GRID Autosport

Genre: Racing Simulation

Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen), 2-8 Competitive (Local Wireless)

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Review:

(Note: This is an outdated review. You can find the updated review here.)

GRID Autosport is a Racing Simulation game, a genre that the Nintendo Switch has in desperately short supply. This game is an updated port of a game originally released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC in 2014, and not to be confused with Grid, a sequel in the series released to other platforms at roughly the same time as this game released on the Nintendo Switch in 2019… nor with the game’s predecessor, Race Driver: Grid. Yeah, it’s confusing. GRID Autosport is actually the ninth game in the TOCA series (or the eleventh, depending on how you count), and for the sake of this article, I will be referring to this game as GRID in all-caps.

GRID has garnered a lot of attention not only for being pretty much the only game in town when it comes to quality Racing Sims on the Switch, but also for the love and care put into this particular port of the game. The Nintendo Switch version is loaded with console-exclusive features that make it the definitive console version of the game, with graphical upgrades over the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, as well as making use of the unique features of the Nintendo Switch, including a few features that even Nintendo Switch games rarely use.

The one that’s gotten the most attention, of course, is this game’s use of the analog triggers on the GameCube controller, for those players who have a GameCube adapter. As I understand it, this is only the second Nintendo Switch game to make use of this feature (the first being Trials Rising), and if you have an adapter and a GameCube controller, this feature is well worth making use of, as the subtlety it adds when deciding whether to put the pedal to the medal or using a feather touch can make a great amount of difference in a race. The game is perfectly playable using more standard Nintendo Switch controllers, of course, but it’s wonderful that the game’s developers worked this option into the game, and I wish more Nintendo Switch developers would follow suit.

However, while this is one of the most attention-grabbing changes present in this release of the game, there’s definitely more going on here. In handheld mode, this game can make use of motion controls to give players the option to steer by tilting the Switch, and while I don’t generally care for this sort of motion control, I found that it actually works pretty well in this game. Again, not a feature that everyone will want to make use of, but definitely one I’m grateful for having.

The other big change here, as I noted earlier, is the change to the graphics, with the Nintendo Switch version of the game bumping up the resolution to 1080p in docked mode (720p in handheld mode). What’s more, the game includes options to play in graphics mode or performance mode, with the latter mode stripping out visual effects like shadows and motion blur in order to bump the framerates up from graphics mode’s rock-solid 30FPS to framerates that range from 45FPS-60FPS. While some may prefer the visual flair and framerate consistency of the graphics mode, honestly I felt that the boost to the framerates performance mode provided was far preferable.

Oh, and in addition to these two modes, playing the game in handheld mode gives players a third graphics option that lets them play with lower framerates and low visual effects to reduce the strain on the battery. Again, not something that everyone will want to make use of, but I still really appreciate that it’s there for those who do want to make use of it.

While the Switch version of this game does beat the visuals of other versions of the game, I will say that this game still doesn’t strike me as having the same level of detailed visual quality as Sony’s Gran Turismo series or Microsoft’s Forza series. It also doesn’t have the same flashy presentation as more arcadey racers like Asphalt 9 Legends. Don’t get me wrong, this game looks very good, but it’s not quite what I would consider a showpiece for the Switch.

As for the content of the game itself, this is still the same quality Racing Sim that came out in 2014, with a good selection of cars and tracks, a nice campaign mode, great controls, and overall great gameplay that incorporates multiple racing disciplines. GRID makes use of a nice feature called Flashback that lets players rewind the race in real-time if they make a mistake, which makes for an interesting visual as everything flows in reverse and also keeps one bad mistake from ruining an otherwise great race.

Personally, I prefer simulation racing games that let me collect cars as I complete goals, so this game just letting players select the cars they want right off the bat isn’t quite my cup of tea. However, if I were to pick a complaint that is a bit less personal, it’s that while in every other way this is the definitive version of the game, the fact that the Switch version lacks online multiplayer mode is a damn shame. At the very least, a post-release patch added in split-screen multiplayer and local wireless multiplayer that was missing at launch, but even with all of these features, the lack of something as basic as online play is a big disappointment.

Still, I have to respect what was accomplished here. This is an excellent port that shows a lot of hard work and love clearly went into bringing this game to the Switch, taking an already-solid Racing Sim and not only improving the graphics, but adding in tons of options to give players plenty of choices in how to play the game. It is of course by default the best game of its kind on the Switch right now, but even more than that, this game is a shining example of an excellent port, and other developers looking to port games to the Switch should take notice of GRID and learn from it. And needless to say, fans of Racing Sims looking for an oasis in the desert that is the genre’s showing on Nintendo Switch should consider this game a must-have.

tl;dr – GRID Autosport is a port of a 2014 Racing Sim that improves the graphics over the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, as well as adding a huge variety of options and different ways to play. This was already a solid Racing Sim before, and the improvements almost make this the definitive version. Sadly, there’s no online multiplayer in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which is a pretty big disappointment. Otherwise, this is an all-around excellent Racing Sim, and currently the best game in the genre on the Switch, a deserving honor even if there’s not much competition for that honor right now.

Grade: B

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