Nintendo always knows how to deliver a unique gaming experience. The company is sometimes criticized for their hardware not being on the same level as their competitors, but Nintendo has turned to other creative means to gain the advantage in the console wars. Their latest, the Switch, has been one of their most successful endeavors.
The Switch is a fun machine, but much like Nintendo’s other efforts, it skews a little more towards younger audiences. This means that genres like first-person shooters, can sometimes get overlooked, but they’re not entirely absent on the console. Accordingly, here are 5 underrated first-person shooters for Switch and 5 that are overrated.
10 Overrated: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a very exciting and extreme entry in the long-running Wolfenstein first-person shooter franchise. The New Colossus banks on the progressively twisted storyline that re-invents history in radical ways.
Wolfenstein II is an exceptional shooter, but the port over to the Switch is a very compromised way to experience the game. The massive game suffers from frame rate and resolution issues on the Switch and it’s the worst way to experience the game, but at least offers a handheld alternative.
9 Underrated: RICO
RICO is a chaotic first-person shooter that pits a volatile police officer with nothing to lose against a rabid crime syndicate. RICO is a very streamlined experience and that’s part of what makes the game so appealing.
The shooter just focuses on polished gameplay and eliminates extraneous flair, gratuitous story cutscenes, and a bloated length. It’s not as technically impressive as other Switch shooters, but it doesn’t need to be. RICO is the perfect choice for those that are looking for a to-the-point shooter that masters the basics.
8 Overrated: Call Of Juarez: Gunslinger
The Switch may not be the most powerful gaming console of this generation, but it’s been doing a good job at collecting ports of major titles from a few years back that weren’t able to make it to previous Nintendo systems. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a western-set shooter that makes commendable use of the Switch’s gyro controls and it’s able to comfortably handle the hardware requirements of the game. However, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is over five years old and it feels like an old game from a previous generation.
7 Underrated: DOOM
DOOM is one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time and it’s been exciting to see how much the Switch has embraced the franchise. The modern reboot of the series was a major success and helped put DOOM back on track. It should come as no surprise that the title’s performance on the Switch is slightly compromised in comparison to other consoles, but it’s far from a broken port. DOOM on Switch is an entertaining way for Nintendo fans to experience the explosive shooter and the luxury of handheld gameplay is a definite bonus.
6 Overrated: Payday 2
Payday 2 is a very wild first-person shooter experience that focuses on elaborate heists and precision planning over a more chaotic free-for-all approach. The series is addictive fun and it’s a surprisingly mature addition to the Switch’s library. Payday 2 captures the energy of the original game, but the port is still restricted by the Switch’s hardware limitations. Furthermore, this port doesn’t provide the most up to date version of the release and it’s been confirmed that subsequent updates are off the table. At least the Switch port provides a portable version of the game, for those that are interested.
5 Underrated: Paladins
It can be very difficult to get complex ports to meet expectations on the Switch, but developers have worked extra hard to crack the system and deliver fulfilling versions of their games. Paladins is a FPS full of bright characters and wild weapons that's in the same vein as Overwatch or Fortnite. Paladins is such a treat on the Switch because it's actually able to function at 60 frames-per-second, even in handheld mode. The ability to crossplay with gamers on Xbox One also allows Paladins to have a rather robust community.
4 Overrated: BioShock: The Collection
The BioShock trilogy are seriously some of the best video games ever made, period. The titles are an immaculate synthesis of gripping story, immersive environments, and the ability to display agency in creative ways. This remastered collection allows Nintendo fans to experience BioShock for the first time and that alone is enough of a reason to indulge here. The games also all run on 1080p and at 30 frames-per-second, which isn't anything amazing, but for releases that are a decade old, it's a fair concession and not as noticeable as it is with more modern titles.
3 Underrated: Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was an influential title on the Nintendo 64 and its innovation towards first-person shooters spawned a whole franchise on the Nintendo console. The Turok games are notable for their prehistoric setting, ferocious enemies, and extreme weapons. That being said, the original game is plagued with a number of quality of life issues that hold it back. The Switch has been blessed with Turok remasters that retain the energy of the originals, but smooth out the edges and deliver a more satisfying experience. It’s currently the best way to experience the dino-slaying action.
2 Overrated: Overwatch
Overwatch is one of the biggest gaming phenomena in recent years and while the title didn’t originate on a Nintendo console, it was only a matter of time until a Switch port came to be. Switch’s version of Overwatch is very much a mixed bag and the limitations of the console mean that the shooter is basically better on any other platform. The Switch’s one saving grace is that it offers a handheld Overwatch experience, but even then the use of gyro controls turns the shooter into a very different game.
1 Underrated: Void Bastards
Void Bastards is a stripped down and stylized first-person shooter that flew under the radar for many people. It doesn’t have the luxury of a huge intellectual property or studio behind it, but this helps Void Bastards focus on what’s important. The result is a refined space shooter that features an incredible art design that makes the player feel like they’re in a graphic novel as much as they are in a video game. Void Bastards focuses on gameplay over story, which allows the short, but sweet, shooter to be a sublime temporary distraction.