Nintendo Switch Review: Bayonetta 1 and 2

The sassy heroine gets her Switch debut…

I’m ashamed to admit that I missed out on the original Bayonetta and its remake and sequel on Wii U. So, I was more than happy to finally get my hands on the Switch versions, especially with the announcement of the third game heading to Switch too. So as a newcomer, what’s all the fuss about?

You play as the sassy and sexy witch known as Bayonetta as she battles angels and demons in combat that would be comparable to the Devil May Cry series. Having said that, Bayonetta feels unique and while the original looks dated to today’s standards, it runs incredibly well on Switch in both handheld and docked mode. The games look and run better in handheld mode, but still look good in docked mode.

There’s also touch-screen controls for the handheld mode that can be used in any difficulty and adds new depth to the gameplay. Both games are superb and rightly so, I’m glad that the series has found a home on Nintendo devices as opposed to being left on the bench indefinitely, which I never really understood. The series is superb from what I’ve seen and has plenty of homages to Nintendo including costumes for Link, Samus, Peach and Bowser with added Easter Eggs along the way, for instance if you play as Link then you’ll collect Rupees instead of the in-game currency for upgrades.

The Verdict

Bayonetta 1 and 2 are superb ports of classic games and makes the wait for Bayonetta 3 more painful, but in an effective way. I’m so pleased to see the series make it’s home on Switch and honestly wish I played the games sooner. If you haven’t yet, now is the time to start killing angels and demons as a femme fatale.

Score: 9.0