WRC 9 (Nintendo Switch)

Product Information

You can still feather throttle sort of, but it doesn’t quite work in the same way. Just tapping a button to get across a slightly larger or smaller input is never going to really work. You can also tap the brake, but this can often make the car harder to control than easier. All in all, the Switch has a major problem for any high-level racing, and WRC 9 suffers because of it. Visuals & Audio — Caution! The Switch has to be the worst platform for rally games simply because of the audience it is aimed at (kids, casual gamers, long-time Nintendo fans, etc.) so it clearly falls under the “never heard of it” category on this system…

You’ll be along for the ride with the game’s different circuit categories - WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3, and Junior WRC - all of which offer up different ways of experiencing the high-octane races and strategies of the sport. Over 50 official teams (along with their official livery) are available for you to try out in the game’s 14 environments, over 110 special stages, three new rallies in Japan, New Zealand, and Kenya, as well as the special stages of Finland and Portugal rallies that were released as post-launch DLC. And let’s not forget the 15 legendary cars that are available as well. However, it's fair to say that the Switch version of WRC 9 doesn't quite compare to another recent release for the title. The excellent PS5 version is certainly a better overall game, with superior visual quality, although that's undoubtedly expected given the new hardware that the PS5 is able to call on to give a smoother experience. That said, the Switch version still looks fine, even if it can't compete with the version of WRC 9 that is now available for the new console generation.Still, if you want a serious racing game on Switch, the WRC series is the way to go. And the latest entry, WRC 9, is undoubtedly the best. Though understand, the improvements on last year’s WRC 8 are incremental. Visually, you perhaps won’t even notice any difference, which is disappointing as WRC 8 really wasn’t a looker. In fact, compared to their more powerful console counterparts, you could call WRC 8 and WRC 9 on Switch ugly at times. A photo mode!!!! I just love photo mode in videogames. This one is pretty nice, all the features you’d expect are there. You even have a showcase mode from the main menu, where you can select the car, weather, etc. and use photo mode. I attached a screenshot so you can get an idea of what’s possible. That is why I wanted to create this post, because I strongly think this game deserves more attention and I’m glad Kylotonn made this port. Gardner, Matt (22 March 2020). " 'WRC 9', Confirmed For PS5 And Series X; 'WRC 10' And 'WRC 11' To Follow". Forbes . Retrieved 6 May 2020.

There are, however, some extra trimmings that make WRC 9 much more engaging. Similar to the F1 series of games, you have to manage your team to make sure they’re well-trained and well-suited to help you through. There’s also Research & Development, a huge tree of different things to make your car better than your competitors. It’s not that excitingly presented — reminding me more of a Football Manager game than anything else — but it does add a bit of realism to this lengthy career. WRC 9 video game set for new-generation consoles". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 20 March 2020 . Retrieved 6 May 2020.WRC 9 is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC. We reviewed the Switch version with a code provided by the game’s publisher. There is now depth of field in WRC 9. This might not seem like a big deal, but during replays it is like night and day with respect to the overall looks of the game. Especially on Switch where the surroundings are far from being detailed, with low resolution, etc. It really adds a lot to the aesthetics, by “hiding” some of the not-so-pretty assets. No racing game can really claim to have a story, but most have a career mode. This sees you climbing through the ranks to become the best driver there is, and WRC is no exception, aiming you at the big leagues — the World Rally Championship (that’s what WRC stands for, by the way). In terms of racing, it’s about what you’d expect: drive faster than other drivers and climb up and up until you’re at the top. Pretty simple. I’m quite surprised about the reviewers strong feelings about the trees and scenery visuals in general.