Fallout is renowned for its open world, strategic gunplay, and dialogue system that pushes how we communicate with NPCs, raising the level of interaction with relationships we could only wish for in real life. The end of the world is a grim subject so anything that puts a lighthearted spin on the topic with a mix of adventure is certainly interesting, so crank some swing music and grab your bottle caps because we definitely need a Fallout Switch port.
The post-apocalyptic world of Fallout is yet to grace a single Nintendo console, let alone the Switch, but we do have a Switch port of the Bethesda powerhouse game that is Skyrim and a recent agreement between Microsoft and Nintendo that promises to bring more games to the platform. So there’s some hope for all you Americana music-loving, post-apocalypse wasteland-exploring, weapon modifying to the point of overkill, enthusiasts.
Fallout 1 and 2 are significantly different from the titles which follow the roots of the franchise. Utilising an isometric perspective, it brings across that classic PC game vibe that’s hard to replicate. I think that a Fallout 1 and 2 Switch port could utilise the touchpad controls in the Switch’s handheld mode to simulate the point-and-click aspect of the games.
Though they’re extremely different to their successors, Fallout 1 and 2 certainly deserve a Nintendo Switch port for fans to experience where the series began. Beware though, the original entries to the franchise are notoriously dark and brutal in terms of content, the brutality does just come in boxes of text, but that certainly doesn’t lessen the blow of your abhorrent actions. Actions you could do on the Switch if a port was on the way!
Fallout 3, and its sister game Fallout New Vegas, are called the best the franchise has to offer in terms of gameplay and dialogue choices. These games are where fans consider Fallout to hit the ground running, with the former being Fallout’s first step into a hybrid first and third-person perspective while keeping its VATS system functioning with gunplay and melee combat in a 3D open world.
Taking place in the far-off year of 2277, you leave the safety of your vault after something goes horribly wrong, you set off to find your father in the unforgiving wasteland that is North Virginia. Fallout 3 also has plentiful DLC to choose from to keep you coming back to Washington, D.C.
If a more vengeful adventure interests you, it’s time to ante up in Fallout New Vegas. Being a postman left for dead in the desert with a hole in your head isn’t the most optimistic start to your journey, but if you’re dealing with a bunch of amateur gladiators bragging about Caesar while chasing down Chandler from Friends (seriously, Friends’ own Matthew Perry voices the main antagonist Benny), your patience will wear thin too. Also gambling! A game based in the Mojave obviously includes Las Vegas, or what remains of it, and a good amount of gambling to wet your risk-taking whistle.
Much like what you do to megaton, if Fallout 3 and New Vegas receive a Switch port, you will always carry it with you.
Fallout 4 and its many pieces of DLC offer an expansive wasteland to explore, including the city of Boston, although one could mistake it for the aftermath of a Red Sox game. The size of the game by itself would make it a lone release, putting the potential of a collective port of the Fallout series out of the question. Fallout 4 is an easy yet shallow entry to the franchise, the open world is massive, with the biggest map the series has to offer in a single-player title, but the dialogue system of the game is what’s as shallow as a kiddie pool here.
There are no direct or even coherent replies to what characters say when prompted. It’s hard to outright refuse any quests from even the most minor of characters. It’s also nigh impossible to fail said quests, with important NPCs often abandoning you. On the other hand, it’s a good beginner’s Fallout game with a low difficulty curve and your companions being immortal to assist in firefights with mutants and robots.
Fallout 4 certainly brings along a memorable cast of characters; your canine companion Dogmeat, the ever-inquisitive reporter Piper, the beloved synth detective Nick Valentine, and let’s not forget about Preston Garvey. With a Nintendo Switch port, you’d be hard-pressed to escape him now that you can help settlements on the go.
Fallout 4 is getting the next-gen upgrade treatment, so the version we may see on the Nintendo Switch is most likely to be the original edition we see on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
The Fallout franchise is often aimed at the older crowd, not just because the games are older but also because of their mature content. The Nintendo Switch’s primary selling point is being a powerful and portable console that you can play anywhere, at home or on the go. This older player base may only utilise the portability when on long commutes, train rides, planes, and so on where you would most likely not have an internet connection, relying on offline games with long playtime.
Fallout is a series that meets both needs of long-form games that you can become extremely invested in which do not require an internet connection to play. Looking at you Kingdom Hearts… you cloud-based disappointment (seriously, one look at our Kingdom Hearts Switch review tells you everything you need to know…).
There you have it, the reason why each mainline entry to the Fallout franchise should be on the Nintendo Switch, except for Fallout 76 because much like Bruno, we don’t talk about it. Luckily for you, unlike Vault-Tec, we want you to live your best post-apocalyptic life, so make sure you check out our list of the best post-apocalyptic games on Nintendo Switch and mobile.
There are plenty of games we think should be on Nintendo’s console, take a look at our Simpson Hit and Run remake, Chrono Trigger Switch, and Elden Ring Switch port features.