Fast Fusion Review (Nintendo Switch 2)

Nintendo Switch 2 launches with five exclusive titles under its belt. So far, Mario Kart World has garnered all the praise. But did you know that the platform has another racing game? One that could potentially satisfy your craving for a more “serious” competition? 

In true form, Fast Fusion has been quite refreshing. It truly showcases the impressive technical and mechanical capabilities of the new Nintendo Switch 2. But beyond being a showpiece title, it does have a genuinely entertaining gameplay system worth checking out. 

However, do keep in mind that the racing game isn’t without its flaws. There are certainly a few rough edges that could have taken it to the next level. But are these flaws enough to detract from the core gameplay? Just how worthwhile is playing the game overall? 

Let’s find out in our Fast Fusion review below.

Back to the Future

Veterans will know Fast Fusion is hardly the first entry. There have been multiple games in the series, namely Fast Racing League, Fast Racing Neo, and Fast RMX. These racing games have been most closely compared to the Wipeout and F-Zero series, where you race in a futuristic world, controlling anti-gravity cars. 

While previous Fast games haven’t always garnered booming praise, their core gameplay has been a fun adventure to embark on. The latest Fast RMX was a launch title for the Nintendo Switch and did such a great job showcasing the graphical and mechanical capabilities of the console. 

And here we are yet again, the next game in the series, Fast Fusion, showcasing all that the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of. Now, notably, the series hasn’t been the best at reinventing the wheel. The core gameplay has remained mostly the same, featuring the familiar race-against-opponents cycle.

You zip around futuristic stages, blasting past competing NPCs in a race to the top. The Fast series, in particular, has been most known for its two-color-coded boost pads. As you approach these, you manually switch your car to the corresponding color on the boost pad, ensuring to hit the button at the right time.

Hit the button successfully and you’ll gain a significant boost in speed. However, failure to switch colors on time will lead to slowing down, a mistake that can be detrimental enough to lose the race. Besides the boost pads, you have boost orbs you can collect that also help you accelerate at opportune times. 

What’s New?

Being the showpiece title for the Nintendo Switch 2, I was craving for a new change. One that will launch the Fast series into the spotlight. Unfortunately, German developer and publisher Shin’en Multimedia has stuck to its guns, at least gameplay-wise. Place Fast Fusion and Fast RMX side-by-side, and well, the two games will feel uncomfortably similar. 

But one aspect deserves praise: graphics. Fast Fusion is indeed a much better-looking game than any of its predecessors. And not just in the visually revamped way, but truly looking stunning. It’s such a visual delight racing across the futuristic, sci-fi tracks, and the performance, too, is one to please.

You have a total of 12 tracks, split into four cups. Each is distinctly varied in its layout, shortcuts, obstacles, and views. You’ll, at one point, be racing through a desert sandstorm, with sand whales flipping through the air. Next, you’re zipping across a futuristic city. Others take you through gorgeous Alpine peaks and red forests. 

It’s all so beautifully executed that it feels like a true joy to unlock new tracks and master their different nuances. And for the cherry on top, the performance is splendid. Fast Fusion might be among the best titles that showcase the true visual fidelity and capability of the Nintendo Switch. I mean, this game even hits a smooth 4k/60 fps resolution at four-player, split-screen multiplayer mode. And it does so without breaking a sweat. 

Race to the Top

Strictly on solo play is the main game mode: Championship. This is very much like Mario Kart’s Grand Prix. So, you race across three tracks and aim to snag the win. However, there’s a bit of a nuisance in the progression system. Rather than move on to the next cup once you win a race, you instead have to accrue in-game currency to unlock new cups. 

It can be annoying when you have to return to races you’ve already competed in just to grind for some more in-game currency. And true, the cash prizes are generous enough to quickly stack up a decent sum. But the same stash also goes into unlocking new tracks, vehicles, and the fusion feature. Thus, splitting your income between multiple quite important features.

There are certainly better ways to implement progression through the stages. If not to unlock new cups when you win races, then to allow earning in-game currency in multiplayer, too. Still, you can earn some extra cash by picking up boost tokens while racing. It might not be as efficient, but it can certainly help boost income. 

Otherwise, the Championship mode in itself is quite fun. The controls work smoothly, and the tracks are interesting enough to want to explore for shortcuts and nab boost tokens. And the cars handle pretty well, moving at quite an impressive blistering pace. Fast Fusion is pretty fast; it’s definitely one of the aspects you’ll enjoy most about the races. 

Fuel for the Soul

The other two game modes are Time Trials and Super Hero. Time Trails challenge you to beat the best times of the developing team. Meanwhile, the latter is pretty intense, switching things up. Rather than a boost meter that you fill up by collecting boost orbs, and then max out to gain speed boosts whenever you deem fit, you get a health meter for your vehicle. 

The health meter depletes when you accelerate and use the jump feature. And when you max it out, you lose. However, you can replenish it by collecting boost orbs or air tokens while racing. Be careful when jumping to snatch the air tokens, though, or performing any risky maneuvers, as a single crash is game over. Even though the crash graphics are pretty satisfying, complete with vehicular destruction showing pieces falling off your car.

In multiplayer, Super Hero mode is pretty fun. You can bump into opponents to take them out of the competition. And it’s generally a blast competing with friends in up to four-player, split-screen mode, with seamless performance, or via GameShare. It’s a shame online multiplayer is practically non-existent, with a functionality for connecting with a friend via GameChat, but no matchmaking. However, it’s worth noting that previous Fast games with online multiplayer hardly had a thriving enough community to get quick matches. 

Perfect Timing

Before we close, one feature worth exploring further is the jump functionality. This is actually one of the new features in Fast Fusion that can be hard to miss, but makes all the difference when racing. And it’s not just a normal jump you make to evade obstacles. 

It’s far more than that, allowing you to make huge leaps into the air, grabbing hard-to-reach air tokens, dodging an obstacle-ridden track section, taking advantage of an alternate, speedier path, discovering sweet shortcuts, and much more. 

Yet you have to time your jumps well to make the most of them. And you have to precisely time when you can safely land. Anti-gravity is definitely Fast Fusion’s signature feature that’s not just for show, but deeply adds layers and strategy to your playthrough.

You can lean to the left and right too, taking a bit to master on the higher, more challenging cups. And then there’s the Fusion feature. By spending in-game currency, you can unlock new vehicles to “fuse” with your car. And as a result, enjoy a more powerful hybrid that combines the base stats, as well as appearance.  

Verdict

Fast Fusion is more than it seems. At first, it can feel a little too shallow. Spend more time with it, and layers of depth and strategy will begin to reveal themselves. These are incorporated into the build of your race cars as well as in the actual races. 

You can use the new jump functionality to one-up opponents when they least expect it. You can discover nifty shortcuts, air tokens, and dodge obstacles while soaring through the air. There’s also the Fast series’ signature timing of color-coded boost pads. 

But the most impressive feat is the visual upgrade over the previous Fast RMX. Fast Fusion is completely gorgeous, and not just visually stunning, but also performs flawlessly. It’s a true showcase of the visual fidelity and prowess of the Nintendo Switch 2, maintaining a steady 4K/60 fps even on four-player, split-screen multiplayer mode.

And developer Shin’en Multimedia promises future free content updates. So, I’m positive we may be exploring some new tracks, vehicles, and possibly cups. For the price of $14.99, Fast Fusion is an easy sell, provided you’re accepting of its lack of online multiplayer and few innovative leaps in gameplay.