Don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day? No need to worry, the sexy Bayonetta is your date for today! Since Bayonetta 3 is still far, far away, Nintendo thought it would be a good idea to bring the first two Bayonetta games to their shiny new Nintendo Switch, who can blame them? In this review, we’ll focus on the port of Bayonetta 1, which basically is the same port we got on our Wii U systems.
A brief history
Bayonetta was originally released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, as one of Platinum Games’ most loved hack ‘n slash games. When fans were asking for a sequel, the money to make one ran low. Nintendo decided to help in the cost, transforming Bayonetta 2 into a Wii U exclusive. This sequel is considered as the better version but it’s always a good idea to see where the franchise started. You can buy Bayonetta 1 together with the physical Bayonetta 2 copy (1 will be a downloadable game), or you can get both at a discount on the Nintendo eShop. Needless to say, both are fun to have and it’s impressive to see how well Bayonetta 1 still performs after all those years.
At its core, this still is the same game that released years ago, the story is still the same and the action is still as fast. New is the ability to use the touchscreen of the Nintendo Switch to control the wicked witch. It’s a fun extra but it’s one we’ve already seen in the Wii U version. Long story short, this Bayonetta 1 port for Nintendo Switch is the exact same as the Wii U version, without any noticeable improvements.
Insane action
Bayonetta is considered as one of the best hack ‘n slash franchise currently on the market and this alone is already a reason to get it on your Nintendo Switch. At this point, there simply aren’t other games on the market that can reach the sexy heels of our favorite witch. The action in Bayonetta 1 is extremely fast and you’ll jump from battle to battle while trying to take down everything that comes in your path.
One of my main reason why I like this franchise so much is the character design. Platinum Games really went insane and created some of the most memorable monsters in gaming history. Most of the time, you’ll take out groups of smaller enemies but everything changes when you’re forced to defeat a boss. Bosses in Bayonetta aren’t like the other bosses you face in different games. These bosses are huge, creepy and demand a lot of skills to take down. No, Bayonetta isn’t a game for the casual gamer, it’s meant for the hardcore crowd.
I like the way you move
In order to defeat the enemies, you’ll have to master the sexy moves of Bayonetta first. Since this is a traditional hack ‘n slash game, you’ll have your standard light and heavy attacks but Bayonetta likes to throw in some little extras. First of all, you might have noticed her guns. Strapped on her heels and held in her hands, she’s able to shoot four guns at the same time. This is the first interesting mechanic you’ll need to master. Combining your magical punches with regular gunfire is crucial to defeating your enemies. Especially when you’re attacked by multiple enemies, it might be advised to use your guns in the most spectacular way possible to hold those enemies back.
When you finally master both punching and shooting, it’s time to learn how to use the so-called ‘Witch Time’ to your advantage. In Witch Time, you’ll slow down the time, making it easier for you to attack or use your special attacks on your enemies. So, how can you activate this? By dodging at the right time, right before the enemy would have hit you. You see, Witch Time is a reward for the players who invest time in learning how to dodge and it’s one of the best mechanism we’ve seen in the genre. Watching Bayonetta fight is extremely fun since everything happens at an incredible speed. If you want to master the controls, you’ll need to get used to the fast pacing and the rather nude attacks of the witch (she uses her hair for most of her attacks, leaving close to nothing to your imagination).
The Nintendo Switch port
So, how good is this game on Nintendo Switch? Well, if you’ve played the Wii U version before, you know exactly what to expect. This is the same version and it runs as smoothly on Switch than it did on Wii U. You can go for the touch controls if you like but as mentioned earlier, those aren’t really that good. The biggest plus of the Nintendo Switch version is, of course, the possibility to carry the game with you and play it anywhere you want. Believe me, you’ll be surprised at the quality of the game in handheld mode, as you can see here:
As you can see, there’s no need to worry about the quality in handheld mode, it’s truly amazing and without a doubt the biggest plus of this Nintendo Switch version.
Conclusion:
Bayonetta 1 still is an amazing game to play, even after all those years. Sure, it’s not as bright and colorful as its sequel but the gameplay itself remained extremely solid. It’s fast-paced hack ‘n slash gameplay like you haven’t seen it before and the possibility to take it with you anywhere you want only makes it better. If you’re looking for a great hack ‘n slash game and if you want to know the origin of the sexiest witch on Nintendo consoles, this is simply one you need to have, especially thanks to its lower price.
