR in the Palm of My Hand

Although I am not a massive fan of releasing a licensed NASCAR title right in the middle of one of the busiest seasons for sports overall, this is precisely what Motorsport Games has done by releasing NASCAR Rivals, the long-awaited debut of its official NASCAR series on the Nintendo Switch. Although under the name NASCAR Rivals, Motorsport Games looks to deliver a remarkably similar experience found on consoles with NASCAR Ignition. Does NASCAR Rivals bring something new and exciting to the Nintendo Switch, or does it pull a “start and park” and become an afterthought? Let’s talk about it in my NASCAR Rivals review.

NASCAR Rivals Review

What I Like

Control System

As the same person who reviewed NASCAR Ignition during its release on consoles (things did not go well for that game), I did my best to separate the two titles even though it’s the same game with minor tweaks to accommodate the Switch. While I liked some of what I found in NASCAR Ignition, the title had some real issues that plagued it from launch.

My biggest concern was how the car would handle once on the track because I was being forced to utilize the small control sticks found on the original Nintendo Joy-Cons, and it did cause me some issues at first.

That said, once I stopped trying to apply the mechanics from NASCAR Ignition and embraced the driving mechanics of the Switch, things became much more manageable. What feels different with this driving model is that the emphasis was placed much more on using the brake and accelerator than the control stick, which is how it should be with most racing titles but it rarely feels that way.

Regardless of the track, I found the control system to work the same, having to find the groove around each track, oval, or road. I also had to rely on my entry and exit points far more than what was seen in NASCAR Ignition. However, not everything is perfect with the control system regarding the Joy-Cons, which I will cover later. Still, overall, the development group created a solid portable experience that, once you allow yourself to understand and employ it, works very well in most cases.

Career Mode

While career mode hasn’t changed from NASCAR Ignition, I found in many ways that’s okay. The career mode for NASCAR Rivals is carried over from the console version, and it’s a career mode that is a rewarding experience and offers up some longevity for the portable gaming system.

You start as — and stop me if you have heard this before — an unknown looking to make a name for themselves, whether by signing with a current team or creating your own team.

Each decision offers a different path, and starting your own team will require more decision-making regarding building up your team and where to allocate funds. In career mode, you face off against the strongest veterans on the circuit and the hungriest rookies fighting with you to gain respect and make a name for themselves. The better you do, the better the opportunity to edge closer to the leaderboards each week until you find yourself as one of the most reliable bets of the weekend.

You will race the official schedule with official sponsors at the fully licensed venues, and for me, this is an experience I’ve wanted on the Switch for some time. Having a fully licensed NASCAR career mode in the palm of your hand with the ability to carry it around is worth the price of admission itself.

A bit of repetitiveness will set in as you continue to race the same schedule year in and year out, and even switching teams isn’t enough to compensate for this. In the end, though, NASCAR Rivals offers just enough in its career mode.

Depth

I often refer to a consistent issue with many racing titles struggling to offer enough depth to keep that title in your rotation for weeks and months. With a licensed title, this issue can be compounded because there are limits to what is allowed in the game.

Thankfully, Motorsport Games has delivered a racing title that offers more than just racing a seasonal schedule. I have already mentioned the career mode, which provides enough to be a rather deep and satisfying experience. You can add in an exhibition mode, split screen, and challenge mode, which has you attempting to reach and accomplish specific goals. There are some solid alternatives to just racing season after season in career mode.

Add in a solid suite of options to race online and a fleshed-out paint and design booth, and suddenly you find yourself with a lineup of modes and opportunities that can keep you interested even on days when you don’t feel like strapping up the harness.

Competent Visuals

The Switch is not a visual powerhouse, but it still has some beautiful games that can deliver a powerful visual experience. NASCAR Rivals delivers visuals that are not only good compared to other titles but recreate an authentic world of NASCAR for you to race.

The game includes all the official venues and most official drivers, cars, logos, and sponsors. Even with 40 cars on the track at once, the frame rate was consistent, and not once did I notice any distance or draw-in issues. The one caveat is if you choose to dock your system and play on a larger screen. The game looks good but not as crisp or vibrant as found on the other systems or when playing on the Switch screen.

What I Don’t Like

Joy-Con Controls

As I mentioned above, the original Joy-Cons work well with NASCAR Rivals, but you will need to put in time with this choice of controls for it to feel natural. This is important to note because of the small profile of the Joy-Con analog sticks — the on-track experience differs from the Nintendo Pro Controller.

My preference for using the Pro Controller substantially grew during my time with the game, but only because I prefer to have a standard controller in my hand. With the Joy-Cons, I found controlling the car to be a bit more rigid and reliant on the gas and brake to maintain the vehicle. With the Pro Controller, it offered a more traditional feel that worked better overall.

The differences between the controllers are not meant to cause concern or necessarily meant as a negative. Still, they need to be mentioned as they impacted my experience.

Audio Issues

NASCAR Rivals has authentically captured at-track and in-engine audio, so the sounds of NASCAR Rivals are authentic to the sport and enhance the playing experience. In general, the sounds of the sport, including cars, crowds, pits, and garage moments, sound good at times.

That said, I did experience audio issues, and they happened often enough to warrant a mention. During the final laps of many races, the crowd noise that became stronger as the finish grew closer became static-filled and often cut out altogether.

Bottom Line

Is NASCAR Rivals the ultimate NASCAR experience on the Nintendo Switch? Well, Rivals does deliver a solid experience, but the longer I spend with it the easier it becomes to want more than what is here. That said, for a first effort on the portable system, NASCAR Rivals delivers fun and depth on the small screen. Rivals has a worthwhile creation suite, challenge mode, career, exhibition, and career mode.

I preferred the Nintendo Pro Controller to the Joy-Cons as it created a more consistent experience. However, with some time and practice, controlling your car with the original Joy-Cons can be done, but it can feel frustrating when in a pack trying to race clean. If you’re a NASCAR or racing fan in general, having Rivals available on the Switch should be enjoyable enough, and it’s a game that should lead you into the official 2023 season.