Say what you will about the Red Dead Redemption port on Switch, having the game finally release on Nintendo hardware at all is a massive moment.

Just last gen, there was real concern we’d never see a Rockstar game on a Nintendo system again. Even on the Wii, the biggest and best we got was Table Tennis – which admittedly, was fantastic – and Bully.

But it’s been a long hard road for Rockstar’s crown jewels and Nintendo systems, with the original GTA trilogy only just recently finding a home on Switch. Getting Red Dead Redemption at all is certainly significant.

More impressively still is how well the game has aged and how good it looks and runs on a Switch OLED. Everything from the colouring, to the animation, sound effects, and loading times. It doesn’t even feel like anything has had to be compromised. On the contrary, I’d say things have improved.

Sure, we are talking about an Xbox 360/PS3 game here that’s around 13 years old. You’d hope the Switch would be able to run it just fine, but it does more than that. RDR looks crisp, sharp, it flows wonderfully and it genuinely feels right at home in the palm of your hands.

The draw distance looks great as you cast an eye out over the mountains while on horseback. Textures are polished and nicely detailed, the use of lighting and shadows is super impactful and comes across better than ever, particularly on an OLED screen. Even the character models have been recreated wonderfully, feeling more alive and expressive.

And no, it’s not going to compete with current-gen backwards compatibility, but if you’re willing to accept some compromises to play the game portable then this is about as good as you can hope for and expect.

That being said, RDR does look pretty impressive when docked on Switch, managing to run at native 1080p with it being at least comparable to what you played on Xbox 360. Probably slightly better in some respects with the polish ups. Although the game definitely shows its age at times with some jagged textures and in-game movement and action.

So if you’re looking at the two new options available, Switch seems the no-brainer and one to target – another reviewer also got access to the PS4 version so will cover that separately. But based on initial findings here, you’ve got options between playing handheld or docked, RDR has never been on Nintendo hardware, and it runs smooth as butter.

Double Eleven have not skimped out on the fanbase here, either, giving us an authentic like-for-like interpretation of the game, matching almost every version of the game out there. In fact, when playing Undead Nightmare, I’d say it runs better than most other versions because of how frantic the action gets with the hordes and masses yet the game sticks to a stable 30 FPS throughout. This was actually something the original was criticised for at launch because the hardware couldn’t keep up.

But it’s not all plain sailing. There’s some texture flickering, pop-in, and occasional slowdowns here and there. Then there’s the elephant in the room – why haven’t Rockstar done more with this? It’s possible there’s still a remaster or remake to come down the road, but even if there isn’t, you might be surprised to hear the Switch version has had multiplayer stripped out of it. This was a sizeable part of the original game with content like ‘Outlaws to the End’ that had co-op and additional achievements and its absence is a shame.

Plus there’s no Switch specific options in here either like gyro or touch support to give the game a bit of a distinct Switch flavour. Certainly not deal breakers by any means, but it speaks to exactly what this product is – a direct port of Red Dead Redemption on Nintendo Switch that’s had some polish and fine-tuning to get it performing perfectly on the hardware.

Maybe it’s the consumer response to the GTA Trilogy that’s made Rockstar nervous about changing and tweaking things too much. Especially with how that particular launch performed on Switch, after that backlash, perhaps sticking to the original vision is the smartest play. Even if you’re questioning that price point with the content removal.

And in regards to sticking to the basics and working with what’s already worked, I’d say mission accomplished. Because beyond the dated feeling you’d expect from an untouched thirteen year old action adventure, RDR is still a magnificent game and one of the best in class for the genre. Rockstar’s storytelling here still holds up, is more refined than some storytelling you find in today’s games and, multiplayer aside, you’ve got a total package here with Hardcore and Undead Nightmare.

Would it have been nice to have the outlaws multiplayer co-op on Switch to really fill out and complete this package? Sure. But if you’ve somehow never played Red Dead Redemption, or if you’re looking for a great new way to play a game you already know and love, the Switch port is a practically perfect fit. Provided you’re willing to pay the price.

Verdict

Red Dead Redemption impresses thirteen years on by still offering great storytelling, fun missions and a gripping, cinematic adventure from start to finish. Double Eleven have worked magic and provided a practically perfect port on Nintendo Switch that’s, for the most part, a like-for-like recreation, and in some cases better than ever. Stripped out multiplayer, a lack of Switch specific features and a higher than expected price point may deter some players, but with a stable frame rate and stunning, vivid visuals, the opportunity to play as John Marston anywhere and everywhere makes for a very tempting proposition. 

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Pros

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Red Dead Redemption is out now on PC, Xbox, Switch and PS4

Code Kindly Provided by Rockstar for review purposes

Played on Nintendo Switch