I'm surprised Smash Ultimate didn't at least get an honorable mention. It runs super well despite how crazy fights can get, it handles a ton of different visual styles with a consistent level of polish, it's clean, native res, and is chock full of excellent animation.
True! Swap metroid dread with smash and the list is pretty good. And I love metroid dread, but tbh I always felt like it was quite underwhelming from a graphics perspective. It always looked to me like an upscaled 3DS game and not like a game made and optimized around the hardware of the switch. Smash Bros Ultimate? Its a technical marvel on the switch
Fast RMX also has some of the best HD Rumble on Switch. The moment you pass on sand during one of the stages, you can actually feel like you’re on a car passing through a sand area.
The Touryst being in there is screamingly wrong. I'm sure it's a nice game but ??? the hell? This video says it's specifically the best graphics. Blocky pixel retro is not unique, nor is it that amazing VS a deep-art-involved game. Just letting that little Nintendo bias leak out & put a game they like on as opposed to one that deserves to be there. Can't trust DF when it comes to Nintendo to give good opinions and information. Plenty of times a port that looked and ran like shit was somehow fine because "SO AMAZING IT RUNS THIS WELL!" vs the regular person thinking "Oh wow they turned down some UE 4 settings to make it look like shit and still run worse, GJ".
@@chillnagasden6190except in the video the literally said that it was not only the technical aspects but the visual presentation, and that could be understood as the artistic direction as well
@@chillnagasden6190They're not biased in favor of Nintendo, they're biased in the fact that it's a portable system primarily, they praised graphics in games like Killzone Mercenary as well, and I'm sure they'll praise the new playstation portable if it releases.
Similarly I think Mario kart 8 is another of the best looking games on switch even being a wiiu title. I'm still sometimes stunned by how good certain courses look
Splatoon 2 and/or 3 should have made the list, really. The graphics look great and feature some really cool aesthetic unique to different modes or DLC like Octo Expansion with its 80s throwback. There are also other technical parts you could look into like the “hair physics” (well, more like “tentacle physics”) and how the ink look and interact with the environments. Astral Chain also deserves a spot here. It’s more than just the “Ahneemay looking game” and deserved more recognition for its fantastic visual and art direction. As it’s not an open world game but more like a sandbox, they’re able to put in some really fine details and NPCs to populate the world, with many interesting locations like a neon-filled metropolis or the sunbathed slum that is a reminiscent of the Kowloon Walled City. The game, though locked at 30fps, also runs great, given the amount of particle effects, enemies and the busy environments going on all at once, on top of the fact that you’re controlling up to two characters simultaneously, dishing out ridiculous combos. Seriously, this game deserves more recognition!
Both good mentions, I do disagree. I played and loved Astral Chain, but it doesn’t nearly run good enough to make this list imo. Stunning graphical design, absolutely. But the game dips to mid to low 20’s when there is a lot going on on screen, (wich is almost always the case) also unlike most games on this list, the game runs at 900p docked wich again definitely isn’t optimal. It makes me wonder if they could’ve have done even more, if they would’ve dialed it back a bit on the effects. Sometimes less is more. (Like the ‘Touryst’ proves) Splatoon I’d agree completely if it wasn’t for the resolution dropping immensely every 2-3 seconds. The game needs to maintain a smooth 60fps to ensure it hits it’s performance target 100% of the time. So the Resolution very often drops to 864p. It isn’t that noticeable thanks to the artstyle and massive amounts of Ink effects on screen but, in the game, try looking up to the sky then look down again. Once you see it you can not unsee it anymore. I’m not saying these games are not stunning looking, I’m just saying, try out, Touryst, Fast RMX or Metroid Prime Remastered and you’ll see what I mean.
Nope Idk why people pretend like photoreal games don't also have strong art direction lol You can make a photoreal game that is highly stylized and it looks better than any cartoonish looking game anyday. Just look at Metroid Prime. Easily the best looking game in this video
@@HugoStiglitz88Prime Remastered does not aim for photorealism. The art style is too far from realism for that. I do agree that photorealism doesn't exclude good art direction. Alan Wake 2 looks very realistic while having a very strong art direction
@@HugoStiglitz88 Metroid Prime is not photorealistic lmao And OP’s right… The closer you get to portraying reality, the less room you have for artistic expression. “Photorealistic” games that looked cutting-edge in the late 2000s look muddy and generic now. The games that DID age well are the ones that had some visual purpose + identity besides “make it look as detailed and real as possible”. For example, CoD 4 was unanimously seen as more visually impressive than Halo 3 on launch. Now, it looks like shit and needed a remake, while Halo 3’s original art direction and lighting are praised for aging gracefully.
While we all want a polished high, technical 3D open world Pokémon (with competitive ranked ladder), and this would 100% sell by the truck load, they can put aside a small budget and realise what they did and it still sells hugely.
Man that Metroid Dread segment just makes me wanna play it again right now. What a smooth game to look at and play. Samus’ movement really sells the whole thing
I personally would have put Metroid Prime Remastered at the top of the list. When you combine its stunning visuals together with it running at 60fps, I think it out performs Luigi's Mansion 3 overall. A truly incredible feat on the console.
Flawless? ^^ Low resolution, muddy textures and no anti-aliasing, lower animation frames on objects in the distance. But it's a fun game. Definitly the right direction for Kirby.
I feel like Nintendo is the last bastion of having that the last vestiges of that childhood magic of video gaming. Sony and Microsoft have been massive corporate sleazes with their consoles and I feel like while Nintendo isn’t perfect they still make games focused on fun and ingenuity. They operate in their own little bubble which I think benefits them.
@@Hexaroot785 It’s gonna take more than a single IP or game imo. Everything is micro transactions, releasing incomplete games and charging to buy the rest of it, pretty interactive movies with non existent and non stimulating gameplay. As a whole there’s a real lack of creativity and fun energy imo. So much of what Sony and Microsoft have put out feels a little cookie cutter or same-y. One thing I give Nintendo a lot of credit for is that ever since I was a kid and even now it feels like they’re always actively thinking about what kind of new thing they can come up with, what new twist to spin, how to keep things fresh and tread new ground. And any time I buy a Nintendo IP I always feel like I’m buying/playing a complete game.
Shadow of the Colossus' PS4 recreation made me do a double-take because I thought the intro was suddenly live action. I still feel dumb about that, but it's very good.
I'm a little surprised at no mention of Pikmin 4, to me it's a contender for the best looking game on switch and utilizes unreal engine very well edit: made the comment before finishing the last 3 mins of the video oops
@@SparksOpusA passing mention isn’t enough. Pikmin 4 deserved an actual spot on this video. It probably has the best graphical fidelity of any Nintendo game outside of Metroid Prime Remastered & Prime 4
@@BogusLettuce When I gave it a proper chance, I actually really liked it. It wasn't meant to be a top-tier title but it's fun and unique for what it is once you get used to the controls and such. Certainly not worth more than 30 bucks or so though.
John, you need to go back and look over Pikmin 4’s Serene Shores. Seeing that level at sunset is magical. Especially the specular effects of the wet sand when the water recedes. Pikmin 4 made me stop and stare almost as much Luigi’s Mansion 3. Great video! 🙏
I'd say Metroid Prime Remaster is the best looking game, as it hits those visuals while running at 60 fps. Luigi's Mansion 3 looks great, but it only does that by running at 30.
@@corey2232doesn’t make any sense. Saying Prime is the best looking 60 FPS game would make sense, but if Luigi’s mansion looks the best it looks the best.
I would argue that Nintendo LABO is the most visually impressive Nintendo Switch game. That cardboard ALMOST had me convinced it was real! Luckily I am not an idiot so I know games are not real. CAN'T FOOL ME NINTENDO!
I could see being right in the cusp because it’s not really a “full” game. I do personally love it and think it looks great (and runs pretty well outside of the Big Bowser moments where the fps can tank).
@@jayg339 I actually didn't know that! I haven't yet played the Bowsers Fury extra content portion of the game, so I had no idea the frame-rate is affected by whether you play in portable mode or not. Usually the aspect of a game that's affected whether you're playing in docked or portable mode has to do with resolution, not the frame-rate.
Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee also look pretty nice. I think the switch has one of the best game libraries ever, especially with the remasters/remakes of fan favourite games.
It’s cool in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed, the final plot twist area you have a short visit in doesn’t use a skybox for those distant buildings, but actual models for many structures.
Kind of a bummer that Fire Emblem Engage isn’t on the video, visually for a late switch game it’s really nice and has a stable 30 fps, definitely one of the better looking game on the console.
Engage's scenery only looks good for like the first map, after that it takes a huge dip and looks more akin to a mobile game. The maps are also very light on graphical density, nothing really stands out from a graphical standpoint which is also why it holds stable 30 so easily, not much objects there to begin with.
How do you miss talking about king Gooigi?! The soft body physics, subsurface scattering, reflections and light refraction...I spent so much time just messing with him. He's a certifiable superstar and belongs in every future Mario Kart, Mario Party, sports games, and Smash itself
I didn't know Shin’en was founded by some sceners, that's so cool! Also Abyss is definitely a name you still know today in the demoscene. Didn't expect you to just casually mention the demoscene in this video :D
"key EXCLUSIVE titles ..." I really hope you also do a video rounding up some of the amazing port work that was done. That's also an interesting topic.
This "elevating factor" of working with Nintendo you're talking is very interesting. It may partially be pressure coming from the Nintendo side of the relationship - but I think part of it is also just the Devs themselves being in a state of "OMG WE ARE MAKING A NINTENDO GAME" and just giving it that little bit extra to live up to their own childhood expectations :D
Aren't we all when it comes to Nintendo games? I don't know how they keep such a clean record of "Nice Water" in all their games, no matter the stylistic choice. It just immediately connects the moment you see it "yup, this is water".
This proves necessity is the mother of invention. But I think we should not separate “most fun” from “best looking”. Honestly, in the making of a great dish, the presentation cannot be ignored to convey the palatability.
Pikmin 4 deserves to be on the list, as well as Astral Chain and Animal Crossing. The interior lighting and materials look great in AC. For a third party pick, Monster Hunter Rise comes to mind.
I wish they would've just capped the framerate Link's Awakening to 30, it's not worth flipping back and forth between 60 and 30 constantly. Maybe the Switch 2 will actually be able to hold 60 with higher memory clocks.
@@cube2fox They could have also fixed that stupid lack of d-pad controls... They really put it out and just ignored any complaints pretty much. Okay they did try to improve the performance but it didn't fix it..
I completely forgot about the Ori games... and that just reminds me of Cuphead as well. Extremely well put together both in Artistic style and gameplay.
No way you didn't mention Mario Kart and Smash Bros! Those games look beautiful, from the character models, to the environments/stages, the animations, the effects... I'm quite baffled they didn't even get an "honourable mention" or something.
No lol It's not even great looking for a side scroller. Metroid Dread blows it out of the water graphically Plus, what does the amount of players have to do with the quality of the graphics? Same with the framerate lol
What these developers have pulled off on the Switch is nothing short of remarkable. I cannot wait to see what they have in store for more powerful hardware.
Good to see XC3 mentioned, however I though XC2 is equally as good particularly docked mode. I even find XC2 slightly more ambitious in ways though it seems to have some more frequent resolution dips, which is why I understand XC3 taking the edge.
Astral Chain is a great looking game, but that’s a PlatinumGames joint, who is not a first party Nintendo studio. Hopefully DF makes a similar video to this but with third party games.
@@ArtVandelay592 Shin'en is an independant studio and isn't owned by Nintendo either and yet they've put two of their games in this list, the second one not even being a Switch exclusive lol
I would love a series on how much you can get out of old hardware. First time i really was impressed was BF3 on the Ps3 utilizing the 6 core vector unit / cell, just crazy what DICE did there.
At 46:40 John mentions mid 00s PC games that had (or were driven) by physics interaction and further along Oliver cites Far Cry 2. But what other PC games from that era had this type of direction or experimentation?
An honerable mention for Kirby and the Forgotten Land which seems to have been named particularly aptly. It's often overlooked but is visually great and a very underrated game as a whole. It's not very often a first party game from Nintendo can go in the "hidden gem" category but I think that game does belong there.
Alien Isolation is the best by far, at least from what I've played. Outlast 2 is also great, probably second best. The two Metro games also look fantastic, the second game in particular. Hellblade, Observer, Wolfenstein, and Doom (both, though the first one looks better on Switch IMO), all look incredible too, but there's some obvious cutbacks to resolution. And of course there's the Crysis trilogy.
I feel like Astral Chain should've been mentioned here, specially withthe parallax effect being used for faking interiors, just like the SpiderMan games do
The fact the matrix awakens demo can run on Switch means we could get PS5 visuals although at a much lower internal resolution but for handheld this will be amazing.
Switch 2 won't be much more powerful than current Switch. Like literally unnoticeable, like Gamecube to Wii. And no, there won't be any DLSS upscaling tech or anything like that and there's no way in hell it's running that Matrix demo.
@@N.i.E.M.O haha come off it. The CPU alone will be a huge jump. Memory bandwidth is gonna be 4x, CPU is gonna be 3x and this has more cores and higher frequency. GPU is going to be 4x in portable alone.
Luigi's Mansion 3 isn't just a good looking game, it animates beautifully too. Next Level Games really know the hardware inside and out.
They even did a beautiful job on the 3ds. It's not even about the hardware, they just have gifted animators.
And it has awesome couch coop
@@lpnp9477 Yeah LM2 was one of the best looking games on 3DS. The animation looks even smoother in the HD version.
Living up to their name.
Ok yeah... so can we invert the Y-axis yet?
Please do a worst of graphics, there are some truly atrocious games too.
they did do a video on the lowest resolution switch games
I can see Pokemon SV topping the list already
Too many contenders
I think that's an impossible task - you'd have to set some parameters
This will be gold.
I'm surprised Smash Ultimate didn't at least get an honorable mention. It runs super well despite how crazy fights can get, it handles a ton of different visual styles with a consistent level of polish, it's clean, native res, and is chock full of excellent animation.
Too right, probably would've been the only one on the list that hits 1080p60 locked
@@SpeedfreakUK What about Super Mario Bros. Wonder?
@@TicTacToeCraftThat has a dynamic resolution
True! Swap metroid dread with smash and the list is pretty good. And I love metroid dread, but tbh I always felt like it was quite underwhelming from a graphics perspective. It always looked to me like an upscaled 3DS game and not like a game made and optimized around the hardware of the switch. Smash Bros Ultimate? Its a technical marvel on the switch
Fast RMX also has some of the best HD Rumble on Switch. The moment you pass on sand during one of the stages, you can actually feel like you’re on a car passing through a sand area.
I forget, did Fast RMX have multiplayer?
@@2yoyoyo1Unplugged Yes! Online too.
John: "Do you agree with our list? Are we insane?"
Two things can be true at once.
The Touryst being in there is screamingly wrong. I'm sure it's a nice game but ??? the hell?
This video says it's specifically the best graphics. Blocky pixel retro is not unique, nor is it that amazing VS a deep-art-involved game.
Just letting that little Nintendo bias leak out & put a game they like on as opposed to one that deserves to be there.
Can't trust DF when it comes to Nintendo to give good opinions and information. Plenty of times a port that looked and ran like shit was somehow fine because "SO AMAZING IT RUNS THIS WELL!" vs the regular person thinking "Oh wow they turned down some UE 4 settings to make it look like shit and still run worse, GJ".
@@chillnagasden6190except in the video the literally said that it was not only the technical aspects but the visual presentation, and that could be understood as the artistic direction as well
@@chillnagasden6190I guess you have to play it, but the Touryst looks lovely
@@chillnagasden6190They're not biased in favor of Nintendo, they're biased in the fact that it's a portable system primarily, they praised graphics in games like Killzone Mercenary as well, and I'm sure they'll praise the new playstation portable if it releases.
A bit surprised Kirby and the Forgotten Land wasn't mentioned. It made both John's and Oliver's year end lists. And it's beautiful.
It has a great style and is a lot of fun, but it's not impressive on a technical side. At least compared to the games in this video .:-)
I'll ad to the list Astral chain, Pikmin 4 and Cereza the lost demon. Those are awesome
Great taste
@@37654agreed. Good taste.
Cereza and the lost demon has a very cool aesthetic.
Bayonetta 3 looks awesome too. Except some frame dips during boss fights.
Based
Where's Astral Chain?
Peak comment detected
It really should have gotten a mention!
I agre
No one bought it
Agree
Fast RMX being on here when it was originally a Wii U game is impressive. It was still great looking back then.
Similarly I think Mario kart 8 is another of the best looking games on switch even being a wiiu title. I'm still sometimes stunned by how good certain courses look
@@nullgator8073 Agreed but the booster course pass dlc kinda ruined it with some pretty awful looking tracks that were just ported over from mobile.
Just shows how low the bar is!!! lol
@@sendblink23 RMX is literally Neo Deluxe, it's the same game with a few new tracks and some enhancements.
@@TTOOSnot as morally low as GT 7 at least 🙂
Splatoon 2 and/or 3 should have made the list, really. The graphics look great and feature some really cool aesthetic unique to different modes or DLC like Octo Expansion with its 80s throwback.
There are also other technical parts you could look into like the “hair physics” (well, more like “tentacle physics”) and how the ink look and interact with the environments.
Astral Chain also deserves a spot here. It’s more than just the “Ahneemay looking game” and deserved more recognition for its fantastic visual and art direction.
As it’s not an open world game but more like a sandbox, they’re able to put in some really fine details and NPCs to populate the world, with many interesting locations like a neon-filled metropolis or the sunbathed slum that is a reminiscent of the Kowloon Walled City.
The game, though locked at 30fps, also runs great, given the amount of particle effects, enemies and the busy environments going on all at once, on top of the fact that you’re controlling up to two characters simultaneously, dishing out ridiculous combos.
Seriously, this game deserves more recognition!
Both good mentions, I do disagree.
I played and loved Astral Chain, but it doesn’t nearly run good enough to make this list imo. Stunning graphical design, absolutely. But the game dips to mid to low 20’s when there is a lot going on on screen, (wich is almost always the case) also unlike most games on this list, the game runs at 900p docked wich again definitely isn’t optimal. It makes me wonder if they could’ve have done even more, if they would’ve dialed it back a bit on the effects. Sometimes less is more. (Like the ‘Touryst’ proves)
Splatoon I’d agree completely if it wasn’t for the resolution dropping immensely every 2-3 seconds. The game needs to maintain a smooth 60fps to ensure it hits it’s performance target 100% of the time. So the Resolution very often drops to 864p. It isn’t that noticeable thanks to the artstyle and massive amounts of Ink effects on screen but, in the game, try looking up to the sky then look down again. Once you see it you can not unsee it anymore.
I’m not saying these games are not stunning looking, I’m just saying, try out, Touryst, Fast RMX or Metroid Prime Remastered and you’ll see what I mean.
Strong Art Direction > Graphical Realism
Nope
Idk why people pretend like photoreal games don't also have strong art direction lol
You can make a photoreal game that is highly stylized and it looks better than any cartoonish looking game anyday. Just look at Metroid Prime. Easily the best looking game in this video
@@HugoStiglitz88Prime Remastered does not aim for photorealism. The art style is too far from realism for that.
I do agree that photorealism doesn't exclude good art direction. Alan Wake 2 looks very realistic while having a very strong art direction
@@HugoStiglitz88 Metroid Prime is not photorealistic lmao
And OP’s right… The closer you get to portraying reality, the less room you have for artistic expression. “Photorealistic” games that looked cutting-edge in the late 2000s look muddy and generic now.
The games that DID age well are the ones that had some visual purpose + identity besides “make it look as detailed and real as possible”.
For example, CoD 4 was unanimously seen as more visually impressive than Halo 3 on launch. Now, it looks like shit and needed a remake, while Halo 3’s original art direction and lighting are praised for aging gracefully.
@@HugoStiglitz88 yeah you can have great or bad art direction with photorealism and vice versa. It's not "vs".
Disagree with John about the SNES Mario RPG. I think it still holds up really well visually.
GameFreak should be ashamed of themselves releasing Arceus Legends in the state it was in when Xenoblade 3 exists on the same console
While we all want a polished high, technical 3D open world Pokémon (with competitive ranked ladder), and this would 100% sell by the truck load, they can put aside a small budget and realise what they did and it still sells hugely.
Forget Arceus, Scarlet and Violet makes that game look great in comparison…
Why bash a game that's actually good when Scarlet and Violet are right there
Switch will go down as one of my favorite systems ever. I played and enjoyed it much more than its competitors regardless of the power difference.
Nintendo should just put in an offer for Shin'en, put them to work on a new F Zero
Yeah!!
I’d rather have Sega back but they’re good choice too if Sega can’t do it.
Shinen has said before that they don't want to do it. Besides, as small as they are, they would struggle to match the content of GX
My first thought too
Except Fast RMX isn't close to as polished or fun as an F-Zero game.
Man that Metroid Dread segment just makes me wanna play it again right now. What a smooth game to look at and play. Samus’ movement really sells the whole thing
Metroid Prime Remastered and Metroid Dread are amazing on Switch.
I found this bespoke list to be quite compelling, I would say.
This is the list we want in the here and now
Nah this list was compromised with a few caveats
@@CYB3R2K I find that's a rather cromulent quote unquote take. I'll be curious to see how the rest of the list unfolds...
@@ErickRibeiro I'm _curious_ as to how they'll address the list in Part 2.
Right then. On to the next comment.
Fast RMX is super fun to play, runs like a dream and looks very good on the Switch OLED, I strongly recommend it too!
Now, these are the videos we want.
what the hell video's mean?
@@ilVice maybe english isn't his first language, calm down
@@Mene0 maybe you should both read what you wrote before talking about language. LMAO.
@@Shaki123 dude I was defending you, lol
@@Mene0 yes, but you missed some interpunction.
I personally would have put Metroid Prime Remastered at the top of the list. When you combine its stunning visuals together with it running at 60fps, I think it out performs Luigi's Mansion 3 overall. A truly incredible feat on the console.
Feels like a missed opportunity to not mention Kirby and the Forgotten Land. It's pretty much flawless visually.
Flawless? ^^ Low resolution, muddy textures and no anti-aliasing, lower animation frames on objects in the distance.
But it's a fun game. Definitly the right direction for Kirby.
@@nietzscheente1271 Low resolution? It's 900p docked and 720p portable.
@@oscarzxn4067 It's a switch game. On other platforms 900p are a low resolution. ;-) But yes, for handheld it's enough.
I feel like Nintendo is the last bastion of having that the last vestiges of that childhood magic of video gaming. Sony and Microsoft have been massive corporate sleazes with their consoles and I feel like while Nintendo isn’t perfect they still make games focused on fun and ingenuity. They operate in their own little bubble which I think benefits them.
sony seems to be coming back with astrobot
Absolutely,the only true gaming company still going
@@Hexaroot785astrobot does seem to have the magic
@@Hexaroot785 It’s gonna take more than a single IP or game imo. Everything is micro transactions, releasing incomplete games and charging to buy the rest of it, pretty interactive movies with non existent and non stimulating gameplay. As a whole there’s a real lack of creativity and fun energy imo. So much of what Sony and Microsoft have put out feels a little cookie cutter or same-y. One thing I give Nintendo a lot of credit for is that ever since I was a kid and even now it feels like they’re always actively thinking about what kind of new thing they can come up with, what new twist to spin, how to keep things fresh and tread new ground. And any time I buy a Nintendo IP I always feel like I’m buying/playing a complete game.
@@Hexaroot785astrobot and ratchet is all they got and its not enough, lamest console generation ever
Insane to think the siwtch is 8 years old but has a chipset that was already older. Insane that any new game can run on this system at all...
Especially since the switch is only 7 years old.
Any new game can’t. They have to stream stuff like RE
Shadow of the Colossus' PS4 recreation made me do a double-take because I thought the intro was suddenly live action. I still feel dumb about that, but it's very good.
I'm a little surprised at no mention of Pikmin 4, to me it's a contender for the best looking game on switch and utilizes unreal engine very well edit: made the comment before finishing the last 3 mins of the video oops
It is mentioned though?
@@SparksOpusA passing mention isn’t enough. Pikmin 4 deserved an actual spot on this video. It probably has the best graphical fidelity of any Nintendo game outside of Metroid Prime Remastered & Prime 4
True
Absolutely, among the best ever. Serious omission do not mention it
@@istealpopularnamesforlikes3340why does everyone keep mentioning Prime 4? The game is not out, a lot can change.
Switch is incredible, been one of the best consoles I have ever bought
Metroid Prime Remaster blew me away. It is sooo beautiful!
I think Arms deserves to be mentioned, 1080p and a solid 60fps
I came here to type that. Great, great game and great looking too.
horrible game
@@BogusLettuce Great fighting game indeed, horrible support from Nintendo.
It's a shame there is no ARMS 2 till today. Loved the game at release.
But we got 1, 2 Switch 2 instead... yeeeh...
@@BogusLettuce When I gave it a proper chance, I actually really liked it. It wasn't meant to be a top-tier title but it's fun and unique for what it is once you get used to the controls and such. Certainly not worth more than 30 bucks or so though.
Awesome video! Would be awesome to see these type of videos for every console going all the way back. Could be a cool mini series for DF.
Now we need a Third Parties Selection vid!
John, you need to go back and look over Pikmin 4’s Serene Shores. Seeing that level at sunset is magical. Especially the specular effects of the wet sand when the water recedes.
Pikmin 4 made me stop and stare almost as much Luigi’s Mansion 3.
Great video! 🙏
Luigi's Mansion 3 is not only THE best looking game on the Switch, it's also one of the best games on the Switch full stop.
I'd say Metroid Prime Remaster is the best looking game, as it hits those visuals while running at 60 fps.
Luigi's Mansion 3 looks great, but it only does that by running at 30.
@@corey2232doesn’t make any sense. Saying Prime is the best looking 60 FPS game would make sense, but if Luigi’s mansion looks the best it looks the best.
No lol not even close to as good looking as Metroid Prime let alone Crysis 3 or Alien Isolation.
@p0wn3dd4n00b that is true but Luigis mansion 3 is not better looking than Metroid Prime.
I'm playing Luigi's Mansion 3 and it's fun, but i still prefer the first.
I would argue that Nintendo LABO is the most visually impressive Nintendo Switch game. That cardboard ALMOST had me convinced it was real!
Luckily I am not an idiot so I know games are not real. CAN'T FOOL ME NINTENDO!
I really wanna see what the developers of Xenoblade can really do with a good system or the latest game engines.
Surprised "Bowsers Fury" didn't make the cut
I could see being right in the cusp because it’s not really a “full” game. I do personally love it and think it looks great (and runs pretty well outside of the Big Bowser moments where the fps can tank).
Doesn't it have like its framerate cut in half in the open world segment?
@@IronicSonic83 only on portable mode. Docked mode is 60 fps
@@jayg339
I actually didn't know that! I haven't yet played the Bowsers Fury extra content portion of the game, so I had no idea the frame-rate is affected by whether you play in portable mode or not.
Usually the aspect of a game that's affected whether you're playing in docked or portable mode has to do with resolution, not the frame-rate.
@@sofaking1180 Yeah it’s a unique instance where the frame rate is different depending on the mode you play in.
Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee also look pretty nice. I think the switch has one of the best game libraries ever, especially with the remasters/remakes of fan favourite games.
I'd have to agree. Maybe Nintendo's best?
Glad the touryst was mentioned, such a fun little game!
It’s cool in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed, the final plot twist area you have a short visit in doesn’t use a skybox for those distant buildings, but actual models for many structures.
(SPOILERS)
Some have even mapped out the roads of this city to be close to an old city presented in Xenosaga.
Astral Chain, Fire Emblem Engage, and Pikmin 4 are games that would also slot in nicely on this list. Strange omissions for sure.
Kind of a bummer that Fire Emblem Engage isn’t on the video, visually for a late switch game it’s really nice and has a stable 30 fps, definitely one of the better looking game on the console.
Its artstyle is so bad that it's automatically disqualified from this sort of competition.
Art design of this game is everything but pretty. And 30 frames is not mention worthy nowadays. ^^
Engage's scenery only looks good for like the first map, after that it takes a huge dip and looks more akin to a mobile game. The maps are also very light on graphical density, nothing really stands out from a graphical standpoint which is also why it holds stable 30 so easily, not much objects there to begin with.
Crisis Core Reunion also was a nicely done remaster as a runner up to this list
Xenoblade 3 looks good, but its DLC episode, Future Redeemed, is far more gorgeous. Some very impressive use of color and camera focus.
Origami King over Thousand Year Door? Gonna have to disagree. The lighting alone is an improvement.
How do you miss talking about king Gooigi?! The soft body physics, subsurface scattering, reflections and light refraction...I spent so much time just messing with him. He's a certifiable superstar and belongs in every future Mario Kart, Mario Party, sports games, and Smash itself
Splatoon 3 was left behind... I think it has better graphics and tech than some of the games on the list.
It definitely has a great art style direction
Does it still not have anti aliasing? I thought platoon 2 looked pretty bad because of that.
I didn't know Shin’en was founded by some sceners, that's so cool! Also Abyss is definitely a name you still know today in the demoscene. Didn't expect you to just casually mention the demoscene in this video :D
This is excellent. I'm always trying to find exclusive switch games to play and get the best out of the system.
This was an awesome video. Would love to see this type of video for more consoles, both current and past.
"key EXCLUSIVE titles ..." I really hope you also do a video rounding up some of the amazing port work that was done. That's also an interesting topic.
This "elevating factor" of working with Nintendo you're talking is very interesting. It may partially be pressure coming from the Nintendo side of the relationship - but I think part of it is also just the Devs themselves being in a state of "OMG WE ARE MAKING A NINTENDO GAME" and just giving it that little bit extra to live up to their own childhood expectations :D
I think John is secretly the real "Nice Water" guy
Aren't we all when it comes to Nintendo games? I don't know how they keep such a clean record of "Nice Water" in all their games, no matter the stylistic choice. It just immediately connects the moment you see it "yup, this is water".
This proves necessity is the mother of invention.
But I think we should not separate “most fun” from “best looking”.
Honestly, in the making of a great dish, the presentation cannot be ignored to convey the palatability.
Where are Pikmin 4 and Astral Chain? Those games are gorgeous! Also Dragon Quest XI on Switch looks unbelievably beautiful.
Yeah Dragon Quest 11 looks arguably better than Xenoblade, but it's not a Switch exclusive, so doesn't count for this list.
They said 1st party not third party
@@JuntaRevan why is the touryst on the list then?
Oh let me guess, you didn't actually watch the video but onstead only saw the chapters amd took a wild guess otherwise you'd hear the reason@@rrhev
Pikmin 4 deserves to be on the list, as well as Astral Chain and Animal Crossing. The interior lighting and materials look great in AC. For a third party pick, Monster Hunter Rise comes to mind.
Underwater Fog Effect: Thick and deep
Hmm, quite
Hella deep
One of the Super Mario RPG prerendered cutscenes is really blocky with bad compression.
I wish they would've just capped the framerate Link's Awakening to 30, it's not worth flipping back and forth between 60 and 30 constantly. Maybe the Switch 2 will actually be able to hold 60 with higher memory clocks.
And higher cpu clocks, higher gpu clocks, more ram, more vram, etc etc etc etc
Pretty sure they could have fixed it with better coding.
@@cube2fox They could have also fixed that stupid lack of d-pad controls... They really put it out and just ignored any complaints pretty much. Okay they did try to improve the performance but it didn't fix it..
Splatoon 3 should absolutely be on this list! It looks amazing and runs perfectly!
keep making videos like this. i'll keep watching them ❤
Great roundup, guys
I'm surprised Pikmin 4 didn't make this list or the final 3 that were considered but yall nailed just about every title for sure...
Luigi’s mansion is so smooth, I didn’t even realize it was 30fps
Great list. Some other titles which are visually stunning as well are the Ori games, Sparks of Hope and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age.
I completely forgot about the Ori games... and that just reminds me of Cuphead as well. Extremely well put together both in Artistic style and gameplay.
No way you didn't mention Mario Kart and Smash Bros! Those games look beautiful, from the character models, to the environments/stages, the animations, the effects... I'm quite baffled they didn't even get an "honourable mention" or something.
I feel like Smash Ultimate deserved to be on this list. 8 Player battles with 1080p and perfect 60fps
Definitely, the art direction is great.
Easily
No lol
It's not even great looking for a side scroller. Metroid Dread blows it out of the water graphically
Plus, what does the amount of players have to do with the quality of the graphics? Same with the framerate lol
I got a soft spot for developers that really put the effort in the character’s idle and afk animations. Adds so much extra personality to a game
Nah Prime Remastered is clearly the best looking game on Switch
What these developers have pulled off on the Switch is nothing short of remarkable. I cannot wait to see what they have in store for more powerful hardware.
How Pikmin 4 its not on the list?
1:07:56 it's here
@@Solegor i'm talking about a dedicated spot on this list.
@@palleon doesn't get the cut, sorry
Great video guys 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Astral Chain not being on this list is criminal.
Unironically surprised. The visual artstyle and lighting look absolutely fantastic in this one.
L list in that case
Not a first party game, but imo still the best looking Switch Game to date. Needs to be in the „third party“ Collection
@@ThomasVvV what??? It’s literally a Nintendo owned IP
@@ThomasVvVit is. Meanwhile the Touryst isn’t first party
Good to see XC3 mentioned, however I though XC2 is equally as good particularly docked mode.
I even find XC2 slightly more ambitious in ways though it seems to have some more frequent resolution dips, which is why I understand XC3 taking the edge.
Xenoblade 2 looks much worse, no thanks.
There is a switch lite oled screen upgrade coming soon. Taki udon showed the engineering preview on his channel. Going to jailbreak and install one.
astral chain not being here is wild. especially considering you have 2 Indies here so it's not even like it being made by platinum matters
How do you forget Astral Chain?
I remember Astral Chain having one of the smoothest running animations i've ever seen
Astral Chain is a great looking game, but that’s a PlatinumGames joint, who is not a first party Nintendo studio. Hopefully DF makes a similar video to this but with third party games.
PlatinumGames have the best animations
@@ArtVandelay592 Shin'en is an independant studio and isn't owned by Nintendo either and yet they've put two of their games in this list, the second one not even being a Switch exclusive lol
@@ArtVandelay592 Ubisoft is not a first party Nintendo studio but Mario Rabbids was still mentioned in the video.
I would love a series on how much you can get out of old hardware. First time i really was impressed was BF3 on the Ps3 utilizing the 6 core vector unit / cell, just crazy what DICE did there.
I thought Df retro was skipped this Sunday until I realized the switch is nearing retirement age…
*past
The switch is past its retirement age
So is the PS4 yet half of Playstation players are still on it.
Why I agree the Shin'en titles look great, they are not "First Party Exclusives", so I am not sure why they are included here
what do you mean by Xenoblade 2 dosnt have good "proportions"
At 46:40 John mentions mid 00s PC games that had (or were driven) by physics interaction and further along Oliver cites Far Cry 2. But what other PC games from that era had this type of direction or experimentation?
Next, third party games?
An honerable mention for Kirby and the Forgotten Land which seems to have been named particularly aptly. It's often overlooked but is visually great and a very underrated game as a whole. It's not very often a first party game from Nintendo can go in the "hidden gem" category but I think that game does belong there.
No Astral Chain
Nintendo Labo had the best looking cardboard I've ever seen in my life. Can't believe it didn't make the cut.
Looking forward to the 3rd party list!
Number 1 gotta be Alien Isolation
Alien Isolation is the best by far, at least from what I've played. Outlast 2 is also great, probably second best. The two Metro games also look fantastic, the second game in particular.
Hellblade, Observer, Wolfenstein, and Doom (both, though the first one looks better on Switch IMO), all look incredible too, but there's some obvious cutbacks to resolution.
And of course there's the Crysis trilogy.
A great list! For me Mariokart 8 Deluxe and Luigi's Mansion 3 are my top 2 on Switch.
I would give n°1 to Metroid prime, because it manages to look that good at 60 fps
Definitely, it is a great feat in terms of artstyle and graphics
Love the Nintendo Direct-style undulating fettuccine panels
Astral Chain would like a word!
Did u read yhe title bro
I love these kids of videos! Thank you! It was a great watch
I feel like Astral Chain should've been mentioned here, specially withthe parallax effect being used for faking interiors, just like the SpiderMan games do
I can't wait to have my hands on the next console where all the games will look better or as good as Luigi's Mansion 3.
I can’t wait to see what these and other studios can do with the Switch 2 hardware!
The fact the matrix awakens demo can run on Switch means we could get PS5 visuals although at a much lower internal resolution but for handheld this will be amazing.
Switch 2 won't be much more powerful than current Switch. Like literally unnoticeable, like Gamecube to Wii. And no, there won't be any DLSS upscaling tech or anything like that and there's no way in hell it's running that Matrix demo.
@@N.i.E.M.O if that’s what you think,then you’re in for a BIG surprise once Nintendo shows off the Switch successor.
@@N.i.E.M.O haha come off it. The CPU alone will be a huge jump. Memory bandwidth is gonna be 4x, CPU is gonna be 3x and this has more cores and higher frequency. GPU is going to be 4x in portable alone.
@@marlong1325
😏
Now we need a list of best looking 3rd party switch games.
I would love a pixel art game from Nintendo...
Box Boy?
I am surprised Pikmin 4 didn't make this list. That game is so beautiful and runs pretty well too! I didn't think the Switch was capable of this.
Where is Kirby and The Forgotten Land ?
Maybe it doesn't count as first party? But then they included Mario + Rabbids in the honorable mentions...
@@snowhawkthorne630This isn’t a first-party list. It’s ‘exclusives’, hence the Shin’en games (Fast RMX and The Touryst).
Kirby and The Forgotten Land is absolutely stunning! I often paused the game to take in the gorgeous set pieces and vistas
Great video! I really enjoyed this one.
I love Oliver but he always sounds like he’s forcing his mouth to pronounce words it doesn’t want to