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The Crew Motorfest is the best fit for a conventional, car-focused open-world racer on Nintendo Switch 2. It gives you a Hawaiian map with street races in Honolulu, off-road driving on volcanic slopes, track events, themed playlists and both PvE and PvP activities. It is a native Switch 2 release, but Ubisoft requires an online connection and says content bought for another platform must be purchased again for Switch 2. Nintendo’s product page and Ubisoft’s announcement document those conditions.
“Open-world racing” can also mean kart racing with free exploration or an arcade city built around crashes and shortcuts. Mario Kart World is the choice for connected courses, kart combat and Free Roam; Burnout Paradise Remastered is the choice for open-city arcade driving and spectacular crashes. The three games are not interchangeable, so the best pick depends on whether you want realistic cars, Nintendo-style kart racing or an event-driven arcade sandbox.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Crew Motorfest - Nintendo Switch 2 | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Minecraft - Nintendo Switch 2 | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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PGA TOUR 2K25 - Nintendo Switch 2 | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Fast and Furious: Spy Racers Rise of SH1FT3R (Nintendo Switch) | $27.08 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Hercule Poirot: The First Cases (Nintendo Switch) | $36.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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What counts as an open-world racer on Switch 2?
In a traditional open-world racing game, you drive around a persistent map and choose events rather than selecting only one isolated track. The map itself is part of the experience: reaching a race, finding a shortcut or simply exploring can be as important as finishing first.
That definition fits The Crew Motorfest most closely. Its island setting supports several kinds of car and motorsport activity in one continuous environment. Mario Kart World uses a different structure: its courses connect through a larger world, and a separate Free Roam mode lets you explore and complete missions between races. Burnout Paradise Remastered treats an open city as an arcade playground where events, shortcuts and crashes happen on public streets.
#1 Best Overall
- EXPLORE A VIBRANT HAWAIIAN OPEN WORLD - Set across the islands of O'ahu, Maui, and Kauai, join high-speed street races, test your off-road skills on volcanic slopes, and master the curves on the tracks.
- CELEBRATE ALL THE FACETS OF CAR CULTURE - Discover playlists and dive into themed campaigns, exploring car culture worlds like American muscle, Japanese-style street racing, and legendary machines of the past!
- COLLECT THE MOST LEGENDARY CARS - Master every driving challenge and grow your collection of legendary vehicles. Customize your cars and show off your own style in the custom contest mode.
Public questions such as “Looking for an open-world racer (besides Mario Kart)” and “What is the best open world car game right now?” show why the label causes confusion: some players mean realistic, car-focused driving, while others mean any racing game that allows free movement. The wording of one such public question illustrates the distinction, but it is not a representative survey.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | How the world works | Switch 2 status | Online requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Crew Motorfest | Car-focused open-world driving with varied disciplines | Hawaiian island; street, off-road and track racing; themed playlists; PvE and PvP | Native Switch 2 edition launched October 8, 2026 | Ubisoft says an online connection is required; relevant content must be bought again for this platform |
| Mario Kart World | Kart racing, connected routes and exploration | Courses link mountains, forests, cities and open water; Free Roam adds exploration and missions | Switch 2 exclusive, released June 5, 2025 | Online play requires internet and Nintendo Switch Online |
| Burnout Paradise Remastered | Arcade driving, crashes, shortcuts and an open city | Paradise City streets, downtown avenues, mountain roads and additional locations | Switch software released June 19, 2020; Nintendo lists it as compatible with Switch 2 | Online features have account, internet and Nintendo Switch Online conditions in Nintendo’s listing |
The table compares design and platform status, not frame rate or image quality. No independent, directly comparable performance benchmark is established for all three games, so it would be misleading to rank them by a number that has not been measured under the same conditions.
1. The Crew Motorfest: the best conventional open-world car game
Why it is the lead recommendation
Motorfest is the clearest answer if “open-world racing” means driving cars around a large environment and selecting different event types. Nintendo describes an explorable Hawaiian setting that includes street races in Honolulu, off-road routes on volcanic slopes and track racing. Those activities give the map a broader purpose than simply connecting identical circuits.
Ubisoft’s Switch 2 announcement describes more than 30 themed playlists covering street racing, off-road, drifting and motorsports, plus hundreds of vehicles. Playlists provide a way to organize a large amount of content by theme instead of asking you to discover every event in an arbitrary order. The official descriptions also identify both player-versus-environment and player-versus-player activities, so the game is aimed at solo progression as well as competition with other people.
What kind of player should choose it?
- Choose Motorfest when you want ordinary cars and multiple motorsport disciplines rather than karts.
- Choose it when driving between events and changing terrain are central to the appeal.
- Choose it when a large vehicle roster and themed activities matter more than a compact, immediately understandable arcade loop.
It is not the right recommendation if you need an offline game. Ubisoft’s announcement states, verbatim, that “An online connection is required to play the game.” That is a connection requirement for the game, not merely an optional condition for multiplayer. Check your home network and Nintendo account setup before buying.
Important Switch 2 purchasing caveat
The Switch 2 edition launched on October 8, 2026. Ubisoft says players must purchase relevant content again for this platform. Treat a previous purchase on another system as separate from access to the Switch 2 edition unless Ubisoft or the store page explicitly says otherwise. Verify the exact edition and included content before checkout; no price or current stock claim is made here.
Use the Nintendo Switch 2 product listing for the platform-specific description and the Ubisoft announcement for the launch date, online requirement, playlist count, vehicle count and repurchase qualification.
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A different idea of an open world
Mario Kart World is not a realistic car simulator and does not present its world like a conventional motorsport festival. It is a Nintendo Switch 2 game in which courses connect through a broader environment. Nintendo describes mountains, forests, cities, day-and-night changes and weather, while Free Roam lets you leave the normal race sequence to explore and take on missions.
Rank #2
- Build whatever you can imagine in your own infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.
Nintendo’s Free Roam page describes the concept directly: “Explore the seemingly endless roads and open oceans that go beyond the race courses.” That makes exploration a deliberate part of the package rather than a side effect of missing a turn. You can select Mario Kart World when the idea of discovering routes and landmarks is more attractive than tuning a road car or following a motorsport-style calendar.
Scale and multiplayer
Races support up to 24 drivers, according to Nintendo’s product information. That figure describes the supported race size; it is not a claim that every mode or every online session always contains 24 human players. Online features require an internet connection and Nintendo Switch Online membership, so budget for that service if online competition is part of your plan. Local and solo options should be checked in the game’s current mode information before purchase if you specifically need to play without an internet connection.
Who should pick Mario Kart World?
- Pick it for accessible kart handling, item-based competition and a world that links courses together.
- Pick it if Free Roam missions and casual exploration are as important as the podium.
- Pick it for large races where the headline capacity is up to 24 drivers.
- Do not pick it expecting the car-focused structure, vehicle variety or motorsport presentation of Motorfest.
Read Nintendo’s Mario Kart World product page for the release date of June 5, 2025, race-size information and platform details. Nintendo’s Free Roam page explains how exploration extends beyond the standard courses.
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3. Burnout Paradise Remastered: best for arcade crashes and an open city
Why it remains a strong alternative
Burnout Paradise Remastered is built around fast, forgiving arcade driving rather than realistic vehicle behavior. Paradise City’s open streets include downtown avenues, mountain roads, shortcuts and additional locations. Events begin from the city, and learning the road layout is part of winning: knowing a shortcut or avoiding a traffic-filled route can matter as much as raw speed.
Nintendo’s listing identifies more than 130 vehicles and eight main downloadable-content packs. Those figures describe the content included in the remastered package as presented by Nintendo in 2020; they are not a promise of additional vehicles or packs released later.
Switch versus Switch 2 matters
Burnout Paradise Remastered released for Nintendo Switch on June 19, 2020. It is not a native Switch 2 release in the same sense as Motorfest or Mario Kart World. Nintendo’s US compatibility listing says the Switch version’s behavior is supported and consistent on Switch 2, which means you are buying Switch software that Nintendo identifies as compatible with the newer console.
That distinction affects expectations. Do not assume a “Switch 2 edition,” new-generation feature set or separate entitlement simply because the game runs on the console. Check the compatibility listing and the store’s edition label before purchasing.
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Nintendo’s listing includes account and connection conditions for online features, including Nintendo Switch Online requirements where applicable. If you want to play online, sign in with the required account, maintain an internet connection and confirm that your Nintendo Switch Online membership is active. If you mainly want solo city driving and crash-focused events, verify the offline modes shown on the current product page rather than assuming every feature works without a connection.
Rank #3
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Consult Nintendo’s Burnout Paradise Remastered page for the vehicle and downloadable-content counts. Its Switch 2 compatibility listing is the relevant source for behavior on Switch 2.
How the three games use freedom differently
Motorfest makes free driving the central frame for its events. You move through a Hawaiian environment, then choose among street, off-road or track activities. The more than 30 playlists give that breadth a structure: a player interested in drifting can follow a themed route, while another can focus on off-road or broader motorsport content. The hundreds-of-vehicles description also signals a collection-focused game, although it does not tell you how quickly vehicles are earned or which models are available.
Mario Kart World places freedom around a course network rather than around a conventional racing festival. The world connects race areas through mountains, forests, cities and open oceans, and Free Roam provides missions and exploration outside standard races. Weather and day-night changes are part of Nintendo’s world description. This makes it a good fit for players who want the sensation of a connected map while keeping kart handling, items and character-based competition at the center.
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Connectivity, accounts and multiplayer planning
Connectivity is not a minor footnote. Motorfest cannot be treated as an offline purchase because Ubisoft explicitly requires an online connection to play. That requirement applies even if your main interest is solo exploration or PvE activities. A Switch 2 owner should therefore confirm reliable internet access and the correct account arrangements before choosing it.
Mario Kart World’s online features require both internet access and Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo’s stated capacity of up to 24 drivers is useful when comparing the scale of races, but it should not be read as a guarantee that every session will be filled with human opponents. If you mostly play alone or locally, check the current mode descriptions and do not pay for online service solely on the assumption that every feature needs it.
Burnout’s Nintendo listing also attaches account, internet and Nintendo Switch Online conditions to online features. Those requirements are separate from the game’s compatibility with Switch 2. In other words, running Switch software on the newer console does not remove the normal account or service conditions for online play.
Choose by the experience you actually want
If you mean “a car game like a driving festival”
Start with Motorfest. It is the only one of these three presented as a conventional car-focused open-world playground, with multiple terrain types, street and track events, playlists and a broad vehicle roster. Accept the always-online condition and the platform-specific repurchase caveat before committing.
Rank #4
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If you mean “Mario Kart, but with somewhere to explore”
Choose Mario Kart World. Its connected geography and Free Roam mode answer the exploration part of the request without abandoning kart racing, items or Nintendo’s character-driven style. The up-to-24-driver race capacity makes it the natural pick for large kart competitions.
If you mean “drive fast, crash often and learn a city”
Choose Burnout Paradise Remastered. Its open streets, shortcuts and crash-heavy arcade design reward improvisation rather than careful simulation. Remember that the Switch 2 experience is compatibility for Switch software, not a native Switch 2 edition.
If you need to play without an internet connection
Motorfest should be removed from the shortlist because Ubisoft explicitly requires an online connection. For the other two, read the current Nintendo listings for the exact offline modes you intend to use. Nintendo Switch Online is relevant to online features in Mario Kart World and to the online conditions listed for Burnout Paradise Remastered.
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If platform generation is your priority
Motorfest and Mario Kart World have Switch 2 editions. Burnout Paradise Remastered is the backward-compatible option. This is an edition distinction, not a performance ranking: the available evidence does not provide a controlled, apples-to-apples frame-rate or resolution comparison.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to check your setup before buying
- Confirm the edition. Look for the Switch 2 product page for Motorfest or Mario Kart World. For Burnout, confirm that the listing says Nintendo Switch software and identifies compatibility with Switch 2.
- Check connectivity. Motorfest requires an online connection. Mario Kart World online play and Burnout online features require internet access, accounts and Nintendo Switch Online conditions described by Nintendo.
- Match the driving style. Decide whether you want car-focused events, kart racing with exploration or arcade crashes before comparing vehicle counts.
- Read the content qualification. Motorfest’s hundreds of vehicles and more than 30 playlists are Ubisoft’s descriptions of the Switch 2 release; Burnout’s more than 130 vehicles and eight main DLC packs are Nintendo’s package figures.
- Check your purchase history. Do not assume a previous Motorfest purchase transfers to Switch 2; Ubisoft says relevant content must be purchased again for that platform.
- Set expectations about performance. Official feature pages establish modes, worlds and compatibility, but they do not establish a common benchmark across all three games.
What “best” means in this list
The recommendation is based on fit, not a universal score. Motorfest wins for the conventional open-world car premise; Mario Kart World wins for connected kart courses and Free Roam; Burnout wins for open-city arcade driving. Their maps, handling models, multiplayer structures and platform editions serve different audiences.
There is no defensible single ranking for graphics, frame rate or responsiveness here because no independent test measured all three under matching conditions. Use the mode, connectivity and edition differences above as the decision points you can verify from the official listings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best true open-world car game on Nintendo Switch 2?
The Crew Motorfest is the strongest fit for that definition. It offers an explorable Hawaiian setting with Honolulu street races, volcanic off-road routes, track events, themed playlists and hundreds of vehicles. It requires an online connection, and Ubisoft says relevant content must be purchased again for Switch 2.
Is Mario Kart World an open-world racing game?
It uses a broader interpretation of open world. Its courses connect through mountains, forests, cities and open oceans, while Free Roam lets you explore and complete missions outside normal races. It is kart racing rather than realistic car driving.
Best Value
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Does Burnout Paradise Remastered have a Switch 2 version?
It is Nintendo Switch software released June 19, 2020, not a native Switch 2 edition. Nintendo lists the Switch version as behaviorally supported and consistent on Switch 2, so check the compatibility listing and edition label when buying.
Which game has the most vehicles?
Ubisoft describes hundreds of vehicles for The Crew Motorfest. Nintendo lists more than 130 vehicles for Burnout Paradise Remastered. Those are publisher feature figures and should not be treated as a direct measure of vehicle variety or quality.
Can I play The Crew Motorfest offline?
No. Ubisoft’s official announcement states that an online connection is required to play the game, including when your interest is primarily solo or PvE content.
How many players can race in Mario Kart World?
Nintendo says races support up to 24 drivers. That is the supported race capacity, not a promise that every race or online lobby will contain 24 human players. Online features require internet access and Nintendo Switch Online.
Does Burnout Paradise Remastered require Nintendo Switch Online?
Nintendo’s listing gives account, internet and Nintendo Switch Online conditions for its online features. Check the current product page for the exact feature you want to use; those online requirements do not change its Switch 2 compatibility status.
Is there a performance winner among these three games?
No reliable apples-to-apples performance ranking is established here. The official pages document features, dates and compatibility, but they do not provide a common independent frame-rate or resolution benchmark.
The Bottom Line
Choose The Crew Motorfest for the closest thing to a conventional open-world car game on Switch 2, provided you accept its required online connection and platform-specific repurchase rule. Choose Mario Kart World for connected kart courses, Free Roam and races supporting up to 24 drivers. Choose Burnout Paradise Remastered for open-city arcade racing, shortcuts and crashes, remembering that it is Switch software listed as compatible with Switch 2 rather than a native Switch 2 release.
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