When I reviewed Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus late last year, I enjoyed the game immensely. I’ve always loved a run-and-gun with enough plot to keep you caring about the characters, and that’s precisely what Wolfenstein 2 had to offer. Aside from a few glitches, I ran into the game looked and felt terrific on both PS4 Pro and PC and was a great showcase of just how buttery-smooth id Tech 6’s gunplay can be. Nine months later we’ve finally got the Nintendo Switch port of Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, and I was eager to see how the game translates. The Switch has significantly less powerful hardware than its contemporaries, so I had my doubts as to whether it could power Wolfenstein 2 at a pace that was anything close to playable. However, last year’s Doom port showed that Bethesda’s shooters could scale well for Switch, even if it meant some sacrifices. Wolfenstein 2 Switch Review: Switch into Lower Gear The core of Wolfenstein 2 is the gunplay, which the Switch version brings over with hardly any compromises. The controls are still smooth, and it’s still very satisfying to take down hordes of Nazi soldiers. Even effects that might have been deleted to allow the game run a bit faster were retained like gibs and melting metal. There is a bit of slowdown in particularly busy scenes, and if you manage to get a bunch of enemies on screen at once, you’ll notice a difference. However, it very rarely dips too far below the 30fps target. However, if you’re looking for more framerate than that, you’re not going to find it here. Unfortunately, 60fps is where this game really feels best and as such the Switch version just can’t compare to other platforms in that regard. Unsurprisingly, to even get to the point where a 30-fps target is feasible, textures and resolution have taken a big hit. Wolfenstein 2 for the Switch uses the same dynamic resolution system that Doom did, and things can go from “OK” to blurry and distorted really quick. The resolution cap is 720p, but it can dip down to 480p at times. Between this and the texture downgrade, the whole thing can get very mushy and soft looking. For a game that looked so good on other platforms, it’s a bit of a let down that it can look so poor on the Switch. Wolfenstein 2 Switch Review: Good for Playing on the Go (and Not Much Else) The real draw of the Switch version of Wolfenstein 2 is the portability. If you’re going to play it on a television or monitor, there’s no reason to choose the Switch over other platforms. Technically-speaking this is the worst version of the game, and that’s an objective fact. However, being able to play this game on the go does a lot towards making the Switch version more tolerable. No other portable system can come close to running Wolfenstein 2, and with its monopoly on “high-end” current gen titles in mobile form, the Switch gets a lot of credit by default. If you’re a person who travels a lot, or if you’re more comfortable playing games on the small-screen, this version of The New Colossus is a godsend. For others, though, it may not be worth the price of admission. Wolfenstein 2 Switch Review: The Rent is too Damn High There are two other (current) aspects of the Nintendo Switch version of Wolfenstein 2 that make it a hard sell for me, and both have to do with price. The New Colossus for Switch retails at $59.99, which would be outrageous on any other platform. Considering you can get the PC and console versions of the game at around half that on sale, I can’t think of any reason that the high price could be justified. Tying in with the high price is the fact that $60 doesn’t even get you all the DLC. Wolfenstein 2 for Switch offers the same content that other platforms got on launch day. Whether or not the Switch will get the DLC later isn’t known, and if Bethesda does end up releasing it, who knows if it’ll cost more or be available for free. Wolfenstein 2 Switch Review: A Release for a Niche Audience On the one hand, it’s really cool that Panic Button was able to port Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus to Nintendo Switch. The studio did an admirable job working within the limitations of the hardware and making the best compromise between gameplay and visuals that it could. On the other hand, the only thing the Switch version has going for it is that it’s portable. In every other regard, Wolfenstein 2 is better on other platforms. If Wolfenstein 2 for Switch were released at a budget price, I would be much more enthused about it. However, $60 for a game that’s approaching a year old is a bit much, especially given that it doesn’t include the DLC. If all you have is a Switch or portability is a significant concern to you, this version might be worth it. Otherwise, you’ll likely be happier grabbing Wolfenstein 2 on PC, PS4, or Xbox One.<doc-sep>To get acquainted with the basics, read our original review here. For our verdict on how Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus fares in the recently-released handheld version, keep reading after the jump. To the casual observer on the train in the morning, I’m just a twenty-something man in a shirt and chinos holding an odd looking GameBoy thingy. Little do they know that, from where I’m sitting, there’s carnage on screen. BJ’s blasting Nazis with two machine guns and casually philosophizing about life. Fifteen minutes later the odious Frau Engel has taken center stage wielding an axe. I feel movement to my left as an inquiring passenger glances over to see what I’m doing, and to no doubt wonder what the heck is going on. There’s something giddy about being in adult company in a respectable domain and letting it rain lead. I also can’t help but notice that all the other people playing mobile games on the train are lining up blocks in Tetris knock-offs, or hitting balls in crappy 3D golf games, or playing variations of Temple Run. And here I am on my 8AM commute blasting my way through the best AAA shooter of 2017. Make no mistake: Wolfenstein II on the Switch is a sure-fire delight. Having wrestled DOOM onto the same platform some months ago, digital wizards Panic Button are back to perform the same Houdini act. To make the squeeze, Panic Button has relied on an adaptive resolution. In other words, parts of the experience look clear and crisp, but other bits might as well be smeared in Vaseline for all you can see. This is chiefly a problem playing undocked during high-bandwidth areas. Blow Wolfenstein II up on a TV and the resolution jumps into higher gear, even hitting 720p in certain stress-free zones. For an idea of the difference, just take a look at the image above, captured during an eventful train journey, and the image below, taken while I was playing on my 55″ 4K TV. Handheld mode is wonderful all the same. Lying in bed blasting Nazis is a much better diversion than idly scrolling through someone’s boring Instagram feed, and when the resolution hits a good patch you have to pinch yourself to believe that this is even possible. Like all good magicians, Panic Button’s tricks are cleverly hidden. As Digital Foundry pointed out in a recent post, levels are wholly intact, so there are no sudden cuts or irritating loading screens. There are however near-invisible bits of gaffer tape to stop it all exploding at the sames. Take an unobtrusive wall added to the New York level to cover up a taxing bit of scenery; scenery that could grind the game to a halt and ruin the stable frame rate were the wall not there. As a physical experience, Wolfenstein II fares surprisingly well. Playing the game in your hand, the sticks work well enough and when docked, the pad feels like a decent approximation of an Xbox or PS4 controller. One piece of kit you might want to invest in is an extra charger though. The Switch runs hot and the battery runs dry after about 90 minutes. That’s not going to cut the fun short during an average morning and evening commute to and from work, but if you’re heading on a transatlantic flight, invest in some extra gear to keep the juice going. As far as I’m concerned, the only negative here comes down to dollars and cents. I’m not a fan of Nintendo’s policy to stick a $59.99 price tag on top of games it hasn’t had a hand in making, and especially games that have been out on more powerful consoles for a long while. That being said, the handheld first-person shooter experience is something you need to experience to believe, and as an example of this new sub-genre, Wolfenstein II is as good a starting place as any. All the little immersive details are present and correct; the jagged bullet holes, the plumes of dust, the red hot orange flames. It goes without saying that this won’t scratch the itch of a pixel nut, but all the same, I think this new incarnation of Wolfenstein is a technical marvel in its own right. This review is based on the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which was provided to us by Bethesda Softworks.<doc-sep>Want to see what Wolfenstein 2 looks like on Switch? Kind of the same as on a telly, but a lot smaller, as it turns out. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus has launched on the Switch in all of its mature-rated-content glory. It’s the first time a game from the series has been released on a Nintendo console since Wolfenstein 3D on the SNES in 1994. Panic Button handled the Switch port. The studio also worked on the ports of Doom and Rocket League, and has been called “experts at the Switch” by MachineGames’ senior game designer Andreas Öjerfors. Watch on YouTube Bethesda announced the Switch port of the game last year, during September’s Nintendo Direct presentation. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is now available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.<doc-sep>
Verdict Pros The novelty of portable AAA games still hasn’t worn off Wolfenstein 2 remains a great, over the top shooter Technical downgrades are minor at best and don’t affect the experience Cons Tonally it’s all over the place If you really care about visuals, you will notice a difference Key Specifications Review Price: £39.99 Release Date: Out Now Genre: FPS Developer: Bethesda/Panic Button One year on, the Nintendo Switch‘s novelty still hasn’t worn off. This is because, as well as offering player’s classic Mario and Zelda gaming on the go, Nintendo’s also managed to extend the experience to true AAA titles. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus (Switch edition) continues this trend. and is a fantastic example why the Switch is so great. The real joy here is that — surprise, surprise — the World War 2 themed FPS is now available in handheld form. It doesn’t look as good as it does on the PS4 or Xbox One and it’s not as smooth, especially during particularly busy scenes. But the fact you can now play it on your morning commute more than makes up for this. This is because, frame rate issues aside, the core game play is as good as it was in 2017. A proper old-school, over the top first-person shooter that presents an alternate reality where the Nazis are in control, you step into the shoes of William “B.J.” Blazkowicz and shoot at anything that dares to move. Related: Best PS4 Games Developer MachineGames revels in the idea, offering you gun-after-gun until the options for how to do away with your opponent are through the roof. It’s possible to tweak and tinker with all of these as well to suit your play-style, and some of the carnage you’ll get involved in is utterly bonkers which is great – there isn’t much invention in terms of shooting enemies in the face in the modern day. Wolfenstein bucks that trend. It’s also genuinely tough, even on the lower difficulty levels, which is yet another step in the right direction when we’re talking about the Switch. For years Nintendo has been criticised in certain circles for not having this type of game for its audience and now that argument can vanish. If nothing else it’s a proper FPS on a Nintendo machine which is not a regular occurrence, and the fact it’s a truly great one is something to celebrate. It is important to note that you should not turn on the Switch’s motion controls. Trying to fire bullets in a chosen direction is more difficult than it needs to be when you’re hurling your arms around the place. As a five-minute gimmick it’s fun enough, but outside of that, there’s no reason to even think about them. They don’t add anything. Related: Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games Without wanting to state the obvious, this really is Wolfenstein 2 on the Switch with few negatives to focus on. There’s no point going back to it if you had your fill last year, but for anyone in desperate need of a mature FPS on a Nintendo machine, all your dreams have been answered. Admittedly The New Colossus is a tiny bit all over the place in terms of tone – it veers from wanting to be taken seriously to having some of the most ridiculous cutscenes you’re ever likely to see – but such a shift seems to please as many as it annoys. It’s a stylistic choice and, ultimately, doesn’t hurt the core of the game. If you want to get really picky it’s also a shame MachineGames didn’t include a multiplayer mode, simply because the gameplay would lend itself so well to person vs person warfare. Again, though, it’s not something Wolfenstein 2 is necessarily missing. It just would’ve been a welcome treat for Nintendo fans who had to wait an extra eight months before having the chance to get involved. Either way, if you’re looking for a way to fly through your commute while trying to bring freedom back to planet Earth, this is the title for you. The Switch’s library continues to do no wrong and signs show it’ll only get stronger as time goes past. Verdict Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is a fantastic Switch port courtesy of Bethesda and Panic Button which takes last year’s awesome FPS and ensures it continues that legacy even when you’re playing it on the move. Another great addition to the ever-growing Nintendo library.