Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is one of Indy’s most epic adventures to date and finally lands on Nintendo Switch 2. Bringing a game like this to a hybrid console seems like a rather difficult task, but did MachineGames manage to pull it off? Time to grab our fedora and whip and jump in.
The Great Circle?
A couple of years ago, I reviewed the Xbox Series X version of the game, but since many Switch 2 owners may not have played it yet, let me briefly recap what makes this adventure so special before diving into the Nintendo Switch 2 version.
First, let’s clear something up. The Great Circle doesn’t just feel like a game; it feels like a brand-new entry in the Indiana Jones movie franchise. Set shortly after the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the story plays out like one of Indy’s “lost adventures.” By choosing this point in the timeline, the developers capture Indiana Jones in the prime of his career, and it shows. Fans of the original films will immediately recognize the opening moments, where you replay one of the most iconic scenes from Raiders through Indy’s own eyes. It’s a fantastic way to set the tone.
Without spoiling too much, the story revolves around stolen artifacts, breathtaking locations, challenging puzzles, and plenty of hidden secrets. It remains one of the game’s greatest strengths and feels more like a true Indiana Jones movie than a traditional video game, which is a huge compliment. The voice cast deserves a lot of credit. While Harrison Ford doesn’t reprise the role, Troy Baker delivers an excellent performance as Indy. At times, I genuinely had to remind myself it wasn’t Ford. A special mention also goes to Tony Todd, who appears early on as a towering villain. His performance is memorable and serves as a fitting tribute to an actor who left a lasting mark on the industry. If you’re a fan of the classic films, the humor, action, and pacing will feel like a genuine love letter to the franchise.
If you’d like to read more about the game itself, you can check out my original review here:
The Switch 2 version
Since the game is largely the same experience you can already play on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, let’s focus a bit more on the Nintendo Switch 2 version. What I really appreciate about this port is how much effort clearly went into making it look as good as possible on Nintendo’s new hybrid console. In docked mode, the game runs at 1080p, while handheld mode drops the resolution to 720p. Both modes target a stable 30 frames per second. The game makes good use of NVIDIA DLSS to squeeze as much visual quality as possible out of the hardware. Of course, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions still look better overall, but I was genuinely impressed by what MachineGames managed to achieve here. Some locations feature slightly reduced crowd density in the background, but if you’re not directly comparing it to the other versions, this is a perfectly valid way to experience the game. In my opinion, the game really shines in docked mode, where it retains much of the visual fidelity and cinematic immersion of the other console versions. Handheld mode does take a small hit in terms of sharpness and environmental detail, but it remains extremely impressive for a portable system, as you can see in my handheld footage here:
But it doesn’t stop there. This version also includes motion and mouse controls to fully take advantage of what makes the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware so unique. You can use these controls for aiming or looking around, and motion controls are supported on both the Joy-Con controllers and the Pro Controller. That gives you plenty of freedom to find the setup that feels best for you. The game also allows you to fully remap the controls, which is always appreciated, and HD Rumble is used during certain scenes to add a bit more immersion. There’s something about playing a first-person adventure of this scale in handheld mode that makes it feel even more intimate. I regularly found myself switching between docked and portable play between missions. Even though handheld mode is a little less impressive visually, I loved seeing this cinematic adventure come to life so close to my eyes. If it weren’t for the many other impressive Nintendo Switch 2 ports we’ve already seen, this could easily have been labeled one of those “impossible ports.”
The Order of Giants
If you can’t get enough of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, you can also pick up The Order of Giants DLC. Sadly, it isn’t included in this Nintendo Switch 2 edition, so you’ll have to purchase it separately, but it does add roughly four to six hours of extra content. While the base game often shines through its larger open-ended areas, where you sneak around, fight enemies, discover hidden paths, and solve puzzles along the way, the DLC is a bit smaller in scale. It takes you back to the Vatican and deeper into Rome, guiding you through dark corridors, catacombs, and ancient tombs. Compared to the main story, this feels more like a focused side adventure with a stronger emphasis on puzzle-solving, but it fits the overall gameplay extremely well. I actually appreciated the smaller scale for a change. There are still plenty of secrets and hidden paths to uncover, but without the larger sandbox-like environments of the base game. If you enjoyed the main adventure and simply want to spend a few more hours with Indy, this is an easy recommendation.
Conclusion:
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was already an excellent adventure game, and this Nintendo Switch 2 version does it justice. Handheld mode comes with a few expected compromises, but MachineGames has delivered a remarkably polished port that makes Indy’s latest adventure feel right at home on Nintendo’s hybrid console.
