Cruis'n Blast

Cruis'n Blast is an endearingly earnest arcade racing time capsule, but it's also a very lean package that struggles to disguise its origins as a wafer-thin 2017 arcade cabinet.

A stupendously entertaining, infectiously energetic racer that could only have ever come from the arcades.

Cruis’n Blast borrows a lot from films like the Fast and Furious franchise. But as those films get higher budgets and more polished visual effects, their creators could learn from a game like Cruis’n Blast: Too much polish can conceal all the fun.

I absolutely do miss those days. I can’t get on with realistic racing games, so I crave a steady diet of the stuff that Cruis’n Blast gives. At the same time, I normally rented racing games on the N64 and rarely bought them. The same would have held true for Cruis’n Blast. It’s too fleeting to really grab hold of my grey matter and make a home there. I had a lot of fun while it lasted, but now it’s time to return to the beige, carefully curated modernity.

As long as you're willing to put up with some performance hits and the fact that there's no online multiplayer, Cruis'n Blast is a hugely entertaining arcade style racer with incredible set-pieces that has us crossing every possible body part in the hope that it's successful enough to encourage more of the same somewhere down the line.

All things considered, it took me a little over an hour or so to see just about everything that Cruis’n Blast has to offer. The Nintendo Switch racing scene has been dominated by Mario Kart and I feel like Cruis’n Blast had a chance to make a real case for bringing other classic Nintendo racers back into the scene. But if lackluster graphics and mediocre racing mechanics are all we’d get it might be better to leave our precious memories in the past. Cruis’n Blast isn’t unplayable though and would probably make an enjoyable experience for someone with kids or younger siblings. Everyone else should probably head to the arcade and hope they have a much more enjoyable arcade experience available to try out.

Cruis'n Blast is the most thrilling racing experience on Switch and the best arcade racer in years.

Cruis’n Blast is a simple arcade game for casual players that won’t impress you much if you’re looking for something more sophisticated. At first glance, you’ll be drawn in by the varied environments and the vehicles you can play as, but ultimately, everything feels quite repetitive, and these gimmicks don’t save it in the long run. However, it’s ideal for an occasional playthrough with a group of friends who might appreciate the unique settings and fast-paced races.

Do you miss oldschool arcade racing games? This one is a real blast from the past that will keep those memories alive.

Cruis’n Blast is a fantastic explosion of arcade goodness. If you’re looking for an arcade racer that’s just about having fun and enjoying some good music then this is a must buy. It is also a great game to enjoy with up to four players locally, even for players not well versed in racing games. The entire time I was playing the game I had a huge smile on my face from the comfortable controls and the utterly absurd spectacle on display. Plus, this game has dinosaurs, which is always a win in my books. The game may be incredibly short but it’s highly replayable. Cruis’n Blast will not be leaving my Nintendo Switch anytime soon and hopefully, you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.