Best Switch Racing Games Like Forza Horizon

There’s no shortage of games to be had on Switch these days, and that includes the once-sparse lineup of racers and driving games. Still, it’s tough to deny the lack of a sizable presence that is Forza Horizon, which many point to as being one of the biggest, most appealing racing epics to date.

Its absence is understandable as Microsoft’s Game Pass on Switch remains a pipe dream, and the hardware demands of the game presumably exceed the capabilities of Nintendo’s machine. However, fans of The Big N will be delighted to hear that there’s an ever-growing lineup of racers that aren’t just thrilling but also bring at least some FH qualities in their own way.

Updated January 7, 2025 by Mark Sammut: Specifications have been added for every Switch game like Forza Horizon mentioned in this article. Furthermore, an open-world racer has been introduced, and it involves Lego.

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Hot Wheels Unleashed & Its Sequel, Turbocharged

Remember That Forza Horizon Hot Wheels DLC?

The addition of the Hot Wheels theme by way of a Forza Horizon 3 expansion and FH4 Car Pack left many collectors and younger gamers alike craving a full-fledged title centered around the brand. Joining just a small list of (mostly obscure) releases is this 2021 racing game by Milestone.

Unleashed embraces Hot Wheels’ charming slot car qualities with its miniature tracks set to household backdrops and a third-person view. While the small, toy-like approach is a far cry from the sleek visuals and refined realism of Horizon, this delightful racer similarly thrives with its adrenaline-fueled speeds and a range of cool, colorful cars.

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Rocket League

The Ultimate Competitive Driving Game

When it comes to driving games that emphasize competitive showdowns, Rocket League should prove a draw for fans of Playground Games’ hit, despite their stark differences in many avenues. Psyonix’s vehicular soccer game has helped pave the way for a new style of multiplayer sporting romps, becoming a go-to for social gaming, online battles, and esports events.

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Despite their differences, Rocket League adheres to that Forza-esque quality of speed, action, and dynamic gameplay in a competitive setting. The game is also comparable with its evergreen ecosystem of rotating events, new car releases, and even added game modes.

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Horizon Chase Turbo

A Charming Throwback To Racers From Yesteryear

Despite sharing a word in their titles, this modern homage to NES racers isn’t exactly comparable to the sleeker, more dynamic Forza Horizon. However, like Playground Games’ hit, Horizon Chase Turbo sufficiently scratches that frenzied arcade-style itch for racing fans. While this effort takes a very different route, both titles hearken back to those adrenaline-fueled racing romps of the 90s.

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Horizon Chase Turbo‘s charmingly simple art style can be deceptive as the game’s loaded with deep content and trials that can hang with flashy modern racers in terms of excitement and toughness. Players will zip through various colorful landscapes in a fleshed-out campaign, and can even hit the streets with up to three friends in a split-screen mode.

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Hotshot Racing

Arcade-Style Racer That Has More Variety Than Initially Might Seem To Be The Case

Horizon Chase Turbo helped blaze a trail for the retro racing renaissance—and SUMO and Lucky Mountain Games were happy to follow in their path with 2020’s Hotshot Racing. Fast, twitchy mechanics and delightful late-80s polygons are similarly front and center in this old-school racing nod.

With that said, this game also veers into its own lane with deeper raceways and fun events like ‘Cops and Robbers’ as well as ‘Drive or Explode,’ the latter of which brings vibes of the action film Speed. With its arcade-style insanity, competitive events, and an appreciation for drifting, Forza Horizon fans should find much to appreciate here despite some glaring differences.

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Gear.Club Unlimited 2

Switch Exclusive With Customization And Solid Controls

Linearity aside, there are loads of overlap when it comes to Playground Games’ racing epic and Eden Games’ Gear.Club Unlimited 2. This robust sequel is comparable in its blend of in-depth sim racing and arcade speed, along with its vast palette of customizable cars. The game even offers the handy “rewind” mechanic, allowing for quick redos for short bouts.

Unlimited 2 presents different levels of daylight, seasons, and environmental conditions to keep things fresh, as well. With over 50 cars to play with, 250 tracks, and nearly 1,800 miles of road in total, there’s plenty of diverse, stimulating content to sink one’s teeth into.

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Grid Autosport

Extremely Fast Racer That Blends Sim And Arcade Elements

Being the ninth game in the TOCA series, this Codemasters series has quietly built a nice track record over its decades-long history. The series finally makes its debut on Switch with this touring car and motorsport racer and in convincing fashion.

This sequel dials back the complexity of some of its predecessors and harkens back to its roots while maintaining a modern level of detail and visual flair. Grid Autosport offers a solid foundation and rewarding mechanics that are easy to learn, but tough to master. It’s these qualities — along with ample depth and content — that make it one of the best racers on Switch.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Definitive Switch Racing Game

It goes without saying that Nintendo’s hit kart racer is vastly different from the sleeker, more nuanced sensibilities of FH. Still, it’s tough to leave this classic party game out of the fun when discussing notable racers on Switch. And there does exist some commonality—beyond the fact that Mario Kart 8 and FH both happen to be flagship racers for their respective consoles.

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Drawing from its already robust predecessor on Wii U, this polished remaster brings even more entertaining content with sleeker visuals, added DLC, and an improved Battle Mode. But the star of this Mario show remains the chaotic local and online multiplayer that never gets old.

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Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered

Best For Mission-Based Races

EA’s hit racing series has seen no shortage of new concepts and tweaks over the years—as a few developers have offered their own take on the formula. With this 2010 hit, Criterion has found that sweet spot of arcade and sim racing, offering a range of events that stress one direction or the other.

The studio’s Burnout influence can certainly be felt here, as Hot Pursuit thrives most during the more frenzied bouts that reward combat and aggressive driving. These normally include scrambles of fleeing police forces—or chasing down rogue racers as the police force. Like FH, players can spend countless hours burning through various unique races and challenges; each exhilarating in their own way.

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Burnout Paradise Remastered

Awesome Arcade Racer Set In A Perfectly-Sized Open-World

Much like Forza Motorsport, the Burnout series saw a significant open-world overhaul that fans didn’t quite realize they wanted. Dating back over a decade, Criterion’s Burnout Paradise was partly ahead of its time with its expansive gameplay and (semi) sandbox elements. The polished remaster on Switch gives it a nice modern coat of paint and enhances the game’s already deep, modern feel.

Burnout Paradise still adheres to the arcade and combat trappings that made the series so appealing, with events like Showtime that encourage carnage. Additionally, players can venture across a sprawling world map and partake in solo or online races, even choosing their own pathways to the finish line.

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LEGO 2K Drive

An Open-World Racer With Good Controls And Visuals

While not necessarily the best racing game on the Switch, Lego 2K Drive arguably comes the closest to replicating Forza Horizon‘s formula, all the while incorporating enough license-based ideas to not feel like a copy of Playground’s franchise. Set in an open-world that is split into biomes and is quite visually impressive, the game controls well, although it is ultimately a kart racer rather than a more “realistic” arcade racer.

Even though the story is nothing to write home about, Lego 2K Drive is a fun option to throw on if someone just wants to drive around a pretty big map while occasionally taking part in events. The car lineup is decent, and there is also the option to build vehicles using bricks.

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