The Witcher 3 doesn’t exactly look very pristine on the Nintendo Switch, but with how smoothly this open world game runs on the little system and how much content has been cramped into just 32 GB of space, it’s definitely a marvel.
That said, The Witcher 3’s Switch port has definitely set a new bar for the console itself and what it can handle, and here are four other big open world games that we’d definitely like to get ports for at some point.
Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V is an astounding game. It had an unbelievably large and sprawling map that was an absolute joy to explore, along with three characters with great backstories that were fun to follow.
What’s most impressive about the game, though, is the fact that you could switch between the three games anytime you wanted, with no load times in between.
Los Santos is absolutely littered with things to do –whether it’s side quests, mini-games, or just a lovely biking trip off the coast of the beach. The missions themselves are also usually short enough that you could clear one during a commute, making it a pretty nice fit for the Switch.
Being able to explore Los Santos in the palm of your hand sounds like a dream come true, but if The Witcher 3 could do it, why not GTA V?
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Easily the best entry in the series in the past decade, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was praised for its compelling story and enjoyable main character, Kassandra.
It also had a ridiculously large open world, as is always the case with these big-budget Ubisoft games.
Odyssey’s open world is actually pretty fun to explore, though. It’s not quite as fleshed out or lived in as The Witcher 3’s Continent, but it’s still filled with a lot of fun and interesting side quests and monsters to chase down.
It’s also the closest thing to a modern Mass Effect that we can get at the moment, with great branching narratives and dialogue trees that directly affect quest outcomes. Sad, but true.
No Man’s Sky
It had one of the most infamously rocky launches in video game history, but Hello Games kept their heads down and kept working on No Man’s Sky until it blossomed into a fun space exploration sim.
No Man’s Sky would be pretty perfect for the Switch because it’s the kind of game that you can just jump into for 15 to 20 minutes at a time and get something done.
This is especially true for players who are into the whole base-building aspect of the game, where you can kinda just take your time to gather resources on a planet, then slowly piece them together to craft new stuff.
Or if you already have an existing base, it can be very nice and therapeutic to just modify your base, shifting things here and there to create the perfect home.
There are so many other things you can do on the go, including farming resources for money, or just flying across the surface of a planet for leisure.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Let’s ignore the fact that from a narrative standpoint, this game is unfinished and unsatisfying, and instead focus on the good bits: the sandbox-style open world that lets you tackle enemy outpost any way you wish.
MGS V‘s stealth and combat mechanics are excellent, with a whole suite of weapons and equipment to help you take over all the outposts in Afghanistan and Africa.
You can go old-school and just head in with a silenced tranquilizer gun, or go in guns blazing with your D-Walker and electric rocket arm, because why not?
This game’s mission structure is practically built for handheld play as well, as they’re broken into smaller chapters that you can easily knock out in short bursts of play.
And those are our picks for the best open world games that we’d definitely be excited to see on Switch. Now that The Witcher 3’s made the incredible jump to Nintendo’s little system, there’s no reason why these games can’t do it too.
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