WWE 2K25 proves that the future of sports games on Nintendo Switch 2 is bright

Daily Mirror

a day ago

Against all odds, a Nintendo system has finally been graced with a perfectly solid version of a WWE game.
If you're looking for an ideal and comfortable way to play WWE 2K25 on the go, look no further than the recently released Nintendo Switch 2 version.
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Me and handheld wrestling games go way back. Whenever I had a long car journey to kill over the summer holidays; whenever I got bored visiting my nan and grandad's house and skimped off to the spare room; whenever I commuted to my first retail job on the bus. All I needed to keep myself entertained as a kid and young adult was a PSP and a copy of WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2006 on UMD (that's Universal Media Disc, by the way).
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Sure, this portable adaptation of the world's biggest sports entertainment brand wasn't the most feature-filled way to play, but as a kid I didn't know any better. I was just more than happy to have a way to repeatedly perform Rey Mysterio's 619 on whatever ill-fated opponent I'd selected to face next, all perfectly playable within the palm of my hands.
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Fast forward a few decades later, and despite the release of the original Nintendo Switch and countless PC handheld devices, I'd almost given up hope that there'd be a fulfilling way to play the latest WWE wrestling game on-the-go ever again. That finally changed at the end of last month with the launch of WWE 2K25 on Nintendo Switch 2.
As someone still curious about the exact horsepower and technical capabilities of Nintendo 's new hybrid console, prior to this version's announcement I wasn't sure how such a beefy, graphically demanding game would look. But just like Jey Uso at this year's WrestleMania 41 – it overcame the odds, defied my expectations, and performs well. The era of worthy portable wrestling games is finally upon us once again, and I can't help but feel like this is just the start.
Much like the initial version of WWE 2K25 that I reviewed last year, the iteration playable on Nintendo Switch 2 similarly feels like 'the ultimate wrestling celebration' for any fan. Following years of tension between previous developer Yuke's and 2K, a rocky start for new studio Visual Concepts, and a missed release in 2020, the WWE 2K games are at the point where it's tough to imagine them getting much better. From the responsive and fair control scheme to the litany of modes, match types, and playable wrestlers on offer, 2K25 very much represents the best in this already great series.
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I am my kingdom
Thankfully, most of these learnings successfully translate to the Nintendo Switch 2. Though taking up a whopping 70GB of storage space when purchased digitally, WWE 2K25 runs at a slick 60fps in all the modes I was able to test. Of course, this does make the moments when real-life segments are played in the Showcase mode a little jarring. But it isn't long until you're back in the swing of grappling, Irish whipping, and suplexing as part of the Bloodline's historic family tree. 2K25's Showcase mode is one of the highlights, and it remains so in this newly anointed Nintendo version.
The same goes for other tentpole modes such as MyRise, MyGM, and yes, even the incredibly misjudged The Island mode – it's honestly the only poor part of this package. Really, the only area in which WWE 2K25 on Nintendo Switch 2 pales in comparison to its console peers in terms of the value proposition is when it comes to the Community Creations feature. The ability to create your own wrestlers and upload them to be enjoyed by the wider WWE 2K fanbase has become such a staple of the series in recent years, it really is a shame not to see it present here. I can only assume Nintendo's policies on this online-centric element are far more stringent than other platforms.
Small niggles aside, however, WWE 2K25 on Nintendo Switch 2 gives me faith that, in future, publishers will join 2K in treating the hybrid console as a series platform. Because if this wasn't already proof enough, even EA looks to be pulling out all the stops this year with an entirely revamped version of EA Sports FC purely dedicated to Switch 2.
This is a far cry from just a few years ago when major AAA publishers simply spat out rushed or indistinguishable iterations of Nintendo Switch sports games year over year. With the current excitement and commercial success of the new console, this no longer need be the case.
Playing WWE 2K25 on Nintendo Switch 2 I'm reminded of the ungodly number of hours I put into WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2006 on PSP as a kid. Sadly, it doesn't look like the current 2K era of wrestling games will ever be willing to go quite as rough-and-ready as that initial run of WWE games, but with 2K25 seeing the return of much more experimental match types like Special Referee and Casket, there's still plenty of joy I can now glean from performing a 619 on a dedicated handheld console platform, just like I used to. Here's hoping that the inevitable Switch 2 version of WWE 2K26 isn't so late to the party.