Speed Crew: Review (Nintendo Switch)
Speed Crew is a new co-op party game that allows players to take the role of a pit crew on a race track. You and your crew will fix all kinds of mechanical problems on various vehicles, as fast as you can. The game follows the same kind of mechanics as Overcooked and Moving Out, and is much more fun to play with friends than alone. But does Speed Crew take first place when it comes to gameplay? Let’s check it out!
In the game, players move around the pit area and use the various tools provided to perform maintenance on the vehicles that need assistance. For example, you may need to change a bad tire. This involves grabbing the jack, jacking the car up, removing the tire, grabbing a new tire, attaching it, then removing the jack. You will also do things like replace bumpers, fix dents, replace parts under the car, put out fires, etc. This sounds like a lot, and it is if you’re playing solo, but Speed Crew really shines when you have two or more players in the Pit. When a car pulls up, you will diagnose its issues which will be highlighted in yellow so you know what you need to work on. Splitting up and focusing on different tasks is your best bet.
It seems more frantic, but a lot easier when you have multiple teammates. This will allow you to get through more cars faster, and complete each level with a higher score. It’s also just more fun in general when you’re not playing alone. I thought it was funny that players can get hit by the cars if they’re not careful and out of the way when they pull in to the garage. This made for some funny moments, seeing my teammates fly across the screen. No need to worry though, as they will respawn after 3 seconds. You can also slap your teammates for some reason. This is just something silly the developers added for a little extra fun.
The controls felt a bit sluggish for such a fast-paced game. Having to grab all of the tools and put them back where they go before I could move on also felt frustrating; it kind of slowed things down when all I wanted to do was move faster and get to the next car. This is also a gameplay mechanic that is less frustrating with more players, as you can assign tasks to your teammates, like putting the tools up or getting rid of the scrap/garbage. Don’t worry if you are lacking local friends to play with; Speed Crew has an online multiplayer mode that will allow you to join three other players for the various levels. So, there’s really no need to play alone unless you want some practice or you like a solitary challenge.
As far as graphics go, I feel Speed Crew could have looked a little better. The way it looks kind of reminds me of a smart phone game. It’s nothing horrible, but I wouldn’t call it appealing in terms of character design or environments. It has moments where it looks good, but other times it just looks a bit generic. The music isn’t much better, but it works for the theme of the game. Overall, I think the main appeal with Speed Crew is the fun you will be having while playing with friends.
If this looks interesting to you, in I highly recommend checking out the demo on the eShop before you buy it. That way you can get a good feel for the controls and multiplayer mode. Speed Crew is a fun game to play with the family, a group of friends, or online with three strangers. However, I don’t think it’s very fun when you play it alone. If you’re looking for a fun, co-op game, definitely add this one to your list.
