When Superhot came out 3 years ago, it was one of the most fresh and innovative takes on the FPS genre in quite some time. A game where your movement was what sped time up - basically turning you into some kind of slow motion Neo-esque action hero - felt and looked amazing.
Well, after multiple ports of the game, you can finally experience it on your Nintendo Switch. Thankfully, while Superhot doesn't necessarily feel as good as it does with a mouse and keyboard, blasting these red fools with some Joycons is still pretty dang fun.
Your Body Is Disposable
The story of Superhot is one that seems pretty slight at first, but as it goes on it becomes one hell of a mind-trip. You basically get sucked into a virtual reality game that seems like a fun shooter at first, but slowly reveals itself as a more insidious piece of software as you continue to play. It does however ruin a bit of the immersion of the story playing it on the Switch, since the original version was intended to be a PC experience. But that's really a small nitpick, so just imagine you're playing on a complicated computer setup, and you'll be fine.
For anyone unfamiliar with the game, in Superhot your movement determines how fast the game moves. If you're running all over the place, then your enemies, and their bullets will move that fast too. If you inch forward like a snail, then time moves just as slowly, which allows you more options for maneuverability, and strategy. After a while it feels more like a puzzle game than a shooter, where you're trying to figure out the best way to take out everyone in the room, while simultaneously not getting shot yourself. It's a bullet-ridden ballet that really makes you feel like you're in The Matrix.
Shatter Red Guys Wherever You Want
The game itself controls well on the Switch, with your trigger buttons being how you perform a majority of the slow-mo murders. Using the thumbsticks on the Joycons to aim isn't as perfect as you might want it to be, but fortunately this is a game about time standing still for you so you have a bit of slack when it comes to getting your crosshairs in the right spot. You can also fiddle with the sensitivity settings in the options menu.
There is the option to use the gyroscope built into the Switch controllers, which in theory is a better way to aim. I tried doing this in both docked and handheld mode with mixed results. In some cases it seemed to work well, but it was far from a perfect way to play. It just wasn't as fluid and sometimes I couldn't get the reticle where I wanted it to be. Eventually I just went back to using the thumbsticks, but maybe others will find this to be a more optimal way to play.
The game looks good, although there are some moments where the graphics get a little more pixelated than usual on the Switch's screen. In docked mode, however, the game looks probably as good as any of the other console ports. I didn't notice any other issues with the game being on the Switch, although sometimes it did seem like loading was a tad slower than usual in some spots. It's important to note that the game is quite short, but the amount of challenge modes as well as an endless mode definitely encourage you to keep playing after you've beaten the story.
The Most Innovative Shooter On The Switch!
The Switch version of Superhot is solid, and plays well with no real problems. However, I wouldn't say it's the absolute best version of the game. Aiming is not quite as smooth with the Joycons, and the gyroscope controls are a little iffy as well. Obviously the PC version is going to feel better, as it was what Superhot was originally meant to be played on. Furthermore, the Superhot VR game is not only the best version of Superhot, it's quite possibly the greatest virtual reality game I've ever played. If you own - or have a friend who owns - a VR headset, you definitely need to check that out.
That being said, the game plays perfectly fine. If you're only able to experience it on the Switch, then you'll still have a good time. Jack into the world of Superhot, and remember that your mind is software anywhere you go.
4 out of 5
A review copy of Superhot for the Nintendo Switch was provided to TheGamer for this review. Superhot is available now on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Superhot
Superhot is a minimalist FPS with a twist, in that time slows down when you're not moving, allowing for strategy and respite. Also available in VR, it received an expansion pack adding roguelike elements.