It seems strange to think about now, but there was a time when Nintendo consoles simply didn’t get any FIFA games. We went years of either not getting them or getting versions that were radically different (such as the Wii and 3DS releases), and very few people enjoyed them. When the Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, that started to change. Finally, a decent football game was going to arrive each year. FIFA 18 was a decent, if not spectacular start. FIFA 19 added a few new game modes and not much else, but it was still positive. The next year, however, FIFA 20 was a ‘Legacy’ release, meaning it was simply a reskinned FIFA 19. The only new thing about it was the updated kits and squads. FIFA 21, 22, and 23 were also ‘Legacy’ versions, which meant that FIFA 23 was the exact same game as the one released 4 years prior in 19. The difference in quality between the Legacy Editions and the PlayStation and Xbox versions was far too great.
Then, when FIFA changed its name to EA Sports FC, finally the Switch received a brand-new game, one that had new features, updated gameplay and animations, among other things; this wasn’t simply just a ‘Legacy Edition’ anymore. Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is out, with the extra power, the hope is that not only will the features have parity with PlayStation and Xbox versions, but it also looks and feels much closer to them, too. They haven’t quite nailed all those points, but they’ve come very close.
One of the main complaints with the Switch versions of FIFA was that it never had all the features that were present elsewhere. Everything is here now. From the Rush mode that was introduced last year and the career mode (both player and manager), nothing has been missed.
If you are an Ultimate Team player, then there is some bad news. The Switch 2 version doesn’t share an Ultimate Team transfer market with the other versions, meaning that the number of active players is naturally lower, thus almost forcing you to put in your own money to get the most out of it. Microtransactions are something that FIFA / EA Sports FC has done for years at this point, so it’s nothing new, but it has rarely felt this forced. It’s a shame, because it’s a fun mode with plenty of replayability.
The big downfall with EA Sports FC 26 on Switch 2 is that it runs at 30 frames per second, rather than 60 frames per second. For some, this will be a dealbreaker. While it doesn’t kill the game, the gameplay feels a lot less smooth than it should be. If you have played the Switch versions of EA Sports FC over the last couple of years, it won’t matter to you one bit, but if all you are used to is playing on either PlayStation or Xbox, then it will be really jarring at first and take a good while to get used to.
On the flip side, with this being the Switch 2, it allows you to continue your game anywhere. For a game like this, that is such a good luxury to have. If you own any of the other consoles, the question you must ask yourself is, would you rather have 60 frames per second or handheld gameplay? This version seems to work better on handheld rather than when playing docked in TV Mode. I’m not sure if it’s the VRR screen working some of its magic, but it feels smoother. The menus have touchscreen input too, which is a nice addition and helps when sorting things like formations.
When you boot up the game, the first thing you are greeted with (aside from login screens) is a menu that constantly feels sluggish and unresponsive. Whenever you back out from a game mode, it takes far too long for it to get back to the main screen. It’s obviously not a game-breaker by any means, but it’s one of those things that starts to grate on you after a while.
Gameplay-wise, if you have played any FIFA in the last 10 years, you know what to expect, even if it has evolved and got better over the intervening years. Shooting still sometimes feels a bit too easy, especially when you’re playing as one of the big teams with players who inevitably have better finishers. Sometimes it feels like all you need to do is press the shoot button and the ball finds its way in the back of the net.
In this year’s game, however, there are two different styles of gameplay: Authentic and Competitive. Authentic is used by default for the offline modes (but you can switch it to Competitive if you want) and is designed to make the game feel a bit more realistic, with slower gameplay and less predictable shooting, among other things. Competitive is used when playing online and cannot be switched. This style speeds a lot of things up, such as dribbling and passing, which in turn allows for higher scoring games in my experience, as it makes it a little bit easier.
With the EA Sports FC ports to the original Switch over the last few years, you could clearly see the inferiority in visual quality, the number of things going on in the background and the stiffer animations. With EA Sports FC 26 on Switch 2, while it’s still not on par with the other consoles, there’s so much more going on. Players now look much better (and more like their real-life counterparts), and their animations have had a big upgrade – now moving and feeling much more realistic than before. All the pre-match build-up and stadium details (such as the crowd), while not essential, all help to elevate the experience.
If you are predominantly a handheld gamer, this is one of, if not the best, football games you can play on the go in a very, very long time. It is a very good first attempt on Switch 2. Hopefully, when EA Sports FC 27 rolls around, they will have fixed the issues present here – the big one making the game run at 60 frames per second. If you have enjoyed any FIFA / EA Sports FC game in the last decade, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch 2
Review copy provided by Electronic Arts
