First-person shooters are one of the most popular video game genres, and they’re available on pretty much every console to date. The Nintendo Switch has also felt the love, much to the delight of FPS gamers who are looking for a little portable shooter action on the go. Some big-name titles have been made available on the platform.
Some are big AAA titles familiar to most gamers, while others are sleeper hits that might have flown under the radar, until now. Either way, there’s plenty of material for gamers with itchy trigger fingers and a thirst for some first-person combat.
Screencheat: Unplugged
Developed by game studio Samurai Punk, Screencheat is a first-person shooter Switch game that’s best enjoyed at a party. In the game, all the players’ characters are invisible. To win, players must look at the viewpoints of the other players, which are all shown on the screen, and determine the exact position of their enemies.
The game was originally released on the PC in 2014, but was later ported to the Switch in 2018. The Switch version also featured improved graphics and a more enticing interface. It was received warmly by critics for its memorable gameplay and variety of game modes.
Quake
Considered the spiritual successor the classic gamer series Doom, Quake is a first person arena shooter game developed by game studio id Software. It was originally released in 1996 for the PC but was remastered and released for the Switch in 2021.
The game offers single-player and multiplayer options. What’s more, the remastered version of the game includes extended content and brand new episodes. The Switch port of the retro FPS game has been well-received by critics for its timeless gameplay, solid multiplayer experience, and satisfying amount of content.
Crysis Remastered Trilogy
The Crytek FPS game follows soldiers who use a special suit in order to defeat enemies. The nanosuits they wear provide them with camouflaging abilities and enhance their speed, strength, and endurance. Gamers also battle against a number of enemies in the Crysis universe, from earth-bound North Korean soldiers to aliens powered by highly-advanced technology.
The Crysis games were ported to the Switch and packaged into one game. Gamers and critics were concerned that the Switch wouldn’t be able to handle Crysis games as they were notorious for being too heavy for the PC at the time of their release. Thankfully, the Crysis experience on the Switch was nothing but smooth.
Portal: Companion Collection
Many gamers consider Portal to be one of the best video games ever made. The iconic game does not encourage players to violently shoot their enemies using a traditional gun. Instead, it employs a portal gun that allows players to complete elaborate puzzles.
The Portal experience remains the same, whether it’s on other platforms such as the PC or on the Switch. With the Switch port, gamers can now complete the mind-bending puzzles that Portal is known for in 60 fps and improved graphics.
Payday 2
It may not rank the highest on the review website Metacritic, but there’s still some life left in Payday 2 that makes it worth a go. The original game was praised for frantic, violent FPS gameplay that put players in the shoes of a criminal bank robber in order to blow off a little steam.
As a co-op title, it’s still excellent and some would even say that it’s the best first person shooter game on the Switch. Points were subtracted by critics for not including all of the content of the PC version, but for those looking for a solid, straight-up first-person shooter with some hilarity, and excellent gameplay mechanics, this is a nice option.
Bulletstorm: Duke Of Switch Edition
Depth of story is not the main focus of Bulletstorm, but rather straight-up violence and mayhem. The game was designed to be as over the top as possible, and it certainly delivers. It took a while for the game to get its own port in the form of the Duke of Switch edition.
This port of the game allows players to run through the entire story as the once-popular Duke Nukem, a character that hasn’t aged particularly well with gamers over the years. Nevertheless, it’s one of the stronger FPS titles on the platform and deserves a good solid playthrough.
Void Bastards
Fans of the classic FPS title XIII will find a lot to like about Void Bastards, as they both share the same comic-book-style aesthetic. In fact, this particular game plays up the comic book stylings to a much greater degree, even going so far as to incorporate worded sound effects from the pages.
The distinct visual style and story are a nice combination, even if the game is a little light on sound. It’s definitely a title that has flown under the radar of many gamers, but it’s also been very well received. On Switch, the game plays quite nicely, and there are few games quite like it.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein II is the eighth installment of the popular franchise that focuses on the iconic super-Nazi slayer William “BJ” Blazkowicz. This one centers around fighting Nazis in an alternate Man In The High Castle-style timeline. In New Colossus, the game continues its alternate history where the Third Reich wins the war and takes over America.
Hailed for its gripping narrative and classic run-and-gun take on the genre, The New Colossus is one of the greatest releases of the eighth generation, even if it’s slightly hindered by the Switch’s hardware limitations. It’s equal parts disturbing and entertaining.
Call Of Juarez: Gunslinger
Few western shooters are out there, but Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is one of the best. It isn’t meant to go toe-to-toe with a sprawling open-world adventure game like Red Dead Redemption 2, primarily due to its FPS mechanics. The game is more about action and high-flying set-pieces than anything else.
The game adds variation to the formula by including upgrades and skills that can customize how the game is played. It loosely borrows wilder elements from games like Borderlands in order to spruce up the over-the-top gameplay, which is fun, frantic, and fast-paced.
Doom Eternal
The most recent addition to the DOOM franchise, DOOM Eternal, was initially released in March 2020 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Just nine months later, it was ported to the Nintendo Switch. The story picks up months after the events of the first game, where Earth has been completely overrun by the demonic hordes.
DOOM Eternal is renowned for revamping the already fantastic combat with a dodge system, harpoon hook, and a few other surprises that allow gamers to customize their play style. It’s also fast, frantic, and heart-pounding, even more so than the original title.
Doom 3
DOOM 3 was initially released for PC in 2004, followed by Xbox the next year. In July of 2019, the game was ported to Switch to help celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary. It’s a reimagining of the classic id Software shooter, with a heavy emphasis on horror elements, as opposed to straight-up shooting.
The game has gone on to win a number of accolades and fan adoration, but some decry the different path the game took when it came to gameplay. Nevertheless, it’s easy to get the scares playing this one in the dark whilst under the covers with Switch in hand.
Borderlands: Legendary Collection
Borderlands is an odd franchise. Despite the fact that every game is a commercial success, they have a devout fanbase normally seen only by cult classics. With filming wrapped on a new Borderlands movie, now’s the time for Switch gamers to dive into the original games if they haven’t done so already.
The Legendary Collection includes Borderlands 1 & 2, as well as The Pre-Sequel. That’s more than enough content to keep gamers going for months on end, especially given the enormous amount of loot, side quests, and challenges that the game(s) offer.
Doom (1993)
Classic DOOM has hit pretty much every video game platform in existence, including handhelds. It’s still a staple of the retro gaming genre and continues to attract new players thanks to a strong modding community that has pumped out some fantastic mods and extremely devastating weapons that refresh DOOM for the modern age.
Doom helped evolve modern first-person shooter gameplay while ushering in a new era of sci-fi/action gaming, which remains popular to this day. Gamers who haven’t tried it before are missing out on the most influential forefather of the FPS gaming genre, which itself is a cardinal sin.
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a hard game to categorize. It’s a first-person shooter that also mixes elements of stealth and exploration, creating an odd hybrid. The game is less about shooting enemies to death and focuses far more on staying alive whilst a terrifying alien creature stalks the player at every turn.
Gamers play as the daughter of Alien protagonist Ellen Ripley who learns that the flight recorder from the Nostromo has been recovered, and is being held on the space station Sevastopol. In many ways, it’s the perfect Alien sequel, slotting in nicely between the first and second films in the sci-fi horror franchise.
Superhot
The indie title Superhot made a lot of waves upon its release. It plays like a standard first-person shooter, with one major exception – when the player isn’t moving, time slows down. This takes the concept of bullet time to another level and also gives gamers the chance to plan and strategize their next move.
Another noticeable feature in Superhot is the minimalist art design. There are no defined features; rather basic shapes and three distinctive colors. The purpose of this choice was to ensure that the environment wouldn’t distract from the ongoing action. It’s one of the oddest FPS titles available on Switch, but certainly also one of the coolest.
Bioshock: The Collection
In May of 2020, all three award-winning Bioshock games were remastered and released for the Switch, which was a tremendous boon both for fans of the franchise and also for new gamers who have never had the opportunity to invest themselves in this Steampunk-ish game world.
For fans of horror and suspense, the underwater dystopia of Rapture in Bioshock and Bioshock 2 was perfect to explore with the lights off. While it has been more than 15 years since the release of the first Bioshock game, the Bethesda title still holds up well up to this day. Together with the third game, Bioshock: Infinite, the groundwork is there for developers to produce Bioshock 4, which will hopefully change the formula a bit.
Warframe
Over the years, Warframe has been ported to various consoles and has gained a massive base of players. It’s an RPG-themed first-person shooter, which adds another layer of complexity on top of the standard “shoot anything that moves” formula. It also boasts some nice visuals that have held up rather well over the years.
While some free-to-play games are riddled with controversy and seen as cash cows due to in-game microtransactions, the live service title Warframe handles it better than most. Gamers can pay for upgrades if they so choose, but it’s not necessary to enjoy the game.
Metro: 2033 & Metro: Last Light Redux
The Metro series follows protagonist Artyom as he navigates the underground metro system of a destroyed Moscow. The post-apocalyptic city is filled with dangers such as radiation, ravenous mutants, and packs of surviving humans involved in warring factions, each vying for a piece of the pie.
The game has been hailed by critics as being a phenomenal FPS title with excellent controls, a frightening story, and a truly immersive gameplay experience that draws the player into the main story, keeping them hooked to the very last bullet casing.
Overwatch
The mega-popular Overwatch got its own Switch port in the form of a Legendary Edition, which includes the iconic base game and a ton of epic hero skins to get players started. Praise was heaped on its team-based co-op, to say nothing of the excellent atmosphere, graphics, and solid gameplay.
Overwatch on the Switch is better than expected, and there’s a lot to unlock, see and do. It’s also nice to take this particular FPS title on the go, especially when it comes to staying close to online friends who like to play regularly.
