The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim finally came to the Nintendo Switch today, and ever since its announcement, parallel to the console itself, people have been wondering how the hybrid console would handle it. Skyrim is a rather beefy game in terms of the resources it requires to run, especially with the definitive version on PS4/Xbox One/PC. It's this version of the game that Bethesda ported to the Switch.
Eurogamer's Digital Foundry compared the newly released Skyrim for Nintendo Switch with the PS4 version, as well as comparing the new game's docked and undocked modes. The results would be more shocking if the Nintendo Switch wasn't already acing everyone's expectations already, and that is in no way a bad thing. Take a look at the Digital Foundry video for a full analysis.
The first, and possibly most notable upgrade is the change in the color pallet. The game has a bluer hue to it, breathing more life into the previously gray game. While docked, the game runs at 1600×900, while the mobile mode at 720p. However, during particularly intensive moments, the mobile mode can drop to 896×720 thanks to a resolution scaling designed to keep performance as smooth as possible.
According to the guys at Digital Foundry, however, the dip in quality is pretty acceptable, considering what the end product ends up being: Full-functioning Skyrim on-the-go. Unlike stiff graphical settings of the past, the difference between docked and undocked Skyrim is simply a matter of detail in distant objects instead of the entire screen.
In terms of performance, You'll be glad to know that Skyrim on Nintendo Switch delivers. Their six hours of research gameplay provided a pretty solid 30 frames per second throughout.
In the end, Digital Foundry recommends the game to those looking for an excuse to jump back into the Elder Scrolls world. Great, now to buy the game for a third time…
You can check out our review here!
