The Nintendo Switch allows you to play a game at home on TV and then grab the system and take the game with you smoothly. It is a great selling point for the platform in general and has allowed many developers and publishers to find great success by bringing older and newer games to the system over time. In many cases, games that would never have been on a laptop have been faithfully reported, as with The Witcher 3 in 2019. In 2020 it has undergone many conversions on the Switch, but here are the 10 most important Switch ports of 2020, in no case order.
Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition (Capcom)
Capcom’s Devil May Cry and Resident Evil versions on Nintendo Switch are almost all more expensive than other platforms and aren’t as good technically, even though the games come from older consoles. Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition is the exception here, as not only is it a great version of Devil May Cry 3 technically, but the Switch port has some unique features. The change in style and weapon allows you to change Dante’s style of play on the fly, rather than between levels, which is a massive feature. I can’t believe Capcom hasn’t implemented it on other platforms. The Switch version of Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition also has a local cooperative mode. My only real complaint with Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition on Switch is that it can’t be physically purchased. Even without the exclusive content, Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition would have been an excellent port. However, with new features, Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition on Switch is an essential purchase.
Ori and the will of the tears (iam8bit / Moon Studios)
The original Ori and the Blind Forest was a big surprise to most Nintendo Switch people. When the sequel to the Xbox and PC platforms was announced and finally released earlier this year, I was very disappointed by the abysmal performance of Xbox One X. Unless the performance, Ori and the will of the warnings, it was a much improved sequel better in almost every way. Since that rocky release on consoles, the game has improved a lot in that regard, but the announcement and release of the Nintendo Switch version was a shock to me. I couldn’t imagine how it would work on Switch given the performance on a much more powerful console, but Moon Studios delivered it. Ori and the will of the wit is an absolute joy to play Switch and is definitely a miracle of a port given its appearance and operation in any system.
Streets of Rage 4 (Dotemu / Seaven Studio)
Some might argue that it’s not fair to call Streets of Rage 4 a given port that was announced by Switch and released on Switch at the same time as other platforms. The reality is that the Switch and PS4 versions of Streets of Rage 4 were made by Seaven Studio and this is not a game that was built by Switch and then expanded, so in the end it is a port. A damn port too. Streets of Rage 4 is already one of the best beat-em-ups of recent years and is easily one of my favorite games of 2020. While it’s available on almost every platform, it’s amazing to have a perfect conversion to prepare for it and play Switch at any time. The only downside to this port in my experience is that the online connection is lower than other systems regardless of the type of connection.
Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late [cl-r] (Aksys Games / Arc System Works)
Fighting games are usually a mixed bag on Nintendo Switch. While Mortal Kombat 11 and Samurai Shodown offer useful experiences for those who want to play on the go, very few fighting games have managed to pass perfectly on the Nintendo Switch. Fortunately, Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late [cl-r] of Arc System Works and French Bread is almost a perfect port to change. It looks and works great on both the base and the hand and only suffers from delayed upgrades compared to PS4. It’s a great way to live Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late [cl-r] if you participate for offline content. Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late [cl-r] is one of the best fighting games you can play in Switch and a fantastic port.
No More Heroes (XSEED games / engine software)
No More Heroes is an interesting game and an interesting port. If you’ve never played it before, No More Heroes is a fun action game with fantastic content and great music that complements itself well with great characters and great head fights. While it has some stuffing content, it’s still a game worth experimenting with. No More Heroes on Switch is the best way to play unlike the original game. It works well and looks great. In many ways, Engine Software did more to make No More Heroes look and work today than other major publishers for their own major versions. The low purchase price also helps make this version of No More Heroes more welcoming for newcomers, not only of No More Heroes games, but also of Suda51 games in general. I’m glad XSEED Games has rated this port for Switch because everyone should play No More Heroes and the sequel before No More Heroes 3 next year.
Ys Origin (Dotemu / Falcom)
Falcom quite licenses its games for different platforms and regions. Ys Origin debuted on PC before seeing a PS4 and PS Vita version via Dotemu. I was glad to have Ys Origin on a laptop, but the conversion was not perfect. Dotemu brought it to Xbox One, but it still lacked a Switch port. Fortunately, this was fixed this year when Ys Origin finally came to Switch. Ys Origin is one of the best action games you can play on Switch and the best entry point to old style Ys games, with the best entry to modern Ys VIII. Ys Origin on Switch is exactly what I wanted with much better performance on both the base and the hand. I’ve played Ys Origin in everything before, but it never hurts to have a game you love on Switch. If you’ve never played it, this is the easy version to get.
Hades (Supergiant Games)
Hades is a game you’ll probably see on many year-end lists. This is a supergative roguelike action RPG from Supergiant Games that premiered on PC with early access before finally reaching Switch this year. What makes Hades so good on Switch is that, for the most part, it looks and works great and has a crossover salvation with the PC version. This allows gamers who own the game on both systems to play on PC when they are at home and pick them up and play Switch on the go without any problems. During the months following the release, Hades on Switch has also seen several fixes and is basically a game I can recommend to any Switch user right now. It’s not just a great roguelike, it’s a great roguelike that has the superlative fun you might expect from Supergiant Games with a soundtrack that is easily among the best of this generation.
Routes of Cold Steel III (NIS America / Software Software)
After the announcement of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa by DANA, it was just the beginning of the modern Falcom games coming to the Switch. While Trails of Cold Steel and Trails of Cold Steel II were on PS3 and PS Vita initially, Trails of Cold Steel III debuted as a PS4-only game in Japan. It’s a good entry point to Falcom’s long Trails series and a massive game in itself. NIS America and Engine Software brought it to Switch earlier this year with all content included and it’s a great port to play on the go. When played coupled, it looks almost the same with no real visual enhancements. If you want to play Trails of Cold Steel III on TV, it’s best to play it on PS4 anyway if you have that option. On the switch, Trails of Cold Steel III offers you a fantastic portable version with the ability to play it on frictionless TV. I can’t wait to play Trails of Cold Steel IV on Switch when 2021 arrives.
Eternal Doom (Bethesda / Panic button)
Like Ori and The Will of the Wisps, I didn’t imagine a situation where Doom Eternal would look and work well enough on Nintendo Switch, given its requirement on other platforms. I played a lot of Doom (2016) on Switch and enjoyed my time immersing myself in arcade mode often. It didn’t look as good as other consoles, but it did the job. Doom Eternal felt like a big step forward on all platforms when it arrived earlier this year and I couldn’t resist checking the Switch conversion. This might be the best Panic Button work so far, because Doom Eternal works even better than Doom (2016) on Switch. It has had great visual success compared to other systems, but it is a great conversion that only needs a few control tweaks to feel perfect. I’m not sure how I’ll go with Switch when the DLC arrives next year, but it’s worth trying out the base game on the go if you want to play it on Switch. If you consider it for TV playback, literally any other platform is a better choice.
Burnout Paradise Remastered (EA)
Burnout Paradise Remastered hit Nintendo Switch earlier this year and was delivered anyway. The open world runner plays and looks fantastic, both docked and portable, and the developer makes an extra effort to even include the touch screen support of the interface. Burnout Paradise Remastered on Nintendo Switch includes full content with the other versions and is the only platform that offers portable games. The only downside is the selling price which is higher than other platforms, but on its own, Burnout Paradise Remastered is essential for fans of Switch racing and one of the best ports of the year.
With the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S just out, the Nintendo Switch is still in full swing with a lot of original games and ports. 2021 will be interesting for sure, but what was your favorite Nintendo Switch port of the year?