BioShock: The Collection offers the combined three titles of BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite, and while I could talk about how incredible these games are – and they really are, so if you haven’t played it, you really should – the main focus is how they run on the newly ported Nintendo Switch versions.



Some skepticism arose when I heard of the BioShock Collection coming to Nintendo’s handheld console, purely down to the graphical elements – BioShock is not an extremely demanding game in terms of graphical fidelity or horsepower needed but they are still large, detailed, and animated open-worlds. Not to mention, the Collection is a remastered version of all three titles, which offered 4K support, 60fps compatibility, as well as other graphical enhancements.

[30fps] is locked and there is no way to change it, whether docked or handheld...

So, how does it run? Overall, excellently. There are some noticeable sacrifices that you need to make – the main being the reduction of frame rate from 60fps on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, to 30fps on the Nintendo Switch. This frame rate is locked and there is no way to change it, whether docked or handheld but unless you are an absolute die-hard 60fps player (hello, PCMR), then this shouldn’t trouble you.



All three titles were stable as well, which was refreshing, with no noticeable technical hiccups to speak of – there were no crashes, no glitches, and no real game-breaking experiences to speak of. The essence of the first two titles were captured and displayed magnificently, especially in handheld mode, and still offered that same sense of creepy/eerie atmosphere as we experienced on other platforms. BioShock Infinite – which is more vibrant and packs a slightly higher punch in terms of colour pallete and fidelity – was the same case, with the only distinguishing feature being the lowered frame rate.



We primarily played in handheld mode – as this is kind of the Switch’s whole deal – and even after extended sessions, we found the experience just as enjoyable as we did on other platforms. If you are used to first-person shooters on a PS4 or Xbox One – or even play on PC with a controller – you should have no problem on the Switch, despite not having the gyroscopic aiming that is becoming more prevalent on the handheld device. Using abilities and so on was also no hassle, and was just as easy as using a DualShock 4 or Xbox One controller.

If you are used to first-person shooters on a PS4 or Xbox One... you should have no problem on the Switch

Unfortunately, the only drawback to the Switch port of BioShock: The Collection were the combat sections – particularly in BioShock Infinite. Due to the slightly weaker graphical processing power, there were some sections that struggled to maintain a constant frame rate during firefights, particularly in dense areas. Yes, this is slightly expected, but it is a small gripe none-the-less.




Overall, BioShock: The Collection on the Nintendo Switch is kind of like cold pizza: maybe not as enjoyable as it is warm, but it’s still pizza, which is amazing. If you are looking for a portable version of 2K’s phenomenal franchise, then BioShock: The Collection for Switch is the best you can find. Well, the only, but the port still offers a pretty satisfactory and enjoyable BioShock experience.