Of all the Nintendo exclusives, Xenoblade feels a bit like an odd-one out.

In a world of Marios, Zeldas, Kirbys and even Fire Emblems and Metroids, a futuristic, sci-fi mech RPG definitely caters to a slightly different crowd. In the best possible way!

And yet, through all of the fun mechanical tropes, this might be one of the most ambitious Nintendo games have ever made and that still holds years later following its original release on the Wii U. This is a game that really pushed the boundaries of that beloved – and never forgotten – system, but it finally has a home on Switch now where it can fulfil its true potential.

Best of all, for a series that is notoriously tricky in regards to its onboarding and storytelling, X might just be the best introduction to the series one could have. Even though it’s technically a sequel to the first and the original game really does ease you into the world pretty well. Still, if you’ve never played the series before, this is a great place to dive in.

Xenoblade Chronicles X feels a bit like an MMORPG, actually. Its mission structure, the breadth of missions on offer, the changing nature, but also the fact you can build up to a squad of 32 to tackle tougher missions and huge creatures in a sort of Monster Hunter style. There was nothing like that on Nintendo hardware before and even now, in a post Splatoon 3 world, Xenoblade X is still pushing boundaries.

It’s hard not to argue that this was, actually, a game ahead of its time. And while the story is more open-ended and built around your choices – customising an avatar, mech, and making narrative decisions – the core of Xenoblade is still there. Using arts, upgrading skills, and strategic placement of units that give benefits of attacking from the sides and back.

This edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X is truly a definitive edition with much enhanced visuals – sharper textures, improved character models, and even some additional story to enhance the overall experience post launch, particularly because the original game left things pretty open. This version goes someway to trying to address that at least, though you will need to have beaten the game first to unlock it.

Yet, this Definitive Edition goes much, much further than just a fancy remaster. It modernises the experience more than you might expect and makes some really logical changes to enhance your game time. Like the Blade Level from the Wii U version, which was essentially like your soldier rank – seperately to your character’s level – has been removed and the missions you gathered from that just unlock through main campaign progression.

You can also change time whenever you want and change your party members from the menu without having to find rest spots or the right person in town. It just speeds things up and makes the whole gameplay experience more intuiative.

There’s even autosave now, which when you think about it, was kind of wild it wasn’t there before!

The best change, though, might be the fact that inactive party members can earn XP in addition to those in your party. It makes sure that no one gets left behind and everyone gets on a level pegging, so when you want to swap folks in, you’re not having to grind their levels up. And there’s even new party members to add to the roster as well.

I’m a big proponent for these upgrades and think they really fit and work for the game. But don’t worry, the core has remained very much in tact, deviating from the mainline series but still very much creating the core and base of a Xenoblade game. One with a solid core loop, an intriguing story, and a vast open environment to explore.

It’s absolutely fair to say that rather than detract from the content you loved, this has just made everything a lot better so you can safely retire that Wii U version of the game. Well, except the GamePad functionality has gone, of course!

Initially, the central campaign missions serve as something of a tutorial for the game, with each introducing you to more of the mechanics and the side missions adding the color and letting you stretch your wings to experiment with those options, seeing more of the wider world. This also allows it to work in time with the game’s story.

But generally, in X you can traverse an open landscape where you can fight random mobs on your level, find hidden treasures off the beaten path, hidden paths and at the same time, stumble into an enemy 8x your level that can destroy you in one hit. So there’s this layer of tension there, meaning you have to keep an eye on your movements.

Between that and the random quest-types, this is where this starts to feel like an open MMORPG, but with some types of missions also based on the relationships you have with party members. Build an affinity by responding to NPCs in certain ways or performing certain actions, gifting or answering in a particular way in tense situations. As with previous Xenoblade games, that also affects how you fight together on the battlefield.

And X’s cast of characters are fun, unique, interesting and enjoyable, even if some dialogue strands do run on a bit too long and some cutscenes are a bit of an information overload. Still, they help paint a unique world that holds up and makes for a compelling individual RPG journey that you can sink hours into and still keep coming back for more. If you allow it, Xenoblade Chronicles X will really draw you in for the long haul.

But even beyond that, there’s your very own Skell for traversal and battle. Yep, you can go stomping around in a big old mech once you reach a certain point in the game and it’s wonderful. This not only adds another layer to the combat but it makes getting from one place to the other faster and smoother.

In a world where most party based RPGs stick to a familiar, turn-based format, Xenoblade keeps the action fluid, constant and really offers this sense of on your toes fighting as abilities recharge, and party members actively support you in real-time. This, coupled with a big brutality machine to mow down anything in your way really makes everything all the more satisfying.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a hell of a closing chapter for Nintendo Switch, just as it was for the Wii U. There’s this wonderful sense of poetry in that, perhaps. With Nintendo ready to move onto new hardware later this year, this game has so much content to offer and opportunities for Nintendo Switch Online users to play with friends and random teammates. For those who aren’t quite ready to make the jump across to the new shiny console, they at least have something to occupy them in the slightly longer term.

With its vast menu systems and detailed options, X is a much deeper, richer experience than most Nintendo games, which often take a more manageable route. And admittedly, that can be a lot at times. Xenoblade is definitely more catered to hardcore RPG players, less someone who might enjoy a more casual foray in Paper Mario. So it’s quite overwhelming – even exhausting at points – when you think you’ve learned everything the game has to offer, it still throws a bunch more systems and ideas at you. But it all adds to the options and opportunities afforded to players at every step and helps the game stay fresh.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a ride that offers the perfect swansong for Nintendo’s incredible hardware and despite being a decade old, still opens the door to a bigger, bolder, future, not just for this franchise but every other franchise the publisher has on its enormous, evergreen roster. But also being able to complete the set of Xenoblade games on one Nintendo console, for a series that has had a cult following but never quite the sales to match, really shows and proves how much Nintendo value them and why you should make sure to give them a second glance.

Verdict

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is one of the most ambitious titles Nintendo have ever made with its huge online options, scales and systems, and it’s better than ever on Switch.  The Definitive features enhance and modernise the game perfectly, making it feel as refreshing to play as ever. A great entry point to this franchise which may have seemed offputting to many in the past, X is still weighed down a bit by the volume of information, systems and ultimately content it puts in front of players, and maybe a bit too generous for its own good. But this is a fantastic, exciting departure from Nintendo norms and remains one of the finest RPGs on the market, now better than ever before and able to fulfil its true potential! 

Pros

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Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is out now on Nintendo Switch and will be backwards compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. 

Code Kindly Provided by Nintendo for review purposes