‘Skyrim’ on the Nintendo Switch: Our Impressions

Knakveey
Games Elder Scrolls
Games Elder Scrolls Nintendo

I know what you’re thinking. How many times has The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim been re-released on consoles or remastered? I’ve lost count, to be honest. But here we are again, hopefully for the last time. Not to say I don’t like Skyrim, I think we just want a new Elder Scrolls game!

I was a bit skeptical at the notion of Skyrim on the Switch. Would this Bethesda classic be able to look and feel as good as it’s other console and PC iterations? Here is a quick run-down of our impressions.

Portable Mode

The Bad:

  • Honestly, there isn’t much. The only qualms that I had while playing the game in it’s portability has to do with the Switch’s design and hardware. You may need to adjust joystick sensitivity and screen brightness as the game does encounter a lot of dark areas.

The Good:

  • You can play Skyrim anywhere and everywhere. How cool is that? It’s really cool.
  • Visually, it’s far exceeded my expectations. The game looks incredible on the Switch. Better than some older ports and console versions.
  • The screen size doesn’t seem to be as much as a nuisance as I would have imagined. After the first few minutes, you aren’t even that conscious of the fact you’re playing on a small screen.
Skyrim on-the-go. A match made in heaven.

Motion Controls (with JoyCon Grip)

The Bad:

  • They’re gimmicky. Flick down to attack, flick up to defend. Pretty repetitive and boring if you ask me.

The Good:

  • You can use the motion controls along with the default controls. So if you feel like switching it up, they’re always on.
  • Adds a fun, interactive element to Skyrim, but it’s only plausible to use motion controls using the Joy-Con Grip.

On the Big Screen

The Bad:

  • Absolutely none.

The Good:

  • To experience Skyrim in all it’s grandeur, you’ll want to plug your Switch into a big screen TV.

Playing 'Skyrim' on a big TV is always a good idea.

Our Verdict:

The ability to play Skyrim on-the-go is incredible… The graphical quality and smooth gameplay are a marvel and it’s the perfect game to have on your Switch during long commutes.

The motion controls add little appeal to the Switch version, but I think it’s fair to say that not many folks will be disappointed by that fact.

You should definitely consider buying Skyrim for the Switch if you enjoyed playing it from the comfort of your couch and use your Switch often in portable mode.