The issues with Gear.Club Unlimited are many, but ultimately come down to the fact that it’s essentially a supped-up version of a mobile game – repurposed for Nintendo’s latest console.
This means races generally take only a minute or two to complete, progression is a little grind-y in the sheer number of races on offer, and visually it’s a far cry from Forza on the Xbox 360. Yeah, outside of the serviceable car models this isn’t going to impress. And where playing games like DOOM or Mario Kart 8 shine in handheld mode based purely on the fact that they can be played that way, Gear.Club Unlimited doesn’t look any different to any number of mobile racers available today.
Before Gear.Club Unlimited shipped last year, Eden Games promised free updates for its racer.
We were initially sceptical about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While we knew it would be fun to play, it wasn’t developed specifically for the Nintendo Switch. Instead, it was an enhanced port of the same Wii U game released four years ago. In truth, Nintendo could have easily ported Mario Kart 8 to the Switch without any enhancements or new content and it would have been a best-seller, but the developer took the time to improve aspects that were criticised in the original release. As a result, Mario 8 Deluxe was one of our highest rated games of 2017.
Battle Mode made a triumphant return with new bespoke arenas, and multiple power-ups can now be stored, adding a new tactical element which fundamentally changes the core gameplay. The novelty of playing a console-quality Mario Kart game on a handheld never loses its appeal, making it one of the most fun-packed split-screen multiplayer experiences available. Mixing reimagined fan favourites and new imaginatively-designed environments, the diverse track selection in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also puts many current-generation racing games to shame. Each track is brought to life with vibrant visuals upscaled to 1080p resolution and a rock solid frame rate running at 60fps - it's a feast for the eyes, particularly in Handheld mode. If you own a Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe belongs in your collection. The standard has been set so high, it’s difficult to imagine where Nintendo will take the franchise next in the inevitable sequel.
Gear.Club started out as a free to play mobile game, designed to while away bored minutes on the bus and sometimes grab a couple of bucks from you when you wanted a fancy new McLaren or whatever. Gear.Club Unlimited is still designed to while away the bored minutes, although now everything is unlocked and it’s on the Switch. The question is, is this an improvement?
