Developer: Eden Games
Publisher: NACON
Platform: PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Gear.Club Unlimited 3 (PS5) – Review
At the start of 2026, we took a closer look at Gear.Club Unlimited 3, which is the third installment in a series of SimCades. The series started out on the original Switch, and its third release was a timed exclusive for the Switch 2. We were actually quite surprised to see it get ported so quickly to other major consoles and PC. The first two games were published by Microïds, whilst for the third game NACON took over the publishing duties. We did fear a bit for the future of the series when NACON stepped in, as the publisher does have a ‘hit-or-miss’ reputation when it comes to their published racing games. Nonetheless, we were really entertained by Gear.Club Unlimited 3 and this new port gives us the great opportunity to play through the game again with slightly better visuals and performance. In the following short review, we will mainly discuss the quality of the PlayStation 5 port. If you wish to read our original in-depth review, be sure to click here.
To just give you a quick rundown of what to expect, Gear.Club Unlimited 3 is a SimCade racing title in which you’ll set up shop in Japan to expand the GearClub brand name. The story is somewhat simplistic, but it serves as a nice motivation to keep pressing onwards. You’ll go from one short race to the next in different disciplines, ranging from regular races, time challenges, and even highway duels. The latter was a new addition to the series, adding a bit of excitement to the mix. Some of the highway maps are a bit densely populated, sometimes making it hard to actually drive at high speeds. Outside of the races, you’ll be building your shop with workstations and decorations. This was a nice change of pace, but some elements here feel as if they’re directly ported from a mobile game.
When looking at the PS5 version, it’s easy to say that you’re getting almost the same experience, albeit with slightly better visuals and improved performance. We did appreciate the faster loading times and the upscaled graphics. Of course, it doesn’t mean you’re getting the same experience as a Gran Turismo game, but Gear.Club Unlimited 3 looks pretty good, if you can overlook the somewhat cheap-looking menus and the very basic visual novel-like story segments. For us, disregarding the handheld component of the Switch 2, the PlayStation 5 version did feel superior in every other way.
Conclusion
Gear.Club Unlimited 3 gave us just as much joy as it did the first time around, and now we were able to enjoy it even more thanks to better visuals and improved loading times. While we don’t see a reason to double-dip if you already own the game on Switch 2, we suggest picking up a PS5 version if you’re looking into getting the game and don’t care about playing the game on the go. This is an easy recommendation if you’re looking for a very accessible SimCade title that’s great for short play sessions but also for powering through.
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