17. Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway (Switch)

On paper, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway does so much right, with a bigger roster of racers, more kart customisation, and the oft-requested addition of voice acting, which does add to the atmosphere considerably. But on the track it's hugely disappointing, with a severely reduced frame rate compared to its predecessor, making everything feel more sluggish as a result.

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Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway

16. Meow Motors (Switch eShop)

Another cat-filled karter, Meow Motors won't blow your socks off but it's a decent little racer if you're a cat person who enjoys drifting. It's not going to trouble the kart-racing big boys, and the visual feedback is lacking when it comes to using projectile items, but drifting is fun and if for some reason you're bored of the obvious Nintendo-branded alternative and you see this cheap, you could do a lot worse. The 2-player mode may keep you occupied for a while after the campaign's over and, generic presentation aside, we certainly didn't have a bad time in the company of these felines (which can't be said for Garfield or Hello Kitty), even if we knew we could be having it so much better elsewhere.

15. Horrid Henry's Krazy Karts (Switch eShop)

Horrid Henry's Krazy Karts is actually a half-decent game, if lacking in content. It's presented well enough with a nice clean art style and some entertaining voice samples. The scrolling of its side-on 2D racing is a little on the choppy side, but the main issue we have with the game is that its tracks lack diversity. It’s also very easy – experienced players will have everything unlocked within 90 minutes... but of course it isn’t aimed at experienced players. Ultimately, it's tough to get too upset about because young kids who love Horrid Henry will likely have a fun time with this, even if it doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Eyy!

Horrid Henry's Krazy Karts
Horrid Henry's Krazy Karts

14. Cars 3: Driven to Win (Switch)

Cars 3: Driven to Win is more novelty racer than kart racer, but we welcome all sorts in this ranking (if its presence irks you, simply remove it from the running with the power of your mind and voilà). This Disney-licensed racer featuring Lightning McQueen and the gang suffers from the issues you might expect of a game released to coincide with a movie's arrival in theatres. It feels rather rushed, rough around the edges and with minor but persistent annoyances, and older players will certainly recognise the symptoms that indicate it could have done with more time in the workshop.

That said, it hits top gear in some respects: its gameplay mechanics are rather fun once grasped; there are a variety of modes and tracks to master; and despite its side note of a narrative, it goes big on the film series' charms. Young gamers and fans of the films will likely get beyond its flaws and simply enjoy what it does well. Yes, it comes across as a game that was pushed out the door early but, nevertheless, it was developed with some pride. Much like the Pixar movie it's based on, Cars 3 is a bit of a 'banger' in the scheme of things, but it has a nice lick of paint, a decent engine and is not without heart.

Cars 3: Driven to Win
Cars 3: Driven to Win

13. All-Star Fruit Racing (Switch)

All-Star Fruit Racing takes a unique karting weapon system, throws it into a blender with some cute presentation ideas and an unfortunate series of technical annoyances, and ends up with a pretty mixed bag as a result. This is a competent racer, and there’s just about enough content to make you want to keep playing, but it never realises the potential that it could have had and doesn’t really stand up to the heights that other titles can offer. It’s just a little on the weak side to justify its asking price, so bear that in mind before jumping into a fruity purchase.

All-Star Fruit Racing
All-Star Fruit Racing

12. Coffin Dodgers (Switch eShop)

Combining crazy physics and an even crazier story scenario, Coffin Dodgers has managed to do just enough to stand out from the crowd, offering a decent little kart-racer that should generate a laugh or two. A slight lack of content and a less-than-perfect overall quality prevent it from being something worth shouting about, however, so you might want to consider your options before jumping in with an immediate purchase.

11. Gensou SkyDrift (Switch eShop)

Gensou Skydrift is one of the few karting games on Switch to come even slightly close to Mario Kart in terms of its racing mechanics, and when it all comes together it's a fun time. Unfortunately, the lack of meaningful single-player content and the fact that the online is dead on arrival means this should be strictly considered a local multiplayer game if you want to get your money's worth.

10. LEGO 2K Drive (Switch eShop)

LEGO 2K Drive is a racing game that so nearly reaches its potential, but it steps on a few stray bricks along the way. The core driving feels good, the Story mode has plenty to do, and the creation tools are legitimately impressive. However, it's let down by technical shortcomings, a lack of sharing options, and somewhat slimy monetisation. The foundations of a really great arcade racer are here, but poor optimisation in this Switch version and certain design decisions mean it's unlikely to overtake the competition.

LEGO 2K Drive
LEGO 2K Drive

9. Beach Buggy Racing (Switch eShop)

Beach Buggy Racing is a decent kart-racer; the driving is fun, the items are bonkers, and you’ll likely be playing it for some time. Perhaps enjoyed best in small bursts, and without the expectation of it being a mega-serious racer, the game does offer some easy-to-play fun for both solo players and groups of family or friends. It can’t steal Mario Kart’s pole position and it suffers from a couple of little niggles but for a fraction of the price it does offer an acceptable alternative.