One Of My Favourite Reboots Is Now On Switch And It’s Great

In case you missed the news, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is now available on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

As announced earlier this week, Tomb Raider remaster legends Aspyr has worked on a new release of the 2013 reboot to bring it to Switch consoles, shadow dropping it without any warning. And not only that, but it’s fantastic.

The 2013 reboot of the Tomb Raider series remains as one of my favourite video game reboots of all time. Although my heart will always belong to the classic era of the series for introducing us to one of gaming’s most iconic heroines, the Survivor Trilogy really doesn’t get as much love as it deserves.

The Lara Croft we’re introduced to in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is brave, adventurous, and intelligent, but it’s also made clear that she’s inexperienced and emotionally vulnerable. Of course, by the end of the game this all changes, and we’re teased a more psychologically mature and seasoned explorer than the one we first met at the beginning.

I have my issues with the way Lara is written in the Survivor Trilogy’s two sequels, Rise and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, I’d say that Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition really ends in such a perfect place to set up Lara’s thirst for adventure and danger, unifying her with the original games. It really is the best of the three, and I was over the moon to see that Aspyr and Crystal Dynamics has now brought it to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Having been playing it since Thursday, I can honestly say that the Switch port of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is rather excellent, too.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is an excellent Switch port

On Switch 2, the game runs at a rather stable 60FPS in both docked and handheld mode, with upscaled 4K resolutions when docked, and 1080p when in handheld. A pretty standard expectation, really, when you consider the game is 12 years old and was intended for consoles two generations old at this point.

Over on the original Switch, things have obviously been a lot more scaled back. The graphics are lower quality, but the game maintains around 30FPS for a majority of the game’s playtime.

Some have pointed out that the settings on the Switch 2 version feel rather toned down when compared to the PS4 version. Shadows have been reduced, the lighting looks a little off, and Lara’s hair certainly looks lower quality. And honestly? It’s a shame that this is the case, but it’s not a dealbreaker.

Aspyr / Crystal Dynamics

Aspyr has added a load of unique Switch and Switch 2 features to this version which makes it a rather neat package. This includes a rather solid gyro aiming feature which allows you to tilt the Switch controller (or the console itself if playing handheld) to help aim while firing a weapon. There’s also a touch screen feature, which is fantastic when playing handheld and want to navigate between all the different menus and HUD elements.

There’s also mouse controls to move the camera too, which is something I never would have expected, but fully welcome in open arms. For those who want a bit of extra precision when it comes to moving the camera, you don’t have to contend with the joysticks, which can sometimes be clumsy or cumbersome.

What I also love is that Aspyr left in the online multiplayer. Although I definitely understand that Tomb Raider’s multiplayer component was rather unpopular, feeling rather tacked on and unrelated to the main game, it’s still nice to see that it’s included here. Video game remasters and ports are often guilty of omitting multiplayer components from new releases, no matter whether they’re popular or unpopular (see: Modern Warfare 2, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, The Last of Us Part 1). So to have this included here is a great surprise. I’m already struggling to find an online game, which is a bit of a shame, but it might make for a fun game night if I ask a few mates to come around and bring their Switches.

Aspyr / Crystal Dynamics

Altogether, I’d say Aspyr has done a fantastic job with Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The reboot can now join the two remastered collections of Lara’s classic adventures, and feels like a nice addition to the console’s library. That this is being sold for £17 is also a fantastic point. It’s a rather cheap way to enjoy one of the best action-adventure games of the 2010s.

I’m hoping this leads to more re-releases in the future while we still wait for whatever the next mainline Tomb Raider game will be. I’d certainly welcome Rise and Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Switch, even if I don’t like them as much. And I’m still holding out hope that Aspyr is secretly working on a remaster of the Legend trilogy, because I’m eager to replay them.