Ever since the Nintendo Switch, the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been pretty compatible with the system. I spent more time playing with the older, traditional Assassin’s Creed games rather than the newer games with bigger worlds and complex contextual actions. The new RPG formula of Assassin’s Creed was more demanding for the Nintendo Switch to process, which felt obvious for Ubisoft to hold later Assassin’s Creed games for a more powerful Nintendo console. What wasn’t very obvious was the company choosing Assassin’s Creed Shadows as the first modern Assassin’s Creed for the Nintendo Switch 2. What was also surprising was how it would perform, which made my experience forget it was designed for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Two Sides of a Coin
The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Assassin’s Creed Shadows plays as expected compared to other gaming platforms. This version can satisfy many preferences with its large variety of settings, like HDR, HUD interface, in-game violence, colored captions, and even VFX customizations. Many options are changeable at any time when switching between docked and handheld modes, except for HDR brightness being locked out of handheld play. Optimization felt the most prioritized for the Nintendo Switch 2 port, especially with the game automatically increasing its font and icon sizes in handheld play.
Docked mode was my main method of play for the ideal performance and quality. The game ran at a solid 30 FPS, with a few framerate dips in lively cities and dense foliage. This issue didn’t greatly hinder platforming or combat, making my many deaths originate from misinputs or poor planning rather than the console itself. Despite facing several deaths, the autosave feature was very generous, letting me restart my sneaking attempt immediately.
I was enjoying my time as an assassin when the game was running smoothly. The in-game loading was surprisingly quick, especially when switching between protagonists took about a second. It was amazing to see the game change art styles when either protagonist completed activities, like Kuji-Kiri, or annihilated a significant target. I did face several random in-game crashes near the game’s release on December 2, 2025. Ubisoft previously delivered title update 1.1.7 to help diminish the crashes, which made my progression consistently smooth again for docked play.
I did play in handheld a couple of times, which felt surprisingly natural with the game still locked at 30 FPS. This mode also opens up its touch screen feature, which is beneficial for scrolling through menus, examining the world map, and customizing the assassin’s hideout. I found it most useful for organizing the buildings and pets in my hideout, but also discovered how it also progressed conversations.
Handheld play does come at some cost to the in-game graphics quality, which is more watered down and blurry when clarifying guards and environments at mid-distance. Due to the game’s demanding processing, my handheld sessions would only last a little over an hour each. The performance would dip more often in detailed areas or even freeze the game for a hard restart, even after the title update 1.1.7. There were also some small glitches, like the eagle being stuck on the viewpoint, locking my assassins out of synchronizing the area. The experience would’ve been greatly frustrating if it weren’t for the in-game autosave. This made me use handheld play for shorter activities and assassin hideout customizations rather than progressing any lengthy quests with long cutscenes.
The Forked Roads for Performance or Uniqueness
I felt somewhat conflicted when playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2. I was able to use docked mode to play longer sessions without thinking about which console I was playing it on. Most Nintendo features were either excluded or locked out for handheld play, which lowered the in-game quality and raised the console’s battery usage. The port was designed to be well-optimized and standard for both modes, but felt way too straightforward for docked mode to create a unique experience. Handheld mode allowed some unique play, though I couldn’t fully enjoy or examine the scenery at a lower quality.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows currently works as expected for the next-gen Nintendo console, especially with the game currently taking around 63 GB of storage space. Its performance and graphics aren’t the best, though the downgrades are minimal enough to project the same latest Assassin’s Creed experience. In a way, it’s also the most beneficial for anyone to find more enjoyment in Ubisoft’s larger in-game worlds with the Nintendo Switch 2 handheld mode.
Ending The Target
The overall optimization for Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 didn’t feel completely rushed. It felt well-designed like its predecessors on the Nintendo Switch, which is amazing for the first Assassin’s Creed entry with the modern RPG formula. The port did a lot of good to bring the most accessible Assassin’s Creed game to the Nintendo platform, though the port could’ve used more unique features for docked mode. Ubisoft is currently planning to continue support for Assassin’s Creed Shadows in 2026 with improved performance and in-game mechanics updates. The game could’ve been better at launch with new features tailored for the Nintendo Switch 2, like gyro aiming or mouse controls, though it’s confirmed to appear in later updates in 2026, along with the Claws of Awaji expansion.
The Nintendo Switch 2 port is one of the most accessible gaming platforms for anyone to invest time in the faithful interpretation of Japan. Even veteran Assassin’s Creed Shadows players can continue playing the Nintendo Switch 2 version with the implemented cross progression. Having Assassin’s Creed Shadows function well in its early life on Nintendo Switch 2 proves a brighter future for the series, which may include other modern Assassin’s Creed titles for the new Nintendo console.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is out now on Switch 2. It is also available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For a review of the game on Xbox Series X, click here.
