Due to its hybrid nature, the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic console for games from multiple genres and of varying lengths. Don’t like a title one way? Play it when docked and use a better controller and bigger screen to see if it helps. Want to play on the go? There are games perfectly suited for the handheld life. Vampire Survivors is such that either docked or undocked on the Switch, it’s just great. It captures what we knew already worked on the Xbox platforms and PC, but also might lend a little more than other portable platforms like the Steam Deck or mobile devices.
For those unfamiliar with it, Vampire Survivors is a roguelike bullet hell game in which your avatar is the source of all bullets. Various opponents come at you in waves. As you level up or find Treasure Chests, you’ll get the opportunity to add more weapons and passive items to increase your damage output and survivability. While there are unlocks for doing things like lasting for X minutes, reaching Y level, getting an evolved form of a weapon, or finding relics. You play until enemies overwhelm your selected character. Then you see a score, get to invest gold into unlocks or upgrades, and go through it all again.
Like the Steam Deck version of Vampire Survivors, the Switch version succeeds and surpasses the mobile ports because of having actual analog sticks in your hand. This isn’t the most intensive game, to be clear, given the automatic firing of weapons and projectiles. But having a real controller for directing your character makes a big difference, and it’s far more comfortable to play on the Switch than the mobile version on my iPad.
I’d even say the Vampire Survivors Switch port could give the Steam Deck version a run for its money now that co-op is present. Tabletop mode isn’t always ideal for multiplayer games, and the sprites here can get rather small. (Especially if projectiles are involved.) But there’s something I found exceptionally fun about playing it solo, setting up my Switch in handheld mode, passing over a controller, and kicking off a co-op match. It’s convenient and, since this is such an easy game to play, perfect for any audience.
Naturally, it’s also a good fit because Vampire Survivors runs well on the Switch. I didn’t experience the same degree of lag in this version as I did in the mobile one, which is appreciated given how much the game can throw at you. There are still the same hordes I’d expect and see from the other releases. However, it doesn’t have the kind of endgame lag that eventually makes playing it on a phone impossible.
Essentially, Vampire Survivors is the same great game on the Switch as it is on PCs and the Xbox consoles. The difference is this time we have what feels like a more mobile and handheld version that runs better, yet still allows for on-the-go multiplayer. It's a fun way to play for a whole afternoon on its own, or between other Switch games.
Vampire Survivors is available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices.
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