DNF Duel: How is the Arc System Works fighting game doing on the Switch? | review

We already had that checked the version released last year on PS5, PS4 and PC, a solid and well-made fighting game with unique systems compared to other titles in the genre and greatly simplified controls. Now it’s time to see how the title fares on Nintendo Switch: will Arc System Works manage to bring a version up to last year’s level?

Portable barrels

DNF duel is a fighting game based on the long-running Korean MMO Dungeons & Fighters Online, a title that has existed since 2005 and that combines the mechanics of an MMO with those of a scrolling fighting game. The selectable characters in this fighting game mirror the classes present in the original, complete with the same abilities and special abilities.

content, the switch version of DNF duel has not changed. We have the story mode, which can be completed in about half an hour with each character, the classic modes Arcade, Training and other typical modes such as Survival or Free Battle, as well as of course online.

One of the assets of this title are simplified controls, which allow each character to perform their own special moves with a single button press, alone or in combination with a rudder. This system is further enhanced by the control of the Nintendo Switch, which is usually not the ideal console for playing fighting games, since the Joy-Con are not the best in terms of execution and even the Pro Controller is clearly inferior to more suitable pads, such as B. the PlayStation One.

With DNF duel (which you can already find in the Switch version on Amazon) the problem does not arise; The ease of execution of the movements allows them to be performed with the Joy-Con without any problems or with any Pro Controller, making the game much more accessible even for those new to the genre.

Local two-player play, however, requires either two pairs of Joy-Cons or at least two controllers, as the game requires all available buttons on the two Nintendo Mini Pads. You can also Create rooms locally to play with other players equipped with Switch and a copy of the game, an option obviously only available for the Nintendo version.

The gameplay of the title, as we further explored in our previous review, is very good and fun. It’s enough to get acquainted with a character’s moves to easily chain some pretty powerful combos. That doesn’t mean that DNF duel is a simple game because (like all Arc System Works fighting games) it has different technical levels: The difference becomes apparent when you meet someone who has truly mastered how to handle all the mechanics of the title. To play with your friends or just have fun, DNF duel It remains a very valid fighting game precisely because of the low learning curve of the basic commands, allowing everyone to have fun with the title’s spectacular moves.

THE 16 characters present, then they are extremely diverse in terms of fighting style and strategies in battle, and it will be difficult not to find at least one that suits every fighting game player’s taste. Between zoners, rangers, masters of grappling and melee, nothing is missing. Of course, months after the game’s initial release, The balance isn’t quite perfect yetbut the title is still playable.

How does DNF Duel work on Switch?

So what are the main differences of the Switch version of DNF duel with the previously released? As you can imagine, these are in the technical area. being able to spin DNF duel There was also ample demand on Nintendo’s hybrid console some scaling of graphics qualityto be able to do everything Get the steady 60 FPS needed for any fighting game. The character models, hugely popular for their incredible level of detail and excellent animations shown at launch a few months ago, have paid their price.

The level of detail has actually dropped, and this is especially noticeable in the arenas, while the characters, especially in outline, have an annoying blur effect on their models that makes them appear detached from the background. These flaws may be less noticeable when playing in portable mode, but become apparent when playing with the console connected to the docking station. It’s a real shame as the miracle effect experienced a few months ago with the Sony console and PC versions is lost.

Unfortunately, it was unthinkable to have the same quality on the Nintendo console as on a PS5 or PC – but technically this version is very good lower even than that of PS4. There are also some cases where even the 60 FPS is not constant and they fall off easily, although it’s never too much of a problem.

The only good thing about this drop in graphics quality is that the game has gods very fast loading both in the menus and during the fights, which from this point of view turns out not to be inferior to the other more powerful versions.

The online without rollback

The final point to rate for the Switch version of DNF duel it is the online component. inexplicably, This version of the game has no netcode rollback instead present on the PlayStation and PC versions and relies on a classic delay-based system. Obviously we already know how much Nintendo’s online service is not the most reliable (although it must be said that it has undergone several improvements in recent years) and with this netcode Forget about gaming with no lag or technical issues.

In our testing, we saw that as long as we’re playing with European players, the title still holds up (but that also depends on your basic connection), albeit there was no shortage of small slowdowns or moments of lag; However, in other cases there were matches against more distant players where the lag was more noticeable.

Also the title does not support crossplaywhich is pretty obvious not only for the differences at a technical level but also for the netcode, so Switch players can only challenge each other.

However, we cannot say that it is a bad port because, despite the problems described, it can be played more than decently and on a console like Switch, where there is none Guilty Gear strutsA Tekken or the future street fighter 6, DNF duel It’s undoubtedly a title to keep in mind if you love fighting games and maybe have some friends to have fun with.

However, if you own another console or PC where the title is present, it is obvious that the advice is to get that versionespecially if your goal is to play online.