Diablo gets better with age

Diablo 3: Eternal Collection on Switch is pretty much the console versions with reduced graphical effects. It consists of the main game, the Reaper of Souls expansion and the Necromancer class among all of the new updates.

The controls and button mapping are exactly the same. Your skills and inventory are presented in a radial menu, while the right stick is used for dodging. My only issue with the controls is highlighted by the position of the right analog stick on the Switch, especially when the joy-cons are attached to the system. It feels uncomfortable to quickly dodge in the game, and then move your thumb back in position to attack. Naturally, this isn’t an issue if you’re using the pro controller. The console interface was already intuitive and user friendly, and has transitioned perfectly for the Switch. But it is not suitable for co-op on the same console, as playing with a single joy-con, while possible, is extremely uncomfortable and requires motion controls.

The rest of the game works like a dream. I’ve spent most of my time playing undocked, and I was surprised by how well the game runs in portable mode. There were rarely any frame rate drops from the targeted 60 fps, even when there were a dozen enemies on screen. The textures, shadows and the overall image quality are noticeably worse than the console versions, but they are a necessary sacrifice in order to reach solid performance. The low resolution and image quality in portable mode is an understandable disappointment if you are used to playing the game on other platforms, but since the main draw is killing hordes of demons while getting a better loot, I did not find it difficult to ignore its graphical shortcomings.

Despite the fact that it’s a great port, if you have already played the game, your decision to pick up the Switch version solely relies on how much you value portability. However, I cannot recommend it enough to newcomers. Diablo 3 is excellent and the Eternal Collection is by far the best version of the game.