Get ready to dust off those racing gloves (or thumbs!) because Nintendo just dropped a fresh batch of games onto its Switch Online service, and one title stands out from the crowd: R.C. Pro-Am 2. While Ninja Gaiden 3 and Ikari Warriors are part of the new additions, it’s this often-overlooked gem that deserves your attention.
A Blast From The Past
While games like Nintendo‘s Ninja Gaiden 3 and SNK’s Ikari Warriors (previously featured in the SNK Anniversary Collection) offer familiar thrills, R.C. Pro-Am 2 is a hidden treasure waiting to be rediscovered. Developed by Rare, the studio behind modern classics like Sea of Thieves and Banjo-Kazooie, this sequel takes everything great about the original and cranks it up to eleven.
The first R.C. Pro-Am was a fun little racer, but it suffered from limited variety, minimal vehicle upgrades, and AI that could feel cheap. The sequel addressed all of these shortcomings, offering a more polished and engaging experience on the NES hardware. And for those with friends, the original supported the multitap accessory for up to four players – something we can only dream of replicating in 2026! But hey, online play is always an option.
Three Times The Fun
R.C. Pro-Am 2 boasts three distinct environments: grassland, city, and desert. The grassland setting closely resembles the tracks in the original, but with added details like tire piles, streams of water, and hills to conquer. The city offers split routes and overpasses, while the desert introduces rough terrain and overhead planes that pepper the track with bullets.
Like its predecessor, R.C. Pro-Am 2 features letter collection for vehicle upgrades. However, in the sequel, players collect money bags and spend them in a virtual shop between races. This allows for more control over modifications, from better engines to powerful missiles. The choices you make can have a long-term impact on your performance.
R.C. Pro-Am 2 offers three distinct environments: grassland, city, and desert.
The game features letter collection for vehicle upgrades.
Players collect money bags to spend in a virtual shop between races.
R.C. Pro-Am 2 offers a more polished and engaging experience on the NES hardware.
The game features split routes and overpasses in the city environment.
The desert introduces rough terrain and overhead planes that pepper the track with bullets.
Players can collect money bags to spend in a virtual shop between races.
R.C. Pro-Am 2 offers a more polished and engaging experience on the NES hardware.
The game features split routes and overpasses in the city environment.
Players can collect money bags to spend in a virtual shop between races.
R.C. Pro-Am 2 offers a more polished and engaging experience on the NES hardware.
The game features split routes and overpasses in the city environment.
A Balanced Challenge
While R.C. Pro-Am 2 is challenging, it feels more balanced than its predecessor. With enough effort, players can conquer all 32 courses and reach a satisfying end. Continues are available for those races that might go sideways. The game also features occasional multi-player competitions like tug-of-war and drag racing, offering welcome breaks from the main campaign and opportunities to earn extra resources.
R.C. Pro-Am 2 was released late in the NES’s lifespan, causing many players to overlook it. Until now, the best way to experience it was as part of the Rare Replay collection on Xbox One. Physical copies of the original NES cartridge are expensive collector’s items, and reproductions from Strictly Limited Games were limited edition releases that might easily fetch three figures. Give R.C. Pro-Am 2 a try on your Switch or Switch 2 and see why it’s considered a hidden gem!
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