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NICKELODEON KART RACERS (SWI)
review | SWITCH
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Publisher: Maximum Games.
Developer: Bamtang Games. Released: October 2018. Genre: Racing. Other versions: PS4; XONE. Posted 19th January 2026. By Tom Clare © 2026 |
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Nickelodeon Kart Racers uses the same Vector game engine as plucky 2014 outing Beach Buggy Racing, and this is worth noting, as the similarities and differences between the two titles shape how Bamtang’s TV-licensed racer will be judged. Developed by Bamtang, NKR does exactly what it says on the tin: a cartoon-themed party racer starring a modest selection of personalities from popular series TMNT, Hey! Arnold, Rugrats, and SpongeBob SquarePants.
There’s no shortage of tracks and tournaments, with three speed classes to tackle featuring increasingly aggressive, challenging AI. It’s a reasonably straightforward Mario Kart clone, with front and rear-firing weapons repurposed to fit Nickelodeon’s landscape. Fields of 10 competitors race along roads, boat along slimy waterways and glide through the air, whilst absorbing slime for boost purposes and utilising weapons to keep competitors at bay. Whilst nothing world-beating, the courses at least bear a passing resemblance to the shows featured, with a scaled version of Cynthia’s (Angelica’s doll in Rugrats) room proving a busy highlight. Elsewhere, TMNT’s sewers fit the theme nicely, thanks to some cool visual references and a fitting location for the game’s slime.
Nickelodeon Kart Racers is a basic party racer, weighed down by stiff handling and uninspired presentation
Taking a leaf from Mario Kart 8’s book, there’s a significant amount of vehicle customisation to enjoy, with players given an incentive to collect coins during races, as they can be spent on various bits of kit. These include genuine performance upgrades, as opposed to mere alternatives, so it’s worth playing around. There’s plenty of neat paint jobs too, though it’s a shame there aren’t any unlockable characters, as the line-up of 12 feels a little lean.
The main points of interest are the slime sections, which control a bit like powerboating, where players occasionally pass over jumps, through speed rings, whilst avoiding mines. These bits aren’t exactly thrilling, but they make a change from the standard road racing. There are a few shortcuts to exploit, which is always welcome, as well as a reasonable powerslide function. Additionally, there’s local split-screen for two to four players, and the game manages this without incident. In other words, NCR has all the basics you’d want from a kart racer.
The main points of interest are the slime sections, which control a bit like powerboating, where players occasionally pass over jumps, through speed rings, whilst avoiding mines. These bits aren’t exactly thrilling, but they make a change from the standard road racing. There are a few shortcuts to exploit, which is always welcome, as well as a reasonable powerslide function. Additionally, there’s local split-screen for two to four players, and the game manages this without incident. In other words, NCR has all the basics you’d want from a kart racer.
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The Vector engine comes with plenty of teething issues, none of which seem to have been fixed in the four years since Beach Buggy Racing. The gameplay is smooth and sturdy, but between sedate speeds and stiff handling, it’s a little underwhelming. Hyper-aggressive opponents regularly stack attacks against the player, so no sooner have you been spun around by one projectile than you’re being battered by another, with no recovery period in between. Worse still is the frankly scandalous AI rubberbanding, which sees opponents shamelessly rocketing back to the player’s bumper from sizeable deficits, cheaply robbing you of victory with a conveniently timed attack in sight of the finish.
Every last one of these symptoms will sound familiar to anyone who’s played Beach Buggy Racing. A few key factors mean it’s easier to be more forgiving of Vector Unit’s earlier title. For starters, it’s four years older and was based on a mobile game. Its original characters, themes and tracks were crude but likeable, and they evoked the spirit of nineties kart racers pretty well. The game made the most of a healthy range of alternative game modes, and as its lengthy campaign could be enjoyed with a friend, BBR felt like a plucky underdog.
Every last one of these symptoms will sound familiar to anyone who’s played Beach Buggy Racing. A few key factors mean it’s easier to be more forgiving of Vector Unit’s earlier title. For starters, it’s four years older and was based on a mobile game. Its original characters, themes and tracks were crude but likeable, and they evoked the spirit of nineties kart racers pretty well. The game made the most of a healthy range of alternative game modes, and as its lengthy campaign could be enjoyed with a friend, BBR felt like a plucky underdog.
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It has all the ingredients of a solid racer, but too many design issues and not enough charm
Nickelodeon Kart Racers, meanwhile, with its license in tow, is markedly less endearing as a budget-style racer. The presentation is seriously naff, and the characters vacuous, typically failing to capture the zeitgeist of the shows they’re representing. The menus appear bizarrely low-rent, and the podium celebrations look hideous. The music plods along without managing to inject any excitement into the mix, and there are no voice clips either. There’s a disappointing Battle mode, whilst the main campaign consists only of single races and the occasional elimination, meaning there’s little to get the juices flowing. It’s difficult to make excuses for the game when you consider the Switch offered Mario Kart 8 Deluxe out of the blocks.
There’s no shortage of tournaments if NCR does take your fancy, and playing it through with one or more friends gives it slightly stronger longevity. The problem is, whilst its sequels would make a markedly better fist of things, this 2018 effort feels austere and clunky. With such a large number of technically superior kart games available at the time, Nickelodeon Kart Racers needed a lot more in the way of creativity, personality, and ambition to really earn a purchase. It’s not horrible, but there’s very little to recommend it.
There’s no shortage of tournaments if NCR does take your fancy, and playing it through with one or more friends gives it slightly stronger longevity. The problem is, whilst its sequels would make a markedly better fist of things, this 2018 effort feels austere and clunky. With such a large number of technically superior kart games available at the time, Nickelodeon Kart Racers needed a lot more in the way of creativity, personality, and ambition to really earn a purchase. It’s not horrible, but there’s very little to recommend it.
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VERDICT
"A kart racer that doesn't make the most of its license. A dated, underwhelming experience characertised by clunky handling, frustrating opponents, and poor presentation. Not terrible, but there are far better alternatives on the market." OVERALL: 4/10 |
OTHER LICENSED KART RACERS REVIEWED
Hello Kitty Kruisers (2014, Wii U)
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Cars 3: Driven to Win (2017, PlayStation 4)
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