The over-the-top, action-heavy, ultra-stylish Stellar Blade has landed on Nintendo Switch 2, giving this ex-PS5 exclusive a chance to shine in front of a brand-new audience. Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, PC
Release date: November 5, 2026 (Switch 2)
Porting this cinematic, explosive action-adventure title onto the Switch 2 has undoubtedly been a tough test for developer Shift Up, but just how well have they scored? I’ve put around 15 hours into Stellar Blade on Nintendo’s hybrid console, during which time I’ve worked through most of the story, completed a number of side missions, and collected a whole lot of cans. So, here’s whether I think Stellar Blade on Nintendo Switch 2 is worth your time and money. Save the world on Switch 2
(Image credit: Shift Up) While I’m more interested in discussing the quality of Stellar Blade on Switch 2 as a port, it only seems right for me to share some of my thoughts on the core game to begin with. Stellar Blade’s premise is pretty simple. You play as the protagonist Eve as she battles through a post-apocalyptic future in order to save humanity from aliens known as the Naytibas. With assistance from survivors Adam and Lily (among others), you’ll aim to track down the dangerous Alpha Naytibas and Elder Naytiba and reclaim Earth once and for all. Best bit
(Image credit: Shift Up) For me, the Stalker boss fight was a real highlight. The sheer intensity of this showdown is highly compelling — you’re forced to put your parrying skills to the test and hit hard with ranged attacks and Beta skills in order to get the victory. And that victory was oh so sweet. In my view, the premise itself is totally sound, and the high-octane opening certainly makes a strong first impression. However, I felt that the narrative failed to hold my attention in the long run. A combination of dry dialogue and bland characters really let Stellar Blade down in the storytelling department. While the stakes are undoubtedly high, it doesn’t always feel that way, with emotive moments lacking heart, character interactions seeming awkward, and voice acting often coming across as stiff. But luckily for Stellar Blade , its lacklustre narrative doesn’t actually hold it back all too much. And that’s simply because the core gameplay experience is a whole lot of fun. (Image credit: Shift Up) The combat system has solid depth, with no end to combos and eccentric abilities available to the player. You can also expand Eve’s move set with unlockable skills, enhance your weapon and drone assistant, and discover new ways to vanquish your foes as the story unfolds. Though the timing can feel a little unusual, you’ll need to learn how to ‘perfect parry’ and counter hard against your opponents, which feels satisfying to execute. I also enjoyed bettering my exospines and gear to dodge away from enemies more effectively, and deal huge damage with Beta attacks. Without a doubt, though, the true highlight of Stellar Blade is its mesmerizing boss fights. Each battle feels phenomenally tense, unique, and genuinely memorable, and I loved figuring out the ideal combos and evasion patterns for each and every showdown. It’s in these moments when the game truly comes alive. General exploration is pretty enjoyable too. Just roaming around and hacking away at enemies, discovering new areas, and completing some side missions kept me pretty entertained. Yes, platforming segments can feel a little janky at times, but swift movement speed and fun puzzles keep the overall gameplay experience feeling fresh. All in all, Stellar Blade is a good, albeit flawed title. Boss fights see the game at its brilliant best, with edge-of-the-seat action sure to keep you hooked. Sure, the unremarkable cast and dialogue hold it back to some degree, but this game is all about the action — and it largely nails that. A solid but not quite Stellar port
(Image credit: Shift Up) Right, now you must be wondering: how does Stellar Blade hold up on Switch 2? Well, the answer is somewhat nuanced. First of all, I want to make it clear that this is a technical and demanding title, and cramming it onto the Switch 2 — which is considerably weaker than the PS5 — is no easy task. With that in mind, I’d say that the Switch 2 Stellar Blade is decent, but it’s certainly not without its flaws. Let’s start on a positive note, though. I have to say that the sheer versatility of this Switch 2 edition is staggering. You can genuinely play in just about any way, using Joy-Cons or Pro Controller with a traditional configuration, with gyroscopic aiming, or even with mouse controls. I found that each method worked nicely when testing, yes, even mouse mode. And although I kept gyro aiming off for the most part and played with the Switch 2 Pro Controller , I’m glad that this port plays to the system’s strengths. I’ll also say that the game runs decently in docked mode overall. During skirmishes and general exploration, frame drops never felt particularly egregious, and inputs felt pretty responsive. But there are some issues that I have to discuss. It sometimes feels like the Switch 2 can’t keep up with the speed and fluidity that Stellar Blade demands. It targets 60fps in both handheld and docked modes with frame generation, which combines NVIDIA DLSS upscaling with AMD FSR 3…
