Nintendo Switch 'Impossible Ports' - The Best Of The Best

[@SKvldlf]

Some devs have no excuse. These guys got tw3 to run on the switch but pokemon runs at 5fps.

[@jeepsrtslw]

It’s about optimization

[@SKvldlf]

@jeepsrtslw nobody said it wasnt

[@jeepsrtslw]

@@SKvldlf your mom did

[@SKvldlf]

@@jeepsrtslw I see your mom was the only one who liked your comment.

[@Howitchewstofeel5gum]

Gamefreak is just incompetent when it comes to making big 3D games

[@deathsyth8888]

The people who ported Doom Eternal to the Switch used some sort of demon magic to make it run without making it explode.

[@iamnotkurtcobain]

Absolutely true and tbh, it looks great.

[@ChiruKobra]

Panic Button (the port devs) are wizards.

[@iamnotkurtcobain]

@@ChiruKobra absolutely

[@deathsyth8888]

@@ChiruKobra They sure didn't "Panic" at the thought of porting such a beast of a game.

[@foxreno956]

They said to Rockstar: ¡Please, please, give us RED THE REDEMPTION 2.... ..... and you'll see things that anyone has been done before....! 😱😱😱

[@mitchjames9350]

Witcher 3, Doom, Doom Eternal, Dying Light, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Wolfenstein 2, Nier Automata, Alien Isolation.

[@abstrktionLair]

vampyr

[@Bendaak]

Your list is way better than theirs.

[@JGRICH61]

The Witcher 3 on Switch was phenomenal. 2019 what a year. Got married, wife got me TW3 on Switch and we loved it! Both portable ( on long haul flights), and docked on the big panel. Never felt like I should replay it on a then PS4 pro. The portability aspect over ruled all.

[@WolvesbaneNetwork]

Its crazy that almost 20 years ago nintendo aet themselves back a generation graphically. And yet here we are with these incredible technological achievements. Devs can do so much when they're not being asked to push the graphical edge

[@therealjaystone2344]

And we’ll see more on the next gen console. Imagine black myth wukong running on the new console.

[@cergam_misteri]

Finished the Witcher 3 on switch with all dlc instead on my pc

[@JWBR84]

Same.

[@aleksanderrivia8250]

You're missing out on nude mods that enhance the experience.

[@JoRoBoYo]

How do you deal with the load time? It is so long

[@jackxyzl]

Without ssd its long on pc too ​@@JoRoBoYo

[@LegacyRap7777]

Cus PC sucks?

[@MRabbitFrog]

Whaaa.... no mention of Doom Eternal?

[@DubsBrown]

Ace Combat 7 criminally is digital only in the US but available physical in Europe/Japan

[@Shynotic]

😢

[@benjaminmartin2922]

Not a good port anyway. Really blurry.

[@7thsaga662]

You guys leaving off, not 1, but 2 DOOM games is nasty work.

[@CAPS_Paranormal]

Really great that you guys did a Switch retrospective right at the end of its console cycle. Who would have thought back in 2017 that we would have such ports on Switch? Not me. Awesome to look back on some of the better ports. I’m still going to have to play Ace Combat 7 on Switch just to check it out. Edit: I agree about Dragon Quest…it does bother me a bit that everyone playing the newer, “S” version of the game are getting upscaled Switch graphics, almost. The reason the Switch version became the standard, is the music. They re-recorded with orchestras and such.

[@SWOTHDRA]

THE power of ARM

[@JuiKuen]

💪🏻

[@xtr.7662]

The hardware is absurdly weak but with ARM being well documented its easier to optimize

[@lukeyrs7447]

The Nintendo Switch and Bespoke Series S has sorted the men developers from the boy developers this generation that is for certain.

[@Michel-r6m]

Witcher and RDR and Grid Autosport are pretty good.

[@huzcer]

Any 360 era port is less impressive technically as the switch has more power than that gen. but Witcher 3, Ace Combat 7, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Doom Eternal - all really impressive.

[@HolicAAss]

Given that tegra on switch is downclocked to almost half of its original spec, these ports were really phenomenal.

[@Jenaxu]

Still waiting for the worst ports/graphics list, that'd be a fun video too 😂

[@griffin5734]

Basically TW3. How people can accept that ?

[@simonrockstream]

@@griffin5734 You've seen nothing buddy. Use that brain of yours and do some research.

[@Vynzent]

​@@griffin5734 By never docking the switch, and keeping it at a distance lol

[@EXTENDO_64]

WWE 2K18

[@horticultural261]

I am currently playing and can not equip flashy high details armor because cutscenes take longer to render, forcing me to play with normal armor. Still it's pretty good

[@slimv3.162]

I have the witcher 3 and hellblade on pc and switch. I started them both on pc but finished them on switch. Unbelievable they have games like that on a portable system that draws next to no power. The switch 2 is gonna be a monster.

[@urazoktay7940]

Amazing video, i thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you Digital Foundry! Great content as always!

[@UberManlyPirate]

Alien isolation

[@kulitom]

alien isolation even works on samsung galaxy s8, this is not heavy game

[@Peer165]

​@@kulitomThe Switch looks better in some areas than Xbox One version thanks to some new smart technical wizzardry.

[@john_hunter_]

Alien Isolation was released on the 360 & PS3. I think people forget because the graphics hold up really well.

[@Bendaak]

The Switch version looked better than the PS4 XB1 and is probably the best looking and cleanest game on the console. Yes, it looks jusf as good on my iPhone 13 however that device is way more powerful than the Switch.

[@Jimmys506]

I'd like to add Skyrim as the original port that showed what was possible on this handheld!

[@ajaakola2]

Nah skyrim ran on ps3 so having it on a switch that is a lot more potent is nothing unique.

[@amerimangaka]

Skyrim on switch is a lazy, overpriced, mediocre port

[@banguseater]

honestly the switch port felt it couldve done a bit better but yea when it was first announced it kinda shocked me that we were getting far into handheld gaming like that

[@bilbonbigos]

Do you have some kind of beef with Dying Light? It's the second video in which you could mention this port and you didn't. And it's a very competent port, it's so upsetting that we can't have it in Europe because of Germany.

[@pickettfury]

We miss out on it in Australia too for the same reason. It's so weird. I had to buy it off a south american eshop.

[@fensoxx]

Why doesn’t Germany allow Dying Light? I’ve played both and their DLC and I cannot for the life of me think of anything offensive.

[@bilbonbigos]

@fensoxx Germany has more strict rules about video games - you can't sell brutal games there, change colour of blood to green, can't show n*zi symbols etc. Because they share eshop with the rest of EU Dying Light is not available in all European countries.

[@bilbonbigos]

@@fensoxx Germany law doesn't allow brutal content in games. E.g. many games there have green blood instead of red etc. Eshop is the same for the whole Europe so other EU countries don't have access to Dying Light as well.

[@fensoxx]

@@bilbonbigos Thanks for the answer. That seems a little intrusive into how one chooses to live their own life.

[@in-craig-ible6160]

Hello Games turning into sorcerors to port No Man's Sky to the Switch.

[@Voltomess]

I have a feeling that Switch 2 will be a REMASTER generation... I hope I'm wrong.

[@damon7845]

Would be nice if it just turns into like a pro. So all the purchases transfer over with better graphics and performance. Kind of like the xbox with some of its older games.

[@therealjaystone2344]

It will be. BOTW getting the remaster treatment and OoT will have a remake treatment. Xenoblade 2 will be remastered too. Super Metroid getting a remake.

[@luizfilipe5444]

well ps5 and xbox series are a remaster generation

[@MEBoisv]

I've recently started playing this game on Switch, and I'm already very impressed. However I don't have an experience with this game on any other system, so I have nothing to compare it to. Thanks for making this video.

[@shoego]

A bit (actually a lot) of overclock and the switch can run Witcher 3 at 60fps ou higher resolution, sometimes both.

[@xtr.7662]

You can do with almost any switch game though not a surprise

[@thewindgamer2607]

17:50 the little bleep made me laugh lol didn’t expect it

[@Bendaak]

My impossible ports include Observer DooM Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Divinity: Original Sin II Alien: Isolation Man of Medan Kingdom Come Deliverance Along with TW3 and Senua's Sacrifice which you've mentioned.

[@BrettHoTep]

Wolfenstein 2? Warframe? Doom?

[@PavelSustov]

Dragon quest looks so cool. I kinda like characters models more in switch version

[@zurdanford9129]

Switch is a home to numerous amazing third party ports (especially those from 360/ps3 era like borderlands collection, bulletstorm, zombie army trilogy etc). I generally agree with this list but I would definitely add The Vanishing of Ethan Carter which was a sublime port with impressive viewing distance. Next to PS4 port, you would be struggling to see many immediate differences except from resolution. Other honorable mentions would be Bright Memory Infinite, Zombie Army 4 and Starlink battle from Atlas (got some gorgeous screen captures on that one).

[@REDA-SB]

What I game man. I bought it on every platform even on the Switch that I never touch🤣 that’s how much I love that game

[@AndresGrimace]

Ace Combat 7

[@jasonpeterson3860]

Great list, though I would add Ori and the Will of the Wisps. The lengths they went through to get that optimized first for other platforms, and then ported to the Switch at 60fps is nothing short of amazing.

[@scouthatesrainbows]

I was today years old when I found out there was an ace combat 7 port for switch...had to look at my screen to make sure I was at the right video Lmaooo

[@blaketindle4703]

Same lol

[@benjaminmartin2922]

You miss nothing,its not a good port.

[@kevinbuchanan67]

Panic Button is probably the number one reason why developers didn't get lazy on the Switch. It looked like they were getting lazy, and then just chalk it up to the Switch being less powerful, but when PB embarrassed and exposed a lot of laziness, everyone else's games suddenly started looking a lot better

[@tripandfall2379]

I was surprised Alien: Isolation didn't make the list. Also Grid Autosport needs a mention. That game runs like butter with outstanding visuals. It's a real hardware pusher.

[@Neomoonbug]

Most amazing thing about switch (mariko), with overclock you can play all games in 60 fps, or use graphic mods and play 30/60 fps most library of games, with beautiful image!

[@vitorsilveira02]

I don't have a Switch, but how about Kingdom Come Deliverance?

[@horticultural261]

@@vitorsilveira02 i have a switch but same thing i wondering about kingdom come

[@smidlee7747]

@@horticultural261 The developers have been criticized because their game isn't aimed toward the "modern audience".

[@pancito8292]

It's really good. The only thing i miss is some kind of cloud save to carry progress between Switch and PC. That's how i beat Witcher 3.

[@SKvldlf]

@@vitorsilveira02 I hear it's actually a good port.

[@ajaakola2]

They got a video of KCD running on switch. Its a really amazing port considering the hardware.

[@cael_84]

Cyberpunk 2077 for switch when?

[@thewindgamer2607]

19:04 how can you tell the difference between if something is rendered in real time as opposed to video?

[@OmegaDenz96]

if Nintendo will do free patches for these games to be upscaled/improved for Switch 2, we might need to grab these things beforehand.

[@TheBR3TONTube]

Hogwarts Legacy?

[@SWOTHDRA]

Senua sacrifice

[@XenoMassxx]

While Unreal Engine 4 has a spotty performance history on Switch, I feel SQUARE ENIX always knew how to utilize it best out of every other game company on Nintendo's platform. Dragon Quest 11, Octopath Traveler, Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core Reunion and Trials Of Mana all look good graphically and plays decent on Switch. All those games ran on Unreal Engine 4.

[@0HawkEyes]

Diablo 3 runs at 900p docked and 60 fps. It runs way better than used to play on xbox 360. Its a great feat to play this game almost 720p portable and running 60 fps, while battery lasts more than 4 hours (switch OLED).

[@UpwardOpossum9]

The walking dead the final season is a pretty impressive port in my opinion as the game still looks beautiful on the handheld.

[@FuZZbaLLbee]

I wish they also ported the tiny text, to something readable on a small handheld screen.

[@karelissomoved1505]

witcher 3 is just looks blurry on switch but if you squint everything is there.

[@EXTERNALLucasVitor]

Looks fine on the portable screen with the sharpening filter turned on

[@Bendaak]

Looks great on the Lite

[@masterquake7]

I played through the game all the way on both Xbox and Switch and felt like I lost nothing (nit counting graphics here) by playing the Switch version. I felt it ran better on Switch, in fact.

[@disarmadilloplay]

Honestly video could be called "Impossible UE4 ports" ☺️

[@MrBeefTot187]

This is what I like to show Sony ponies who say series s is the issue not devs 😂

[@horticultural261]

Wait why sony talking about series s

[@quentinptak7990]

Honorable mention : Doom eternal

[@00kayem]

BioShock infinite is pretty awesome

[@jagstax7746]

Some of the best ports are Homebrew, Decomps of old N64 games. Like SM64 PC Port. Native 1080p 60fps. Nintendo limits there Hardware so so much and it's a massive shame. I love my hacked OLED

[@tomasze55]

Alien Isolation?Doom Eternal?

[@AZAMA___]

Where is Outer Wilds ?

[@elchris87]

i been playing a lot of persona games on switch

[@Fuuntag]

20:44 how PlayStation 2 of them 😅

[@FuZZbaLLbee]

Does Zelda BOTW count, because it was made for the Wii U? 😀

[@jakejoyride]

Witcher 3 is best game on switch ... for adults

[@ancientandbored]

Playing TW3 on Switch was when I decides not to play ports... it was a blurry mess. Yeah, it was all there but at a cost... And it was more expensive than the xbox/ps versions, that ran and looked much better... Nintendo for me is for Metroid/Zelda and indies that don't require much to play and look nice.

[@gregwilliams4926]

How is that possible that a Switch runs better than an xbox? I know some 3rd party has dips on XBO but jeez, 360 still has better ports, the heck happened with XBO?

[@cyrus8886]

Don mattrick was full of himself Devs will buckle under us because we're xbox It's Almost the ps3 situation

[@ging3rbreadtiger618]

Played and beat Neir Autamita in it's entirety on switch. I mean I played and beat the game all 3 times on there. Its is probably my favorite 3rd party switch game

[@ShortStoriesforSpanishStudents]

I dont count nier as an amazing port because the input lag is extremely high and it was never fixed.

[@isamuominae]

No ORI games nentioned??? You guys are out of mind.

[@LiarpieVicinityFTW]

7:11 "virgin"

[@Thorin440]

He said "version" but your interpretation probably says a lot about you 😘

[@LiarpieVicinityFTW]

@thorin4406 that's actually hilarious, fair game 😂 it was just a joke lmao

[@Thorin440]

@LiarpieVicinityFTW Banter? All good buddy, have a great 2025.

[@LiarpieVicinityFTW]

@@Thorin440 likewise my internet brethren 🙏

[@Arvy1987]

Water from Nomans sky port @.@

[@gaminginstilllife9429]

After playing so many flight games on PC, Ace Combat is terrible. Only reason i pickup is cause it was like 5 bucks

[@nols8244]

Warframe (a free-to-play-game) on Switch looks better than the mostly of the retail released games on Switch. Only the Plains of Eidolon map looks ass, but it also does on other platforms. Vigor (also a free-to-play-game here) also looks really impressive but has severe button registry problems and a godawful hit detection on Switch. I would loved if it were a single player game with AI controlled enemies.

[@RealRagnar816]

Updated ark survival evolved

[@ShanGamer1981]

Play on steam deck instead

[@Adamtendo_player_1]

Play on PS5 instead, forget steam deck.

[@smidlee7747]

You didn't mention Kingdom Come Deliverance. I hope you didn't mention this game due to some of the criticism the developers being getting.

[@Bendaak]

Playing it right now on the Lite. It's breathtaking! Definitely one of the more impressive impossible ports.

[@Marshmallow-ht8me]

If the Switch 2 or what I hope they call it (Super Nintendo Switch) can run every game at 60fps then I’ll buy a S2 day one.

[@hellchemical]

Do you think nintendo care about fps , 30 fps is enough for them Because they're aim is the games who can bring fun for casual players or familes , not for sweaty gamers

[@MrRoundthetwist]

I’m hoping its SwitchU for the name

[@mikeuk666]

​@hellchemical you think Nintendo develop all switch games 🤔

[@Vynzent]

You're in for a huge disappointment.

[@seanmcbay]

@@hellchemicalNot true. Most of their own developed games are 60. Notable exceptions include the 2 open world Zelda games.

[@benjaminmartin2922]

I dont know if the witcher 3 is an impossible port but its definitely not good looking on switch. Gameplay and controls are not the strong points of the game,so if you remove graphics,what is the point of playing it ? And Nier Automata is not a great port on switch either. Low quality textures and low resolution in some areas. Ace combat is sub500p with blurry graphics. It kills all the charm. Dragon quest XI ? No antialiasing and average resolution. I wonder sometimes if you really play those games. They are not great ports at all. Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal are way more impressive.

[@toploaded2078]

Witcher looked great on switch ... in handheld mode. A lot of these breakdowns kinda brush over the fact that the switch is supposed to be a TV and handheld experience, and just focus on how good it is for a 'handheld'

[@benjaminmartin2922]

@toploaded2078 I play exclusively handheld and I have never thought it looked good on my oled,even after the last patches. It looked really average at best. It is still around 480p.

[@karlhinkelstein6130]

I could imagine that with the switch 2 or whatever the console will ultimately be called, we will have a similar graphics performance as a conventional PS4 with possibly 60 fps. But let’s all be surprised!

[@Johnnybomb1]

To be honest, I am still bitter about Dragon Quest XI S, because they got LAZY when porting that definitive version of the game to PC and the Switch's compromised visuals came along with it. Unacceptable

[@reinhart9639]

if porting a 2015 game on a 2017 console who cost more than the generation of the consoles released 4 years ago is a miracle we need to question abit the nintendo greed

[@mourossonero]

Whoosh

[@Axtmoerder]

Witcher 3 switch is one of the ugliest downports I have ever seen We are talking shadow of Mordor ps3 levels of bad How df can hold it in such high regards I beyond me

[@ww4102]

Well it is still a technical achievment I guess, but because I remember it looking spectacular on my pc it is hard to play that blurry switch version.

[@wh3resmycar]

Witcher 3 never ran well on the Switch. It just that the standard is way lower for Nintendo for some magical reason hence they keep getting away with shit performance like this.

[@horticultural261]

I playing right now it's pretty good

[@tears2040]

It’s a portable machine with graphics close to PS4 which is very impressive. Enjoy video games and see what’s possible today .

[@horticultural261]

@@tears2040 close to ps4 hell no more like ps3

[@horticultural261]

@@tears2040 steamdeck is close to ps4 power not the switch so hopefully switch 2 have more power than ps4 and steamdeck

[@getreal2592]

@horticultural261 There is zero chance that Switch 2 will be as powerful or more powerful than the Steam Deck. On-par with PS4 is definitely possible

[@Rulyo38]

Vous en avez pas marre de nous refaire 50 fois la même vidéo ? 😂

[@jkn2k]

Bloodborne PC port is more impressive

[@JeremyLouisGaming]

All these games look really bad on switch. They were able to port them over but they are mostly no longer the same game. Unfortunately, the same thing will happen with the next switch.

[@Bendaak]

Untrue. They look great on the Switch.

[@derrickarias5832]

Switch are for kids

[@jamesmarley687]

Or people who like good games. All I’ve played on ps5 is Demon Souls, God of war, FF7 rebirth and Ratchet rift apart in regards to exclusives. Love the ps5 but it has barely any games. Just find myself replaying Elden ring on it and using it as a COD machine

[@RandyGreen-v9t]

PLAYS BEST ON SUPERIOR PS5 PRO!!!!!!! MEGA L FOR THE QUEERBOX SERIES X FANQUEERS!!!!

[@allthis701]

@MikeJJJemptybladderyou say the same to pc boys? Lmao

[@CheckmateStallioN]

​@MikeJJJemptybladder I play on PC and Playstation but his posts make my day lol

[@BasedGiant88]

BAAAASED!!!

[@CheckmateStallioN]

@@RandyGreen-v9t bro got the tism

[@BennysGamingLounge]

Looks like someone wants attention . . . . Kinda pathetic

[@joshuamihalow6054]

Big man on the right looks like his tongue is trying to escape from his mouth when he talks…☹️

[@kacperzimowski4626]

The port would have been okay if it just had low resolution, but this blurriness is just straight painful to the eyes. It's just unplayable with this blur.

[@RandyGreen-v9t]

MEGA L FOR THE FAGBOX SERIES X FANQUEERS!!!! WORST VERSION OF THE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@BennysGamingLounge]

You speak like you're 6

[@mikeuk666]

Ryan Miller attention seeking 😂

[@Thorin440]

This comment still isn't funny. Don't you have a Reddit thread to moderate?

[@ThePoushal]

Hogwarts Legacy?

[@Bendaak]

Owned it, doesn't look great on the Switch. I was disappointed