After nearly two decades and multiple platform releases, the classic RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) has now arrived on the Nintendo Switch! Aspyr and Lucasfilm Games take us back on a blast from the past with the port of this critically acclaimed and award-winning title. While little has changed, it’s still a welcome feeling to revisit this fantastic game on an entirely new platform! It’s not a perfect game port, but overall, KOTOR looks and plays well on the handheld system.

Story

Thousands of years prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire, an era we’re used to seeing on the big screen movies, a different Dark Lord plotted against the galaxy. His name is Darth Malak, and he’s seeking control of the Galactic Republic.

Following a war between the Galactic Republic and the Mandalorians, Malak capitalizes on the opportunity to strike from the shadows against weakened and unsuspecting forces. Through a well-planned attack against the Republic, he’s caused division and chaos among the Jedi ranks. Many Jedi will turn to their new Sith Lord master, supporting Malak’s rise to power.

You play as a young Jedi (male or female option available) who will make a series of choices during the game to determine which story they will follow. You can be a defender of peace and seek to destroy Darth Malak and his followers, or you can become a Sith who sides with evil. The choice is yours in KOTOR!

Gameplay

The control scheme worked incredibly well on the Switch. The game plays really smoothly, letting you move with ease around the various worlds and maps. The levels, while simple by today’s standards, give you a fair bit of variety in place and setting. The story is fantastic, bringing you to an incredibly interesting point in Star Wars history.

There are roughly 40 different force abilities you can use as a Jedi, giving you plenty of ways to eliminate your enemies. All combat is real-time, meaning you aren’t using a tactical menu and pausing and plotting your battles. Instead, you’re going to be running, jumping, and using your lightsaber or force regularly. The game’s combat works fairly well, helping to bring the excellent story to life. I have found that KOTOR offers a decent variety of battles, enemies, and settings, allowing for a fun and immersive experience.

The story is perhaps where this game really shines. If you’ve never played KOTOR, you’re in for a real treat. The engagement with NPC’s and world environments is quite engaging and immersive. This game is a ton of fun while on the go, with the Nintendo Switch version. It’s not the kind of game or story you want to set aside for long periods of time. Rather, you will want to take it everywhere you go and keep the story and characters fresh on your mind!

Audio and Visuals

The game’s age really shows, with audio and visuals feeling a bit dated. That’s going to be noticeable regardless of which system you’re playing on since it has nothing to do with the Switch version. Overall, the game does what you’d expect it to do and plays mostly optimal on this handheld console.

One area of concern, beyond the dated look and feel of the game, is the large combat text boxes on the screen that covers far more space than necessary. Honestly, it feels like a third of the screen is filled with a giant box, with rather small text in comparison. It simply looks a bit out of place and obstructs a large piece of the screen. While it didn’t break the game, it was annoying and is unique to the Switch version.

Replayability

Having the option to make moral decisions, you’ll see the game’s storyline change and offer different endings based on your choices. This gives the game at least a solid second playthrough, even if just to compare Sith and Jedi experiences.

The fact that we’re reviewing this game nearly twenty years after its original release, I think it’s a testament to the ability to play KOTOR more than once, and still enjoy it.

What It Could Have Done Better

The combat text window is incredibly distracting and out of place. There needs to be an option to reduce its size. This seems like a quick and simple fix for the developers, but if you’re concerned about it, you may want to hold off getting the game until this is properly addressed. I didn’t find it too bad, but I know others who hate it.

Thinking about this game in 2021 standards (and other games competing for your attention) it’s a shame there wasn’t more done to give it new life and quality improvements. This is a fine game port by all measures, but it’s a missed opportunity to make it more than that. I’m sure the upcoming remake is largely to blame, but an enhancement would have been welcome and certainly feels warranted in some areas of graphics and gameplay.

Verdict

The game is considered an RPG classic for a reason; it still holds value and influence nearly 20 years later. The title looks and feels a bit old, but leans on the strength of its solid foundation. You’re playing a title that’s been around for several generations of gaming technology, so plan to experience it in its (mostly) original form. That said, it is a fantastic game port that runs very well on the Nintendo Switch. My only main gripes would be the small frame rate drops during combat, as well as the stupid combat text box that gets in the way.

Whether this is your first time playing, or you're revisiting it; the Nintendo Switch plays KOTOR very well and serves as a great way to experience this legendary Star Wars story. You can now pick up a copy of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on Nintendo’s eShop.