Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix (Nintendo Switch) Review

Following the Nickelodeon Kart Racer's first instalment in 2018, the 2020 sequel offers a whole new layout, characters, as well as additional helpers called 'chiefs' and 'crewmates' who offer the racer special abilities to create the best possible chances of winning. Chiefs are responsible for providing an XP boost, which is available when Nickelodeon's trademark green slime bar is full. These XP abilities vary and include power boosts, a few seconds of self-defence and slowing down opponents, to name a few. The crewmates are divided into three categories: defence, support, and attack. These passive respective abilities include protective shields, greater jump boosts, and getting guaranteed attack items from item boxes. These helpers are also characters from various Nickelodeon shows, however they differ from those you can race with.

The available racers include Spongebob Squarepants, the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, CatDog, Ren and Stimpy, and many more. Many of Nickelodeon's characters were animated in a 2D style when they were on television, but they have been remastered into 3D versions here. Such a stark difference in seeing these characters is a bit strange at first, and can be difficult to get used to - such can be said for Angelica from Rugrats. The crewmates and chiefs are also from these aforementioned shows and further include characters from Hey Arnold!, Rugrats, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and they maintain their 2D form as they just appear as icons at the top of the screen, ready for action.

Each racer character comes with a specific kart with its own strengths and weaknesses, which can be balanced out via changing the wheels, engine, and exhaust pipes. A little customisation is also thrown into the mix with a few paintjobs to choose from. There are not many options to choose from when it comes to these kart additions, unfortunately, and there are none to be unlocked. Such limited options can be frustrating when wanting to build the perfect kart, as the ideal wheels might not be available.

Once the perfect racer, crewmates and kart functions are set, one is almost guaranteed to win with the mastered art of drifting paired with some strategic moves. During the race there is a tendency to bump into others at the beginning, which can be quite frustrating because it can slow the kart down, however, once there is some distance between drivers it is a lot more enjoyable. It also seems Nickelodeon is aware of this, however, as there are a few unlockable crewmates who can make bumping into racers advantageous by providing a power boost, for example. The tracks are three laps each, however each track is rather long, which can result in a bit of boredom by the third lap, especially if after a quick race.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix thrives off of the changes it has undergone since the first instalment, such as in the new menu layout, which has its similarities to Mario Kart 8, many new unlockable characters to race with, new tracks, and the bonus crewmates and chiefs. A really great feature of this racing simulator are the unlockable characters, as there are tons of crewmates, chiefs and racers to be unlocked throughout the entirety of the game. Most can be unlocked after a grand prix, creating an incentive to do well in these races, since, if one manages a perfect score, more characters are unlocked. Additional racers, crewmates, and chiefs can be unlocked when completing Challenges - a classic feature where one must complete various tasks such as finishing a race within a given time limit, hitting targets, beating a certain character, and more.

There are six racer characters and countless chiefs and crewmates to be unlocked in Challenge mode. To obtain a racer character they must be beaten in a race. This race, however, has to be unlocked by means of completing various tasks, which in turn unlock various crewmates and chiefs upon completion. The tasks range in difficulty, but many times the same type of challenge, such as hitting targets and avoiding being hit by other racers, is recycled. While this can be a little boring, these recycled tasks increase in difficulty each time, which, while it makes the task more interesting, can still be a bit frustrating especially when in search of something fresh.

A further feature, which is to be mainly enjoyed in multiplayer, is Arena mode, in which the choice of two battles is available: Control the Golden Spatula, and Free-for-All Battle. There are only two available arenas in which these battles can take place, the Kid's choice Awards Arena, and the Double Dare Studio. This is a fun feature to play with friends and family, but with the lack of variation in battle options, it does not make for a sustainable individual experience.

The final two modes featured in this racing simulator are Free Race and Time Trials. Free Race is a customisable mode where the option of any track from each Grand Prix cup can be played and the option of game speed, CPU difficulty, pit crew functions, laps and item types are up for alteration. This is enjoyable to play in single- and multiplayer. Time Trials on the other hand, are not available in multiplayer, but they are a fun source of self-competitiveness. There is a pre-existing best time set in the game, and a choice between competing in a solo race or against a ghost means that from the get go the competition has begun. No crewmates or chiefs are available to use in Time Trials however, meaning that all one can rely on is skill and cunning. There is still a boost available in the XP bar though, allowing for a bit of extra help, which is always appreciated.