Despite having never played a single Duke Nukem game before, I have a respect for the franchise’s history. What started off as a side-scrolling action/platformer became a first-person shooter to rival the top guns of DOOM and Quake, only to fade into obscurity with a number of forgettable spin-offs and a poorly received sequel that was released too many years too late. But it is that 3rd entry to the franchise that is still looked at and loved by many to this day. In 2016 to celebrate the game’s 20th anniversary, Gearbox Software released an updated version of the classic title to PC, PS4, and Xbox One. This new version is absurdly named Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour (a very Duke Nukem naming scheme really) and it has just launched on the Nintendo Switch!
Story
After defeating the Rigelatins and preventing a full-scale invasion of Earth, Duke Nukem returns home hoping to rest from his exploits. There is no rest for the weary however, as no sooner does Duke make it back home than his ship gets blasted from the sky. What Duke sees before his eyes is a whole new threat that has come to earth and ruined the neighborhood. Not only that, these lousy aliens are abducting women for nefarious purposes. Duke won’t stand for this nonsense so it’s time to get to work!
Gameplay
Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour (as I will be calling it for simplicity's sake) is an interesting time capsule into gamings more edgy past. Jokes are crude, violence is over the top, cops are pigs, drugs and sex are referenced frequently, and practically every woman featured is a bikini-clad stripper. It is an interesting experience to revisit, to say the least, in today’s overly politically correct world. In-game content aside (and whatever you may personally think of it), the core gameplay of Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour has genuinely stood the test of time for these past 24 years.
Duke 3D borrowed many elements from DOOM and made them its own. Levels consist of indoor and outdoor sections with tons of secret passages and routes to find. At times a color-coded access card is required to advance to the next area to eventually reach that level’s exit. Along your path are a number of aliens who need a swift mighty boot to the face or to be blasted with the game's variety of weaponry! There is a good selection available, from a pistol all the way to a shrink gun. Each has been fun to use and mess around with but I don’t think any in-game weaponry in 1996 was as iconic as a shotgun, and Duke 3D’s is no exception; this thing wrecks these alien fools!
In total, Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour features 40 levels spread out across 5 episodes. The first 3 episodes were part of the game’s original release while a later expansion added episode 4 to the mix. For the World Tour release, members of the original game team came together to create the 5th episode! While the original episodes had a number of different environments, I love the globe-trotting adventure episode 5 features. I also love seeing an older title getting official expansions like this for long time fans to enjoy!
A number of extra features were also included in World Tour to improve gameplay for modern times. In older shooters like this, if you didn’t utilize the quick save feature often, a death could result in you needing to replay long sections of levels to get back to where you were. Upon death, a new “optional” rewind feature has been added to let you transport yourself back to any point of your playthrough to rectify your mistakes. A great feature for beginners, but one long-time fans are sure to scoff at. For long-time fans, the new incinerator weapon is sure to be a delight along with a new graphical presentation and dialogue from Jon St. John, but more on those in a moment!
As for the Switch version specifically, a couple of new features have been added to the game including gyro aiming, motion controls, and HD Rumble support. The game’s multiplayer modes, including co-op campaign and deathmatch modes, also make the transition to Nintendo’s system, including support for multisystem local play, LAN, and Nintendo Online. For anyone looking to pick up the Switch version, fear not; it hasn’t been stripped of anything featured in other versions of the game so you are getting the full Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour experience!
Visuals
Now let’s discuss the visual presentation of Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour as I find it very fascinating. The original 1996 release featured 2D sprites moving in a 3D environment and it was pretty common for the time. In today’s world, such techniques aren’t typically seen anymore. Rather than disrespect the look of the original game with a full polygonal rework, World Tour utilizes the same visual style as the original but with a number of fixes. Lighting has been overhauled and environment textures are now displayed in a proper 3D perspective. At any point during play, you can see what the original version of the game looked like with a press of down on the d-pad, a feature I love to use in these types of remasters! Overall the game looks great in motion, especially with its fast frame rates compared to the 486/early Pentium machines many were likely to have played the game on originally. I do get a chuckle when an enemy turns and they momentarily vanish though.
Audio
Duke’s signature one-liners sound better than ever with the new recordings done by Jon St. John, and the rest of the game's soundscape is no slouch either. There are a number of ambient sounds that fill the air as you wander through levels and the sound of combat is sharp and distinct. All of this is topped off with an awesome soundtrack!
What It Could Have Done Better
I think Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour is a pretty complete package. It has things that will appeal to series regulars and newcomers alike. One thing I do wish had been included was an art gallery with older concept material. Thankfully there is developer commentary to give us some cool behind the scenes insights into the game!
Verdict
Having been interested in the franchise for so long it was a blast to finally be able to play the most popular entry in the franchise! It is over the top and politically incorrect but has gameplay that stands the test of time. For fans of classic first-person shooters, Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour is a great addition to the Switch’s ever-growing library. Factoring in the current sale price of $4.99 this is an easy impulse buy for fans old and new!
