Switch Online Just Got One of Nintendo's Greatest Racing Games of All Time
Overview & Key Takeaways
The Nintendo Switch Online's lineup just expanded with one of the most ambitious racing games of its era.
As it often does, Nintendo just released a new batch of games that are available to play on its Switch Online service. They come from a variety of genres, but they’re all NES classics of varying renown. Launch the app on your Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 to enjoy Ninja Gaiden 3: The Ancient Ship of Doom, Ikari Warriors, or the excellent R.C. Pro-Am 2.
Of the lot, R.C. Pro-Am 2 is secretly the best pick for a good time. The Ikari Warriors series (which was part of the SNK Anniversary Collection a few years back) started in arcades and provided a middling experience on console hardware, with the first installment arguably being the least interesting. Ninja Gaiden 3 is the challenging final entry in the original trilogy, but a lot of retro gamers consider the second entry (which was already in the Switch Online library) the best one. That leaves R.C. Pro-Am 2 with the crown, almost by default. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also a really good game.
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Developed by Rare, which is best known these days for the likes of Sea of Thieves and Banjo-Kazooie, R.C. Pro-Am 2 took virtually everything that was great about its predecessor and improved upon it. Nintendo published the first entry, which was a fun little racer despite some big issues: there’s not much variety in venues, vehicle upgrades are minimal, the AI sometimes feels a bit cheap (even when you rely on explosives to even the score), and only one person can play.
Tradewest published the sequel, which addressed every one of those shortcomings. On the original NES hardware, R.C. Pro-Am 2 was one of several games that supported the multitap accessory to extend the number of players to four. Most of us didn’t have the luxury of testing that feature at the time, and we’re unlikely to have much luck gathering like-minded friends to enjoy a little friendly competition in 2026. There’s always online play, though.
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R.C. Pro-Am 2 also features three distinct environments: grassland, city, and desert. The first of those, available during the earliest races, closely resembles the tracks in the original R.C. Pro-Am. There are some embellishments, however. Tire piles line tight corners. Streams of water trickle across the course in places, slowing vehicles. And there are hills to ascend and descend along the way, preventing the experience from feeling flat and barren. The city presents split routes in some areas, with the view of the track occasionally obscured by overpasses. Finally, the desert introduces rough terrain to go along with more frequent passes from overhead planes that pepper the track with bullets.
In the original R.C. Pro-Am, players collected letters to upgrade their remote-controlled vehicles, which is still the case. Part upgrades were mostly found lying on the track, and easy to miss until a person memorized course designs. In the sequel, players collect money bags instead. They then spend their loot in a virtual shop between races. Upgrades fall into the same general categories: engines, tires, and weapons, mostly. However, there’s more variety. It’s fun to have control over the modifications you make. Decisions about whether to invest in better missiles or save up for that next engine can have long-term impact.
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
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Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
Image: Rare/Tradewest
R.C. Pro-Am 2 is difficult, much like its predecessor, but it also feels more balanced. With sufficient effort, a player should be able to see all the original courses and reach a definitive end to the game. It’s possible to purchase extra continues along the way, in case a race or two goes badly.
Finally, the game also offers occasional multi-player competitions to break up the routine, including a tug-of-war event and a drag race. You’ll play through each of those multiple times during your race through the 32 courses. They’re a welcome opportunity to gain additional resources to spend on upgrades, provided your fingers are fast enough.
R.C. Pro-Am 2 is remembered fondly by the audience it found back in the day, but it released late enough in the NES life cycle that a lot of players overlooked it as they focused on Super Nintendo releases. Until it joined the Nintendo Switch Online catalog, the best way to play the game was as part of the Rare Replay collection on Xbox One. Physical collectors have made the original NES cartridge a fairly expensive acquisition, and reproductions from Strictly Limited Games were made available in limited quantities that might easily fetch three figures. Give it a try on your Switch or Switch 2 and see what the fuss is all about.
