Session: Skate Sim launched on the current generation a couple of months ago but finds its way to the Nintendo Switch. As a hardcore simulator, the game isn’t for everyone but now that you’re able to carry it with you everywhere you go, there’s no excuse to improve your skills over and over again. Wondering if this port is worth your time? Let’s jump in!
Session: Skate Sim
For those new to the game, the main thing you’ll need to know before you start playing is the fact that this is a simulating game and not an arcade skating game like Tony Hawk. Session: Skate Sim takes time to master thanks to its unique controls but the more you practice, the better you’ll eventually become. Landing that one trick you’ve been grinding on for days feels extremely rewarding although you’ll have to take all of those frustrations before you finally land the trick as part of the experience. It’s the closest you’ll get to the feeling of landing a trick in the real world. You can read all about the original release in my original review here:
The Switch version
Let’s start with the good things about this port. First things first, it’s pretty amazing that the game got a Switch release since it fills in a niche for Switch owners. I tested it in both handheld and docked mode and was surprised with how well the game plays and controls. Yes, it’s still a very hard game to master and you’ll have to try over and over again te become good but the more time I spend with the Switch version, the more I liked it. In handheld mode I was stuck with my Joy-Con and since you’re using the shoulder buttons a lot in this game, it isn’t the best way of playing it, certainly not for longer sessions, the comfort of controlling it in handheld isn’t the best so I quickly changed to docked mode with a Pro Controller. This worked a lot better and I certainly had the feeling I played better using a more standard controller instead of the Joy-Con in handheld mode. Now, this isn’t that big of a problem but it makes me wonder if the Switch version is worth the money if you’re going to play it on your television.
The reason for my doubt is the downgrade in the visual department. Sure, I wasn’t expecting the hyper-realistic graphics of my Xbox Series X version but the downgrade is pretty bad. The world feels and looks more empty and dated, suffering from pixelated models and character/object skins which aren’t loading in time. There’s also a strange kind of blur around the character and board which isn’t great to look at, especially in handheld mode. Where the Xbox Series X version was a joy to play thanks to its fluent controls and stellar graphics, this Switch port does disappoint when you put them next to each other. The graphics are a huge downgrade which takes away from the immersion in a simulator like this and the controls aren’t that great in handheld mode, taking away one of this port’s biggest advantages. Underneath it all is a brilliant skate simulator but if you have other console options I would recommend checking those out instead.
Conclusion:
The Nintendo Switch version of Session: Skate Sim isn’t the best on the market and suffers from a huge visual downgrade filled with visual bugs. On top of that, it doesn’t really play that well in handheld mode due to the Joy-Con design. That being said, underneath it, all is an extremely deep and realistic skate simulator unlike anything else on the market. If the Switch port is your only option, you’ll still love this as a skating fan but if you have other options, stay away from this port.
