Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is out now on the Nintendo Switch 2. And after the rough release of Skyrim on Switch 2 late last year, I was nervous about how Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic RPG would fare on Nintendo’s hybrid machine. Turns out, I had nothing to fear as Fallout 4 on Switch 2 is totally solid. Not perfect, but pretty damn good.
Launched on February 24, Fallout 4 on Switch 2 is the first mainline Fallout game to grace a Nintendo platform. (No, Fallout Shelter and Fallout pinball don’t count.) This version of the 2015 open-world blockbuster RPG contains all the DLC as well as a ton of extra Creation Club content, too. It also launched with not one, but three different framerate options, including a 60FPS option, which was lacking when Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim launched on Switch 2 last year. And thankfully, according to many online who have played the new port, Fallout 4 on Switch 2 performs very well.
Fallout 4‘s visual options on Switch 2
Fallout 4 on Switch 2 includes three modes: a 60FPS performance option, a 30FPS visual mode, and a 40FPS visual mode. Online testing shows that in both handheld and portable, Fallout 4 mostly sticks to these target framerates.
There is one caveat: the 60FPs option can look really blurry in some areas. This is due to the lower resolution that Fallout 4 can reach in its performance mode, especially in busy, outdoor areas. On the console’s portable screen, however, the 60FPS mode looks fine enough. Meanwhile, the 30FPS option offers a similarly stable experience, but with much sharper textures and better visual effects.
But the best mode is probably the 40FPS option that takes advantage of the Switch 2’s 120hz screen. It will also work on a TV that supports 120hz in docked mode. 40FPS has become a favorite of mine this console generation as it offers up crisp visuals, yet provides a noticeably smoother gameplay experience, which is exactly what you’ll get in Fallout 4.
Regardless of what mode you pick, the fact that Fallout 4 on Switch 2 even launched with all these options and they all mostly work is a huge improvement over Skyrim’s launch on the same console. That thing was a mess and was locked to 30FPS, though it has since been patched and dramatically improved.
Many Switch 2 owners are hoping Bethesda does the same with Fallout 4 and adds gyro controls and mouse support, something that this port is currently lacking. I don’t really care about those features, but it would be nice to see them added in the future. Still, this is a great port of Fallout 4 that gives me hope for future Bethesda games on Switch 2. There is one area in which Fallout 4 is worse than Skyrim on Switch 2, though. Fallout 4 takes up 61GB of space compared to Skyrim’s 53GB install size. So be prepared to delete some stuff if you’re already struggling to find space on your Switch 2. Or buy a new memory card…if you can afford it right now.