For serious petrolheads, Nintendo platforms have rarely been the place to look for their next obsession. The original Switch, for all its virtues, was never a paradise for racing fans seeking something more substantial than karting chaos or lightweight arcade thrills. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe reigns supreme, of course, but beyond that, the cupboard has often felt sparse.
Yes, the system played host to excellent alternatives. The art of rally delivered minimalist brilliance. Horizon Chase Turbo captured the soul of classic arcade racers. Hot Wheels Unleashed surprised many with its toybox charm and mechanical depth. All terrific games—but none of them scratched the itch for a career-driven, semi-serious racing experience that edges closer to simulation without demanding a racing rig and encyclopedic car knowledge.
Even now, with the Switch 2 approaching its first year on the market, that landscape hasn’t radically changed. There’s Rush Rally 3 and Rush Rally Origins, both commendable efforts, but still niche. In truth, 2019’s GRID Autosport—a 2014 Codemasters title expertly ported by Feral Interactive—has remained the gold standard for Nintendo racing fans who want something meatier.
That game proved two crucial things: first, that Nintendo hardware can handle complex, visually demanding racers when treated with care; and second, that there is an audience on these platforms hungry for something beyond pure arcade design. GRID Autosport offered a sprawling career, multiple disciplines, deep options, and—eventually—online multiplayer, all while running smoothly and looking fantastic. It remains one of the most impressive ports ever to grace the Switch ecosystem.
So when GRID Legends, the series’ most recent mainline entry, arrived on Switch 2 in its fully loaded Deluxe Edition, expectations were understandably high. This is a game that already proved itself elsewhere as a bold evolution of the franchise—one that leaned harder into narrative, spectacle, and single-player content. The question wasn’t whether GRID Legends would be good, but whether it could once again defy expectations on Nintendo hardware.
The short answer? Yes—emphatically so. With a few caveats.
A Solo Racer’s Dream, Multiplayer Asterisk and All
Let’s address the elephant in the pit lane first: GRID Legends launches on Switch 2 without traditional online multiplayer. That’s undeniably disappointing, especially considering that GRID Autosport eventually received it via post-launch updates.
But here’s the thing: having spent significant time with GRID Legends on other platforms, I can say with confidence that you’re not missing much. The online multiplayer in Legends has always felt serviceable rather than essential, and the series’ true strength has long been its solo offerings.
What is present, however, are online leaderboards through Dynamic Events, allowing you to pit your times against players worldwide. In practice, this often results in cleaner, more satisfying competition than chaotic online races ever did. Whether full multiplayer arrives later remains unclear, but even without it, GRID Legends stands tall as a single-player-focused experience—and proudly so.
That focus feels intentional. GRID Legends is one of those rare modern racing games that seems genuinely designed with solo players in mind, not as an afterthought but as its core audience. The Deluxe Edition sweetens the deal by including all previously released DLC, dramatically expanding the amount of content available from the outset.
Handling: The Sweet Spot Codemasters Keeps Hitting
Codemasters has long excelled at occupying that elusive middle ground between arcade and simulation—the so-called “simcade” space—and GRID Legends continues that tradition with confidence. The moment you hit the accelerator, the game feels right.
Cars respond instantly but believably. Weight transfer matters, but it never overwhelms. You can drift aggressively through corners, yank the handbrake into a tight hairpin, or power cleanly through a sequence of bends with confidence. It’s a handling model that rewards finesse without punishing accessibility.
If you’ve played any modern arcade racer, you’ll feel at home immediately. Yet beneath that familiarity lies surprising depth. Compared to recent Need for Speed entries like Heat and Unbound, GRID Legends feels tighter, more consistent, and far more satisfying to master. It wins on controls. It wins on structure. And crucially, it wins by giving solo players a reason to keep coming back.
I’ve been on a bit of a racing kick lately, hopping between titles, and GRID Legends consistently emerged as the one I wanted to spend more time with. It’s the rare racer that feels great both in short bursts and in long sessions, never overstaying its welcome.
The Digital Trigger Dilemma
There is, however, a hardware-related wrinkle worth discussing: digital triggers.
Nintendo’s continued reliance on digital shoulder buttons—rather than analogue triggers—remains less than ideal for racing games. Precision throttle control is a fundamental part of the genre, and while GRID Legends is forgiving enough to work around this limitation, finesse-focused players may find it frustrating.
That said, this isn’t a dealbreaker. The game offers extensive control options and assists, and for most players, the experience remains smooth and enjoyable. Moreover, those with access to Nintendo’s NSO GameCube controller can bypass the issue entirely. Plugging in that venerable pad—with its analogue triggers—elevates the experience noticeably.
Would I want to attempt an ultra-precise F1 sim on digital triggers? Absolutely not. But GRID Legends isn’t that kind of game. Within its design boundaries, the controls work well enough—and excellently with the right hardware.
Content for Days: A Career That Means Business
Where GRID Legends truly flexes its muscles is in the sheer breadth of its content. Beyond the headline story mode, the game offers a robust career structure across four tiers, from rookie programs to brutal pro-level challenges.
Across nine racing disciplines—touring cars, electric vehicles, open-wheel racers, trucks, high-performance GT machines, and more—you’ll pilot 128 vehicles across 137 track routes in 22 locations. It’s an expansive, varied package that rarely feels repetitive.
Free Play mode lets you jump into quick races, single events, or fully customised cups at your leisure, while Dynamic Events add competitive spice via leaderboards. No matter how you prefer to engage, there’s always something meaningful to do.
This is where the Deluxe Edition shines brightest. With all DLC included, the game feels complete in a way that many modern racers simply don’t at launch.
Drive to Glory: Racing With a Side of Cheese
The centrepiece of GRID Legends is its “Drive to Glory” story mode, a roughly seven-hour campaign that blends traditional racing progression with light narrative framing. On paper, the story is nothing special—a familiar underdog tale of rising through the ranks amid rivalries and team drama.
But GRID Legends has a trick up its sleeve: live-action cutscenes.
Yes, actual actors. Real people. Full-on ham.
It shouldn’t work—but it does. The performances are knowingly over-the-top, leaning into motorsport melodrama with a wink and a grin. Crucially, the game doesn’t linger on them. Cutscenes are short, punchy, and integrated smoothly between races, keeping the focus firmly on driving.
This approach works wonders. Giving rivals faces and voices adds a surprising layer of emotional investment. You’ll find yourself genuinely annoyed at certain drivers—and delighting in returning the favour on the track. The series’s excellent nemesis system returns here in improved form, ensuring grudges feel personal and payback is inevitable.
If you’re not a fan of aggressive AI behaviour, you can tone it down. Difficulty options are plentiful, ensuring GRID Legends remains welcoming without sacrificing challenge.
A Technical Triumph on Switch 2
Technically, GRID Legends is deeply impressive. Like GRID Autosport, it offers multiple graphical modes to suit different preferences.
In docked mode, players can choose between a 30fps “Graphics” mode and a silky-smooth 60fps “Performance” mode. Handheld mode expands these options further with “Quality,” “Balanced,” and “Battery Saver” presets.
After extensive testing, Performance mode is the clear winner on a TV. The game looks fantastic even at 60fps, with no major compromises to visual fidelity. Textures remain sharp, lighting is convincing, and motion is fluid.
In handheld play, the Balanced mode strikes the best compromise, offering excellent image quality and smooth performance on the smaller screen. Additional options—such as reducing rain intensity or disabling enhanced effects—allow further customisation.
The result is a racing game that feels tailor-made for both docked and portable play, delivering consistent quality across scenarios.
Verdict: The Best of Its Kind on Nintendo Hardware
If you can accept the absence of traditional online multiplayer—and are willing to make peace with digital triggers—GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition is an outstanding racing package on Switch 2.
With superb handling, a wealth of solo content, flexible difficulty options, excellent performance, and all DLC included, it stands as the most complete and satisfying “simcade” racer currently available on either of Nintendo’s platforms.
For solo racing fans, this is not just a recommendation—it’s essential.
Score: 9 / 10
A polished, content-rich racer that proves serious driving games can thrive on Nintendo hardware when treated with care.