Cities: Skylines for Nintendo Switch is an ambitious attempt to bring one of the most beloved city-building simulations to a portable platform. Originally developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive, Cities: Skylines has been praised for its depth, complexity, and expansive gameplay on PC and other consoles. However, the Nintendo Switch version comes with some significant compromises that affect the overall experience. If you're a fan of city-building games and are curious about how this title fares on the Switch, here’s what you need to know.
Gameplay and Mechanics
At its core, Cities: Skylines is a deep and engaging city-building simulator that offers players complete control over the creation and management of a city. The game starts with a blank slate, and it’s up to you to design and build your city from the ground up. This includes everything from laying down roads and zoning land for residential, commercial, and industrial use, to managing public services like education, healthcare, and police. As your city grows, so do the challenges, such as managing traffic, ensuring adequate power and water supply, and dealing with the ever-changing needs of your citizens.
The gameplay on the Nintendo Switch remains largely faithful to the original, with all the core mechanics intact. The game provides a comprehensive set of tools that allows for a high degree of creativity and strategic planning. Whether you’re aiming to build a sprawling metropolis or a small, eco-friendly town, Cities: Skylines offers the flexibility to do so.
However, the Switch version does introduce some limitations, particularly in terms of control. The transition from mouse and keyboard to the Joy-Cons or Pro Controller is noticeable, with the interface and controls feeling less intuitive and more cumbersome. Navigating menus, placing buildings, and adjusting zoning areas can be tricky, especially for players used to the precision of a mouse. The touchscreen can be used in handheld mode, but it doesn’t fully compensate for the lack of precision.
Visuals and Performance
One of the most significant compromises in the Nintendo Switch version of Cities: Skylines is the visual and performance quality. The game’s visuals have been scaled down considerably to fit the hardware limitations of the Switch. This results in lower-resolution textures, reduced draw distances, and a generally less detailed visual presentation compared to other platforms.
Performance-wise, the game struggles at times, especially as your city grows larger. Frame rate drops and occasional stuttering are common, particularly when your city is bustling with activity. The game’s load times are also notably long, which can be frustrating during extended play sessions. While these issues don’t make the game unplayable, they do detract from the overall experience, especially for players who are used to smoother performance on other systems.
Sound Design and Music
The sound design in Cities: Skylines is one of its stronger points, even on the Switch. The game features a pleasant and relaxing soundtrack that fits the tone of city-building perfectly. The background music is soothing and non-intrusive, making it ideal for long play sessions.
Sound effects, such as the hum of traffic, the buzz of construction, and the chatter of citizens, add to the immersion. The audio quality remains consistent with other versions of the game, ensuring that the sound design helps create a lively and believable city environment.
Content and Replayability
Cities: Skylines for Nintendo Switch includes the base game along with the After Dark DLC, which introduces a day-night cycle and related gameplay mechanics. The game’s sandbox nature and the vast array of tools available mean that no two cities will ever be the same, which gives the game immense replayability.
The game’s depth is one of its greatest strengths, offering countless hours of gameplay as you build, expand, and manage your city. Whether you’re focused on maximizing efficiency, creating the most beautiful city, or simply experimenting with different designs, Cities: Skylines provides endless possibilities.
However, the Switch version does not include some of the later expansions available on other platforms, which might be a drawback for players looking for the full Cities: Skylines experience. Additionally, the performance limitations might discourage players from building very large cities, which is often where the game truly shines.
Pros:
- Deep and Engaging Gameplay: Offers a rich city-building experience with a high level of creativity and strategic depth.
- Relaxing Soundtrack: The soothing background music complements the gameplay, making for a pleasant experience.
- Portable City-Building: The ability to play Cities: Skylines on the go is a significant advantage for fans of the genre.
- Inclusion of After Dark DLC: Adds more variety with the introduction of a day-night cycle and additional gameplay mechanics.
- Endless Replayability: The sandbox nature and extensive tools ensure that each city you build will be unique.
Cons:
- Performance Issues: Noticeable frame rate drops and long load times can detract from the overall experience, particularly in larger cities.
- Scaled-Down Visuals: The visual downgrade on the Switch results in less detailed environments and lower-resolution textures.
- Cumbersome Controls: The transition from mouse and keyboard to console controls feels less intuitive, making the game more challenging to navigate.
- Limited Content: Lacks some of the expansions available on other platforms, reducing the overall content available.
- Potential for Frustration: Performance limitations and control issues might frustrate players, especially those accustomed to playing on PC or more powerful consoles.
Final Verdict
Cities: Skylines for Nintendo Switch is a commendable effort to bring a complex and beloved city-building simulator to a portable platform. While it retains the deep and engaging gameplay that made the original game so popular, the Switch version is held back by significant performance and control issues. The scaled-down visuals, frame rate drops, and cumbersome controls may be off-putting for some players, especially those who have experienced the game on more powerful hardware.
However, if you’re looking for a portable city-building experience and are willing to overlook some of these drawbacks, Cities: Skylines on Switch still offers a rewarding and creative outlet. The inclusion of the After Dark DLC adds some extra value, and the game’s inherent replayability ensures that you’ll have plenty to do as you design and manage your dream city. Ultimately, this version of Cities: Skylines is best suited for those who prioritize portability and convenience over visual fidelity and performance.