Driving World Collection

Genre: Compilation / Driving / Racing Game

Players: 1

.

Review:

Driving World Collection, released on Nintendo Switch in 2023, is a Compilation of two 2021 Driving Simulation games with Racing game elements – Driving World: Nordic Challenge, and Driving World: Aspen.

I have separately reviewed both of these games. Here is what I thought of both of the games in this collection:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Score
Driving World: Aspen	Driving / Racing Game	1	C-
tl;dr Driving World: Aspen is a game that mixes elements of Driving Simulation and Racing games, with a focus mainly on the Driving Simulation side of things. Unfortunately, the cars here do not handle well, and it is far too lacking in options and contents for its price. This is one of the better takes on this formula, but that’s not saying much.
Driving World: Nordic Challenge	Driving / Racing Game	1	C-
tl;dr Driving World: Nordic Challenge is a game that mixes elements of Driving Simulation and Racing games, with a focus mainly on the Driving Simulation side of things. Unfortunately, the cars here do not handle well, and it is far too lacking in options and contents for its price. This is one of the better takes on this formula, but that’s not saying much.

Yeah, these two games are pretty similar, and although they’re two of the better games to use the same basic game template previously seen in all three games from the Speedster’s Collection, simply reusing that game’s assets and plunking them in a new map (well, I say “previously”, but these two games technically came first). This pair of games does improve the otherwise dreadful lack of variety this template brings with it thanks to the inclusion of different vehicle types – Nordic Challenge has boats, while Aspen has snow plows and snowmobiles. However, while these additions help, they don’t fix the core problems inherent in these games.

Still, there’s the question of value remaining, and that’s kinda’ a tricky question to answer, because both of these games were absurdly overpriced, at $12-$14 each when their anemic content means they really should have been selling for at most one-third that price. Of course, the reason they did this was to make it look like a better deal when these games were discounted to $2 so… how much do the individual games cost? Is this a $26 value, or is it a $4 value masquerading as something worth more?

Regardless of which way you count, Driving World Collection is indeed a decent deal if you are resolved to buy these two games – its regular price of $18 is an improvement over the cost of getting the games separately (though still way more than these games are worth), and its initial sale price under $4 actually makes it a better deal than these two games will ever likely sell for on their own.

Is this bundle actually worth it at that price, though? Well, maybe. These games are still extremely niche, and they definitely have their problems, but there’s certainly a better value here than getting the games on their own (especially if you catch a sale), and the two together have enough content and variety to make them more interesting than buying them separately. Whether that helps these games overcome their gameplay and graphical limitations, though? That’s a tough call. However, at this game’s regular price? No, just no.

tl;dr – Driving World Collection is a Compilation of two Driving Simulation games with Racing game elements – Driving World: Nordic Challenge, and Driving World: Aspen. Both games reuse the same core gameplay and share assets, and while on their own each is sorely lacking in variety and content, getting them together helps with this issue a bit. Unfortunately, they still has gameplay and graphical issues. At the very least, this bundle is a decent value, but only if you get it on sale.

Grade: C-

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