80's OVERDRIVE Critic Reviews

’80s Overdrive comes to the Switch in top form and stands even taller on the hybrid console than it did on the 3DS three years ago. With games like the original arcade great Outrun and other modern games like Horizon Chase Turbo that it inspired, it would be easy to get lost in the shuffle, but it doesn’t. It stands out thanks to a bright visual style and a memorable soundtrack that makes use of some of the best ’80s-infused music you could ask for. It controls like a dream and even the original version’s touchscreen support is retained for menus to make things easier to navigate. It does fall a bit short with track creation, but is a must-buy overall. ’80s Overdrive is one of the best racing experiences on the Switch, period.

Visually appealing retro racer with great music, but also very evident weaknesses in terms of AI and controls.

80’s Overdrive asserts that Out Run’s combination of breakneck racing and frantic traffic negotiation will fit neatly inside the progression-focused model of a modern game. It doesn’t, and 80’s Overdrive almost runs out of gas before it reaches a comfortable destination. All the lavish neon and thumping synthwave in the world can’t help 80’s Overdrive make twenty minutes last six hours.

80’s Overdrive may be wonderfully presented, but its problem is that price-wise it’s sandwiched between two similar games that are better. Sega Ages Out Run is cheaper and its tight controls remain impeccable today, while Horizon Chase Turbo may be double the price but is significantly superior in almost every notable way, including control, amount of content and sense of speed. If you absolutely need another ‘80s style racing game then this will keep you entertained for a few hours, but there are better alternatives.

80’s Overdrive gets enough of its core concept right to provide an enjoyable, highly playable racing experience. It’s unambitious, and the overall package is lacking in polish and reasons to keep playing. But there’s plenty of fun while it lasts.