- Quick Summary: The article highlights the best racing games on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 beyond Mario Kart, featuring Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, Burnout Paradise Remastered, and GRID Legends, among others.
Mario Kart is one of the favorites when it comes to Nintendo racing games, but it isn't the only title available. On the Switch, there is an impressive selection of racing games from major franchises, including arcade racers, realistic motorsport games, futuristic racers, and even games built around flying machines.
We have also seen various old franchises getting re-released with new, exciting content, expanding the choice of alternatives to the classic Mario Kart series.
With all of this in mind, here are the best racing games on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 that aren't Mario Kart.
Best Racing Games That Aren’t Mario Kart
All of the games mentioned below are some of the best when it comes to racing on a Nintendo device. None of the games are developed by the same developers as Mario Kart either, so each one offers a true alternative to the all-time great racing title.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
NFS is one of the best racing franchises out there, but Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, specifically, is the best alternative on the Switch platform. It offers a similar traditional arcade racing experience, but with plenty more speed and action.
In Hot Pursuit, you can either escape from police in exotic sports cars or take control of high-performance police cars to stop racers from, well, racing. This means you can enjoy thrilling police pursuits as well as embark on a strong story in its single-player career mode.
The Nintendo Switch version also supports cross-platform multiplayer through Autolog. So if you are looking for high-speed racing and police chases, this is one of the strongest alternatives to Mario Kart.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
Looking for more open-world freedom than Mario Kart offers? Burnout Paradise Remastered delivers exactly that, with a city filled with races, shortcuts, traffic, and crazy crashes. Not only can you just explore the city, but you can also discover events, race against other drivers, and deliberately smash through traffic to gain an advantage, in typical Burnout fashion.
The Nintendo Switch version offers more than 130 vehicles and a complete Paradise experience with its major DLC. So, if you want something related to open-world arcade racing and massive crashes, Burnout Paradise Remastered is a natural fit.
GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition
One of the important titles on Switch when it comes to traditional racing is GRID Legends. It offers a combination of arcade-style accessibility with more precise simulation-inspired handling and features 10 different racing disciplines.
Here, you'll find various modes such as circuit racing, elimination events, time trials, a large career mode, and a Race Creator for building custom events. The Deluxe Edition, specifically, also includes the game's DLC, offering Nintendo Switch players a much more complete package.
Ultimately, GRID Legends is for players who want serious circuit racing rather than kart-style racing.
HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged
HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged is one of the newest entries in the Hot Wheels universe, delivering new vehicles, tracks, and gameplay features while retaining the popular, exaggerated arcade Hot Wheels style.
In UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged, you'll race across vast toy tracks filled with loops, jumps, and other hazards, plus the Switch version has a long list of additional DLC, including new cars, expansions, and themed content to dive into.
So, if you want arcade chaos and imaginative tracks rather than realistic racing, this is one of the best alternatives to Mario Kart.
F-ZERO 99
Looking for a racing game that is nothing like Mario Kart, but also kind of like Mario Kart? Let's explain...
F-ZERO 99 puts you in control of futuristic machines travelling at extreme speeds (kind of like Mario Kart), but there's a focus on precise driving, boosting, and careful management of your machine's power.
It offers different events and modes where you will compete with 99 players, and, best of all, it's free to play. So, if you want something completely different while still delivering that same feeling of speed and fun competitive racing, this is a perfect pick for you.
Final Thoughts
Nintendo's racing lineup doesn’t stop at Mario Kart; there are plenty of titles worth considering. So if you're tired of Mario Kart, there are plenty of other ways to race on Nintendo hardware worth trying. Our final verdict would be:
- For arcade racing — Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered OR Burnout Paradise Remastered
- For more traditional car racing — GRID Legends
- For futuristic high-speed competition — F-ZERO 99
And that's it for this list! But if you want more top title alternatives, be sure to check out our list of the best games like Metal Gear Solid to play next.
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