Overwatch is a game that has kept millions of gamers entertained ever since its original launch, back in 2016. Now, almost three-and-a-half years on from that point, it's found a new home on the Nintendo Switch - a console that nobody believed it would ever be able to run on. Allowing it to breathe on that platform is an achievement in of itself, but just how much of the excellent experience players have enjoyed for so long can be replicated on the Switch? That's something still up for debate...
Offering over 30 playable heroes, that are all instantly available on the Switch following this month's launch, there's somebody to play for every sort of gamer. If you like to jump right into the fray, then there's a tank class; if you're more of the fall back and help keep everybody else alive, then there are a whole host of healers. The biggest class to pick from however, is damage. Whatever your style, you'll enjoy getting to grips with each of the characters.
One of the things you'll likely want to do immediately after jumping in however, is to turn off the gyro-controls. Moving the handheld console will move your entire screen if you don't, and it's one of the most dizzying, confusing experiences a player could have. Unless your stomach is made of super-strong stuff, stick to the classic analog sticks for camera movement.
The controls are something that were always going to be a problem for players who are coming to Overwatch on Switch from another console, or PC. The Joy-Cons can be extremely frustrating when you're playing such a slick, time-based multiplayer title, and so unless you're willing to shell out for a professional controller which is similar to those Xbox and PlayStation gamers work with, you're in for a steep learning curve.
Restricted to 30 frames-per-second, which drops further in moments of ultimate destruction and chaos, Overwatch on Nintendo Switch is a downgrade for anybody who has played the Blizzard title on any other console, or PC. Rarely is a game you already own worth another purchase when it's re-released elsewhere, and Overwatch unfortunately fails to change that. For gamers who only have a Switch console however, and have wanted to jump into the action that this world offers, it's a great opportunity to get up-to-speed with all that's available from the multiplayer shooter.
This isn't a terrible port by any means, but it's one that's a downgrade on every level, when compared to every other platform it's available on. One of the biggest parts of success in Overwatch is being able to communicate with your team, and we all know that's easier said than done when using a Switch console. Still, there's no crossplay available, so at least everybody involved is on a near-equal playing field.
Overwatch is available now in a bundle with three months of Nintendo Online access (required to play) on Nintendo Switch. A code for the game on Switch was given to Female First in exchange for a fair and honest review.