Is there any other console as exciting as the Nintendo Switch since its release? Sure, the Xbox One X is a powerful, beastly gaming machine, and the PlayStation 4 continues to sell like hotcakes — but the Nintendo's latest console is probably the most exciting piece of hardware in recent years.
The reason? It's a portable console with home console-level performance, allowing players to take as huge a game as Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey on the go. Well, players can add another game to that list: Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2, both of which will launch on Feb. 16.
'Bayonetta' And 'Bayonetta 2' On Nintendo Switch
Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 are critically acclaimed action titles from Platinum Games, the latter of which exclusively released on Nintendo's ill-fated Wii U console in 2014. Now, it's time to look at how the port stacks up on the Switch. Below, you'll find excerpts from critic reviews.
Critic Reviews
GameSpot: "Bayonetta 2 arrives on Switch with everything intact from the Wii U version, but with the added convenience of portability and a more consistent frame rate, making it the definitive version of the game. Thanks to the confident execution of seemingly unbridled creativity, Bayonetta 2 remains a game that shouldn't be missed, just as it was when we first reviewed the game on Wii U."
IGN: "By far the most significant change for the Switch version of Bayonetta 2 is the frame rate. The Wii U version notoriously dips into the 40s, but here everything moves at an almost steady 60 frames per second. I still noticed a few minor slowdowns during intense moments, but overall, executing combos feels even more natural. That makes it much easier to pull off long string attacks on groups of enemies," wrote IGN in its review, noting that Bayonetta 2 still packs the same action as the original title but runs much more smoothly this time around.
However, IGN was slightly let down by the game's low resolution.
"It's disappointing that the Switch version can't manage more than 720p on a big screen, but with that said, Bayonetta 2's fantastic art style holds up well."
Nintendo Enthusiast: "Bayonetta 2 is an expertly crafted game from a team that not only understands the action genre as a whole, but also understands video game design as a whole. Platinum Games invites gamers of all kind to come to the amusement park that is Bayonetta 2. You will be punching, kicking, shooting, slicing, slamming and whipping your way to victory in the most outlandish visuals you have laid eyes on in a video game. Bayonetta 2 is a game that appreciates you for utilizing everything you have in your arsenal to win."
Eurogamer: "Bayonetta 2 on Switch still manages to outperform the Wii U original. The native 720p presentation also shines on the handheld screen. Whichever way you look at it, this port is a win-win: improved performance and the ability to take a classic Wii U title with you, where you can play it wherever you want."
Nintendo Life: "Visually, Bayonetta 2 is one of the best looking games you play on Nintendo Switch right now. It runs at 700p and 60fps (much like the original Bayonetta), but free of the much older and muddier textures of the original, the sequel saunters onto Nintendo's modern handheld with silky smooth visuals and a performance that never once stutters or suffers from slowdown."
