The Nintendo Switch 2 is just over 12 months old. Typically with a Nintendo console, it’s the Big N's own first-party games that keep me coming back (I play on PS5 primarily), and while there’s been a steady stream of those on the Switch 2, I’ve found it’s actually Capcom carrying the torch right now.
Capcom is enjoying something of a golden era at present, delivering consistently impressive games at a steady clip. These include several new releases and remakes in popular series like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter, and excellent original ideas like Pragmata (which, seriously, if you haven’t played yet, stop reading this article and play it now. It’s wonderful).
While these games are all available on PlayStation, Xbox and the best gaming PCs, it’s the publisher's Switch 2 support that is really impressive. The Switch 2 isn’t an afterthought for Capcom. Not only are the Switch 2 editions of new games like Resident Evil: Requiem and the aforementioned Pragmata technically sound, they also dropped day one on Switch 2. Other publishers/developer have delayed their games on Switch — I’m still waiting for a date on the Switch 2 edition of 007: First Light.
Capcom is even diving back into its recent past to bring several fan-favorite games from the previous generation to Nintendo players. Case in point, the recent launch of Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition on Switch 2. I’ve been playing DMC5 on Switch 2 recently, and it's another winner from Capcom.
DMC5 is as good as ever on Nintendo Switch 2
Devil May Cry 5 originally launched on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2019, bringing the franchise back to its roots after the divisive (in my opinion, underrated) 2013 reboot. Fans and critics loved it, and I was among them. It offers the series' signature blend of cinematic, intense action, slightly cheesy humor, and a trio of playable protagonists. That number expanded to four with the Vergil DLC — included with the PS5 and Xbox Series X ports in 2020.
So, how does it look and play on Switch 2? Extremely well. It targets and largely maintains 60 fps in both docked and handheld mode. While I haven’t played the PS5/Series X Special Edition to compare, I can confirm this is a notable improvement over the PS4 version I experienced back at launch. The game was liable to drop frames when the action got really hectic, which in a Devil May Cry game is a problem because things get hectic fast.
As you would hope, this version of DMC5 comes content complete, packing all the post-launch DLC, including Vergil as a playable character. Oh, and load times are blissfully brief, which is useful for somebody like myself, who’s far from an expert DMC player — I need those quick loads to get back into the fray while taking on a tough boss and getting my butt whooped.
Because of its 8th generation console roots, it’s not the most technically impressive Switch 2 port Capcom has released to date. Several major PS4 games made their way over to Nintendo Switch 1. The second generation of Nintendo’s hybrid console can handle the likes of DMC5 with relative ease, but it’s yet another excellent Capcom game, now playable on the Switch 2.
Capcom’s Switch 2 support is impressive (and there’s much more to come)
Nintendo aside, there are few (if any) publishers supporting the Switch 2 to the same degree right now as Capcom. And considering the Japanese video game company is currently in its aforementioned “golden era,” with no signs of slowing down, that’s a significant boon for the console.
This year alone, I’ve tested the Switch 2 release of a trio of Resident Evil games (Biohazard, Village and Requiem) alongside Pragmata (I am not going to shut up about this game till you play it), and been largely impressed with them all. My Switch 2 is rapidly becoming a device dedicated to playing Capcom games on the go, and I don’t mind at all.
This support isn’t slowing down either. Capcom has already announced plans to bring its sprawling RPG Dragon’s Dogma 2 to the console as part of its Dark Arisen re-release this October. I love the idea of having such a vast RPG for long flights. And before that, the upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword will arrive on Switch 2 on September 4, the same date it launches on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC. Switch players won’t have to wait longer!
Plus, looking a little further into the future, Monster Hunter Wilds is Switch 2-bound (coming in the wake of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection landing on Nintendo's platform in March), alongside the recently announced Resident Evil: Veronica remake and Mega Man: Dual Override.
So, kudos to Capcom. Firstly, for its remarkable streak of quality releases. But secondly, for ensuring that its acclaimed recent back catalog is available on the Switch 2 and that its highly anticipated new releases arrive on the system on day one. Its biggest gaming rivals should take note.
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