I think the true magic of Switch is making it seem as if a game – no matter its age – has always belonged on there.

Burnout Paradise Remastered feels like it’s at home on Switch more than any other format I’ve played it on. It’s slick, smooth, as fast-paced and hard-hitting as it’s ever been, and it’s an absolutely perfect – nigh essential – handheld game.

We’ve already talked about how incredible this remake is. EA, Criterion, and Stellar Entertainment have made an over ten-year-old game feel as relevant and engaging as it did when it first launched.

It’s aged like a fine wine, and in many ways can only now be truly appreciated for how groundbreaking it was. The difference this time is that a lot of the selling points for the game on PS4 / XO and PC aren’t as relevant on Switch.

Of course it looks better than it did on last-gen systems but it’s no secret Switch isn’t packing the same kind of horsepower as the other consoles, least of all the Pro models.

When Docked, especially, the game looks pretty rough, and the image quality compared to PS4 or XO seems really pixellated. In handheld mode, however, the game thrives. The picture is much better suited and actually looks incredibly slick.

Best of all, the frame rate seems to hold up throughout, remaining stable and consistent, which is so important for a game as fast-paced as Burnout.

Yes, the loading screens stretch on for ages and it seems to take forever to select your car and for some textures to pop in, but here’s the strangest thing. Burnout Paradise seems as if it was made for handheld play.

The nature of the missions, the structure of the world, the huge amounts of content, added with all the online play. This is a Switch game you can be playing for weeks and you’ll love ever skid on the road.

I’ve always been a huge fan of this game, but I don’t think I’ve enjoyed it quite as much as I have on Switch. Headphones in, lying in bed or while I’m watching TV, just doing a few missions, unlocking some cars, gradually chipping away at all of its extras.

I know price has been a point of contention for some, and yes, it’s not the cheapest of ports. But as time has passed and the game appears in more sales, I can wholeheartedly recommend Burnout Paradise Remastered as a game you should own for Switch, whether you’ve played it before or it’s your first time in.

In fact, I’m going to just come out and say it – You should buy the Switch version over the other formats. Sure, it suffers a little bit visually, but at this stage of the generation, it’s not exactly the best showcase title to see what your current-gen systems are made of either.

The reality, though, is that the game has never felt as fun, freeing, and fulfilling as it does in the palm of your hands. It just works in a way it never has before and while it doesn’t look as stunning as it’s competitors, it’s hard not to spend a few minutes with Burnout Paradise on Switch and think to yourself that this is the definitive way to play.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some more billboards to burst.

Burnout Paradise Remastered is now available on Switch, PC, PS4, and XO

Code provided by EA

Tested on Switch