One of this year’s worst kept secrets, it didn’t exactly come as a shock when Diablo 3 was officially announced for Nintendo Switch back in August.
But it was a surprise to hear senior producer Pete Stilwell claim that Diablo 3 would run at 60 frames per second in docked and handheld mode.
Granted, Diablo 3 was first released six years ago – making it ancient in video game terms – but it’s still a bumper game with a lot of content.
The Nintendo Switch version alone contains the core game, all of the previously released expansions, seven character classes and instant access to Adventure Mode.
There’s even an array of Switch exclusive bonuses, including some Legend of Zelda-themed goodies.
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But there’s no point cramming in so much content if the game buckles under the weight of it all.
This was a genuine concern heading into a recent hands-on with Diablo 3 Eternal Collection for Nintendo Switch.
Fortunately my fears were unfounded, because Diablo 3’s campaign seems to run perfectly.
While it’s worth checking out the inevitable Digital Foundry analysis of the final release, Diablo 3’s demon-slaying action is as more-ish as ever.
The action is intuitive and the controls are uncomplicated, making it easy to sort through your stash and equip your most powerful skills and items.
In fact – and we’re getting tired of saying this – but Diablo 3 seems like another one of those games that’s perfectly suited to Switch.
Whether you play the campaign or Adventure mode – which is handily available from the outset – Diablo 3’s demon-slaying/loot-gathering gameplay loop lends itself to bite-sized sessions.
Better yet, you can play four-player co-operative offline and on the move, which means you can grab some loot with your friends on the way to work or during your lunch break.
Maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a game released all the way back in 2012 holds up so well on Nintendo Switch.
But Diablo 3 is a demanding game, and crucially, one that was designed to be played on a PC with a mouse and keyboard.
Porting PC games over to regular consoles is a big challenge, so to see Diablo 3 running smoothly and handling so comfortably is an encouraging sign for the future.
And whether you’re a lapsed player or a complete rookie, Diablo 3 Switch appears to be the perfect jumping-off point.
Now fingers crossed we get that Overwatch port.
Diablo 3 has a November 2 release date on Nintendo Switch. Express Online will have a full review closer to launch.