The Saints Row series is one of the most interesting case studies from the previous generation of gaming. What started off as a game people bought solely because there wasn’t another GTA clone available for the Xbox 360, after a time it slowly but masterfully morphed into a parody of itself. A game so ridiculously hilarious and self-aware that I could barely care about Grand Theft Auto V‘s release in 2013 because I was having way too much fun with the absolute insanity that was Saints Row IV.

I was wondering if the series would ever show up on the Switch, imagining that either Saints Row IV or the most recent (and most underwhelming) Agents of Mayhem would be the main candidates for a port. Weirdly enough, Deep Silver decided to port Saints Row: The Third instead. Don’t get me wrong, it is still an amazing game, but I’m puzzled why a title from 2011 was chosen to be ported over. Anyway, that’s what we got. The first GTA-styled sandbox game released for the Switch is none other than Saints Row: The Third.

The Switch version of Saints Row: The Third is a perfect recreation of the original game released in 2011. That means that everything that was great from that version, such as the lunatic plot, hilarious dialogue, wide variety of side missions, gigantic arsenal of weapons, and all DLC are included in the package. All cheat codes are unlocked from the start, and thanks to the Switch’s lack of achievements or trophies, you can use them as you please without ever feeling guilty.

When I said “perfect recreation of the original”, I also mean that everything wrong with the original game is also present here and the eight-year gap makes those issues even more apparent nowadays. Simply put, none of the Saints Row games have ever been considered technical marvels. You played them for the imbecilic storylines, not the visuals or the gameplay. Saints Row: The Third wasn’t exactly a looker back in 2011, and it certainly doesn’t look that phenomenal in 2019 either. The framerate is also somewhat poor, although I expected a lot worse considering the initial reviews.

The gameplay isn’t terrible either, but it’s far from flawless. Make sure to increase the camera sensitivity before playing the game, as the default setting is ridiculously stiff, with the joycons certainly not helping in that department. The lack of analog triggers is also noticeable, especially when you’re trying to drive a car. With that being said, if you’re used to Saints Row‘s controls, you won’t have too much of a tough time here either. Just as I mentioned about the visuals, you’re not here for technical performance, you’re here because this is the only game in which you’ll ever meet a pimp with an auto-tune vocoder for vocal chords.

Is the Switch version of Saints Row: The Third a technical disappointment? Yes. There is nothing new in this version, so if you’ve played the original game, you won’t see anything new in here. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a lot of fun with this game, as you’re now able to play one of the most over-the-top and hilarious games ever made on-the-go. There isn’t any other game like Saints Row: The Third on the Switch, so if you’re looking for an absurd and fun portable experience, this is your best, as well as only, option so far.

 

Graphics: 6.0 The same visuals from the PS3 and Xbox 360 visuals. The framerate isn’t ideal, but it’s less inconsistent than expected. Most of the visual issues are remedied when playing on portable mode, however.	Gameplay: 6.0 The Switch suffers from a lack of analog triggers. This is noticeable whenever shooting and driving. With the exception of that, as well as the default camera sensitivity, the controls are actually quite good.
Sound: 10 Cheesy tunes and hilarious voice acting. This game is one of those games you need to play at the highest volume.	Fun Factor: 8.5 Technical issues aside, the Switch version of Saints Row: The Third is still hilarious and incredibly entertaining. Having that on-the-go makes things even better.
Final Verdict: 7.5

Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package is available now on Switch.

Reviewed on Switch.