Ambitious, but nothing to be seen: players were unhappy with Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch

Apex Legends’ Battle Royale debuted on Nintendo Switch this week. The game was ported to the hybrid console by Panic Button, which previously released the so-called “impossible ports” of DOOM Eternal and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Indeed, another developer might not have done better, but the Switch version of Apex Legends has been heavily criticized.

Technically speaking, Panic Button has probably done the best it can with Apex Legends. But this port, more than others, highlighted the imperfection of the Nintendo Switch’s hardware. Netizens and gaming publications complain about the poor performance of the shooter.

This is not so critical if you are only fighting opponents on the Nintendo Switch, but the project supports cross-platform matches. Therefore opponents from other systems are encountered in battles. And since this is a competitive shooter, frame rates play a big role, and hybrid console users feel uncomfortable.

Also, due to the Switch version’s low resolution (720p in TV mode and 576p in handheld), players cannot distinguish the enemy from a rock, wall, or other surface – silhouettes merge with the environment.