Some of my favourite memories from the Switch 1 came from those opening few weeks following the launch in March 2017. Like everyone else, I was utterly glued to Fast Fusion.

Now, I know everybody has quite rightly been playing Ridge Racer either). That honour goes to Fast Fusion. While somewhat slight in of content, this entry is the most accomplished yet, with astonishing visuals, rock-solid performance, and blisteringly fast racing.

At first glance, it's extremely familiar to Fast RMX veterans. You still race around tracks against U opponents while phasing between red and blue colours to benefit from boost pads on the ground. Picking up little energy orbs fills your boost meter, while pressing ‘R’ gives you a significant (albeit short) speed burst, quickly depleting your boost supply.

Screenshot of Fast Fusion (Nintendo Switch 2)
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

So far, so good, then. The biggest change with the core gameplay is the ability to jump at any point. Honestly, when I first heard about this, I thought Shin’en had lost its marbles. Jumping? In a futuristic, high-speed racer? Madness! It turns out, however, that it works wonderfully well, adding an extra layer of strategy.

I should clarify that when I say ‘jump’, I’m not talking about the measly hop you might see in Mario Kart. Fast Fusion's jumps launch your vehicle meters into the air, giving you time to control your direction before landing. This has multiple uses: you can either use it to cross a deadly gap on the course, reach energy orbs way up high, or swap to an adjacent road to avoid obstacles or make use of a boost pad.

It’s got loads of potential, and I even noticed a few moments in which I could cut corners or discover hidden shortcuts. Granted, there’s nothing quite like the astonishing feats seen in F-Zero X, but I reckon it’s possible to cut your times dramatically once you master the mechanic. You can also use it to land on top of your enemies, spinning them out and netting you some sweet cash. Very satisfying.

Screenshot of Fast Fusion (Nintendo Switch 2)
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

As for the tracks themselves, you've got a total of 12 split across 4 different leagues. It's definitely a step down from previous games, but the quality on display here is insane. The torrential rain and tornadoes in Tempesta are a real visual treat, and the gigantic robots stomping around Port Genkai can do a number on you. It's thrilling stuff, and with Shin'en confirming that free content updates are on the way, we're optimistic that there'll be additional tracks in the future.

Outside of races, the big change here is — as the title suggests — the ability to fuse vehicles to create completely new ones. You’ve only got a few unlocked from the start, but you can tinker with the fusion mechanic straight away, provided you have the currency. It’s simply a case of selecting which vehicle you want to alter and browsing the rest of the catalogue.

Completing the fusion results in a mash-up of both the designs and names. You’ll also see that some of the stats have been altered depending on your chosen vehicles’ strengths. Blending Cebra Genetics with Vasp Optics, for example, yields increased boost performance thanks to the latter’s strength in that department. There are loads of different combinations you can try out, and it’s a joy to see what kind of stunning monstrosity you can come up with; you may even find you can completely max out your acceleration or top speed.

Screenshot of Fast Fusion (Nintendo Switch 2)
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

Fusing does, however, cost money; in fact, everything in this game costs money. Not real money, before you grab your pitchforks, but in-game currency obtained by competing in races, performing well, and collecting items. You’ll need moolah to unlock new vehicles, complete fusions, and open up new Championship cups. The game is pretty generous with its cash prizes, but I felt deflated a couple of times realising I had to replay tracks I’d already won to grind the required funds.

Once you get over that initial hump of unlocking every track, however, accumulating currency is pretty painless, and you’ll find that playing races for the sheer thrill of it will soon result in heaps of the stuff. Another good way to spend it is via the Jukebox feature. Fast Fusion contains some awesome new music, and you can unlock it to listen to whenever you like, along with a whole bunch of tracks from Fast RMX, Fast Racing League.

In addition to the standard Championship mode, you’ve also got Time Attack and Super Hero Mode. The former is pretty self-explanatory, requiring you to beat the stages’ record time, while the latter is about as close as we’re likely to get to a new F-Zero. The stages are mirrored, and your boost bar also represents your ship's health. Boost too much (or crash out entirely) and it’s game over. Generally, you’re able to boost much more than in the standard Championship mode, but it also comes with that thrilling risk vs. reward structure that makes F-Zero so great.

Screenshot of Fast Fusion (Nintendo Switch 2)
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

And of course, you’ve got multiplayer, offered up via standard splitscreen play (up to four players) or the new GameShare capabilities (two players). Splitscreen works phenomenally well with performance maintained at a solid 60fps for all. It’s not often you get such robust performance with local multiplayer these days, so seeing the Switch 2 handle this without breaking a sweat is a joy.

GameShare is similarly impressive in of performance, though being the second player on a Switch 1 does yield some pretty fuzzy visuals thanks to the streaming involved. The whole screen also shrinks slightly for both players to provide the necessary GameShare information at the top. It’s not a huge deal, and you’re going to find the same happens if you’re using the screen-share feature during GameChat, but it’s worth noting all the same.

While on the subject of performance, it’s worth just stressing how incredibly beautiful Fast Fusion is on the Switch. In docked mode, if you have a TV capable of hitting 4K resolution, nailing that 4K/60fps balance is absolutely magical. Shin’en Multimedia has stated its desire to potentially add in a 120fps mode at a later date, but honestly, if this means dipping the resolution down to 1080p, I’m perfectly happy sticking to 4K/60fps.

Screenshot of Fast Fusion (Nintendo Switch 2)

As for the other performance modes, you’ve got ‘Ultra Quality’ in docked mode that boosts the visuals slightly, but brings the performance down to 30fps. It’s fine, and the added texture details and shadow maps are certainly noticable, but it's not my go-to option.

Handheld mode delivers more or less the same, maxing out at the screen’s 1080p display while offering up the option of either a 60fps performance mode or a 30fps quality mode. The latter again offers the same visual upgrades as docked mode, but the compromises to attain this aren’t really worth it.

Conclusion

Fast Fusion may not have the most comprehensive collection of tracks, but it's easily the most accomplished entry in Shin'en Multimedia's series so far. The new jump ability adds a new layer of strategy to the gameplay, while experimenting with the fusion mechanic to find the perfect vehicle is a joy. The occasional grinding to save up money can be a momentary drag, but if you're after something a bit more 'hardcore' than Mario Kart World, Fast Fusion is a no-brainer, and an absolute must-buy.

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