MLB The Show 22 lands on Nintendo Switch for the first time this year, and there were sure to be some hiccups as they adapted the title for a very different platform.
Now that we've gotten a chance to see how it stacks up to this year's counterparts, our MLB The Show 22 Review for Nintendo Switch will showcase where it shines and struggles.
MLB The Show 22 Review for Nintendo Switch
Just a few short years ago, MLB The Show was a franchise exclusive to PlayStation and gated only to users who had a PS4.
That's all dramatically changed when the Sony San Diego developed title jumped to next-gen and Xbox last year, and they've followed that up by launching MLB The Show 22 on Nintendo Switch.
With a very different platform and hardware to work around, our MLB The Show 22 Review on Switch will take a look at where they adapted things well and which parts of the game remain a work in progress.
Before we get rolling, we've already completed a full MLB The Show 22 review using the Xbox Series X|S version which looks closer at where each aspect of this year's overall game improved, but here we'll take a deeper look at the port to Nintendo Switch.
On top of that, with some players surely looking to snag MLB The Show 22 on Nintendo Switch for its on-the-go potential to pair with a primary copy on an at-home console like PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, we'll see whether it lives up to promises of cross-platform progression.
Gameplay and game modes are as excellent on Switch as anywhere
Starting with one of the most refreshing realities, and likely the hardest for them to truly get right, MLB The Show 22 on Nintendo Switch still plays like you'd expect the game to on other platforms.
Gameplay feels smooth and rarely hiccups even on the original model Nintendo Switch, and the game modes bring everything fans hope to see.
They even made a great quality of life choice on how the Nintendo Switch controls are laid out, as the A and B buttons are swapped compared to their counterparts on other platforms, so pitch and swing types in-game lineup to the same button location they have on Xbox and PlayStation.
Franchise Mode and March to October both offer the same level of team strategy challenge and customization, minus the one next-gen exclusive which is Stadium Creator.
Fans of the responsive and slick user interface in MLB The Show over the years will be pleased to know that the menu interactions and simulation speed on Nintendo Switch don't grind to a halt compared to other platforms.
Diamond Dynasty brings all of the same quality to Nintendo Switch, and online play worked fine without any significant lag or glitching in our experience.
Graphics have a long way to go
While MLB The Show 22 on Nintendo Switch looks almost identically clean in the menus as it does on other platforms, in-game graphics are another story.
If you were hoping for anything close to the level of simulation quality that we see in the models on Xbox Series X|S or PS5, Nintendo Switch falls well short of that mark.
We've put together a direct graphics comparison seen above with shots of Justin Verlander on the mound on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S so you can see the differences for yourself.
It's also worth noting for our MLB The Show 22 Review on Switch that it plays at just 30fps, something that on higher resolution televisions may become more noticeable compared to the title's 60fps standard on other platforms, but the framerate looks fine in handheld mode.
The graphics never hinder the gameplay experience, but players need to know going in that gameplay will look significantly lower quality than it does on all other platforms.
Cross-platform progression is a good idea with poor execution
One of the biggest selling points of the jump to Nintendo Switch was the further implementation of cross-platform progression, and the goal is for players to be able to link their games across multiple systems and take MLB The Show 22 on the go.
In theory, fans who get the game on Nintendo Switch in addition to another platform can follow a step-by-step process of linking it to your TheShow.com account in order to unify progression.
Unfortunately, the step of logging into your TheShow.com account is one we've been unable to complete despite multiple attempts on different browsers as every attempt is met with an "error logging in" message.
Without being able to properly link things, this means that any progress made in the meantime on Nintendo Switch will be erased when it is finally linked as intended, and thus makes the entire secondary copy useless until the issue is resolved.
This will hopefully be addressed soon by Sony San Diego, but with other users reporting issues on TheShow.com forums as well, it may be safer to wait if players want to augment their at-home experience with MLB The Show 22 on Switch for gaming on the go.
The Verdict
If you're looking to get MLB The Show 22 only on Nintendo Switch and don't mind the in-game graphics being a few steps behind other platforms, this year's game is definitely worthwhile.
Even for its flaws, MLB The Show 22 is still a blast on Nintendo Switch and can offer hours of content across multiple game modes.
Strengths
- Gameplay is as clean, challenging, and fun as ever before
- Upgraded RTTS, MtO, and Mini Seasons are perfect for single-player fans
- Online play, including new online co-op, work well on Switch
- User interface remains sleek and responsive on Switch
- New commentary team makes everything feel fresh
Weaknesses
- Graphics are a massive step down compared to all other platforms
- Only 30fps compared to 60fps standard on Xbox and PlayStation
- Cross-platform progression not consistently working as intended
- Some pressure to play Diamond Dynasty for progression will always be there
With more optimization and some bug fixes for the game itself and their online account linking process, the port will hopefully feel much more complete in time.
RealSport Rating: 4 out of 5