How does Yakuza Kiwami on Nintendo Switch compare to PS4 and Xbox One?
Yakuza Kiwami's Nintendo Switch port is finally out, letting players experience one of the best entries in the iconic Yakuza franchise, for the first time on a Nintendo console. While the Switch is nearing the end of its life cycle, it still doesn't fail to impress with its third-party support. And Yakuza Kiwami is the latest example of just that—a Switch port that's almost indistinguishable from its original PS4 and Xbox One release.
During my time with the game on the Nintendo Switch, I found Yakuza Kiwami to be a much more enjoyable experience compared to when I played the game on my PS4. And this isn't hyperbole, trust me. I was skeptical about how the game would translate over to Switch's incredibly limited hardware.
However, SEGA managed to make the game feel and play way better than what I initially anticipated. That isn't to say the port is perfect, as I found the game to struggle a bit, in terms of image quality and performance, in the docked mode. However, in handheld mode, Yakuza Kiwami feels perfectly at home on Nintendo's hybrid system.
How does Yakuza Kiwami perform in Nintendo Switch's handheld mode?
For two key reasons, most of my time with Yakuza Kiwami was spent in the handheld mode. Firstly, it's a personal choice as I prefer to play most of my Nintendo Switch games in handheld mode. Secondly, Yakuza Kiwami suffers from some image quality and performance issues in the docked mode. In handheld mode, the game is genuinely stunning to look at.
While there are telltale signs of dynamic resolution, in handheld mode, the game barely drops below its 720p (1280 x 720) resolution target. Furthermore, Yakuza Kiwami seems to retain most of its visual flair (including the exaggerated bloom and lens flare post-effects) in the handheld mode, without any major performance downsides.
In terms of performance, you're looking at a solid 30fps across the board. Yes, I would've liked to see it run at 60fps. However, given it's running on the incredibly dated Switch hardware, at almost native 720p, I didn't find the 30fps all that distracting. Furthermore, the frame rate here is incredibly stable, which is quite rare for most third-party Switch ports.
It should be noted that in some of the busier sections of the game, like Kamurocho Street or the hectic combat sections that the start of the main story, the game does drop some frames. However, overall, the frame rate is quite stable in the handheld mode. The image quality and performance here are good enough that I can easily recommend the game for handheld play.
In handheld mode, I feel the game holds up quite well compared to the PS4 and Xbox One versions. Obviously, the resolution target on the Switch is much lower, with PS4 and even the Xbox One S going for a locked 1080p image. However, for the tiny 7-inch screen of the Switch OLED, the 720p was equally as crisp as the PS4 version running on a 43-inch TV.
Furthermore, most of the visual settings between the PS4/Xbox One and the Switch versions are identical. And in that regard, I think the Nintendo Switch version is a better offering, considering it's running on fairly scaled-down hardware compared to PS4/Xbox One, and is also playable on the go.
How does Yakuza Kiwami hold up in Nintendo Switch's docked mode?
While I did praise Yakuza Kiwami on the Switch for its handheld performance, I don't think I can say the same for docked mode. While my initial impressions of the docked mode were nearly as good as the docked version, they were extremely short-lived. The biggest issue I have with the game's docked mode performance is the image quality.
To be fair, I do understand the limitations of the Switch hardware. As such, I wasn't expecting a PS4/Xbox One levels output in terms of image quality and performance from a Switch port. However, after witnessing the near-flawless presentation of the handheld version, I did expect a bit better than what I got.
In terms of numbers, the docked mode does target a 1080p output; however, it rarely, if ever, stays at that resolution. The game uses a very aggressive dynamic resolution system to achieve the 30fps gameplay target. As a result, the game often looks quite blurry, even the standard viewing distance.
Now, to be fair, the image quality here isn't as bad as something like Mortal Kombat 1 or The Witcher 3 on the Switch. However, if you're planning to play Yakuza Kiwami in Switch's docked mode, and on a big-screen TV, then I won't necessarily recommend the game to you. On a monitor, the game does look a lot more stable.
However, on a 40+ inch television screen, you're bound to notice the blurry image quality. Furthermore, much like Darksiders Warmastered Edition on the Switch, the UI's resolution is tied to the in-game resolution. As such, if the game's resolution drops (which it does, quite a lot) you'll find the UI and texts getting progressively blurrier as well.
Apart from the blurry visuals, the docked mode also has minor performance issues. However, the performance and frame rate issues aren't quite as prevalent as the image quality. Overall, Yakuza Kiwami is playable in docked mode, but it's not something that I'll recommend over the handheld mode.