Key Takeaways
- The perfect entry point for Nintendo Switch players
- Remains one of the best Yakuza games in the series
- Port to Nintendo Switch has not diminished quality or fidelity
As much as I love Yakuza, and will use any excuse to wander the streets of Kamurocho once more, I was sceptical about Yakuza Kiwami being ported to Nintendo Switch. Despite its age, having originally launched in 2016 for PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 in Japan before hitting the West in 2017, I wasn’t convinced the Nintendo Switch, an old dog winding down for its successor’s arrival next year, would be able to handle it. I should have known better. If the Yakuza series has taught us anything, it’s that old age doesn’t stop you from still packing one hell of punch.
The graphical fidelity and details of the ambitious remake are near-perfect. I sat down and compared various scenes to the PS4 version for longer than I probably should have, but still struggled to pick out any discernible differences in quality or performance. Colours are a bit lighter on the Switch, but the level of detail remains the same. Those familiar streets aglow from the swathe of brightly lit signs all filled with the constant hustle and bustle of the city feel just as alive as the original.
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One of the only times I questioned the port’s performance was during fast-moving scenes or battles with a large number of enemies on screen, in which some softness and blur is present. It’s not so noticeable that it ruins the experience, you’d have to be looking for it, especially in portable play. Anyone going in having never played Kiwami before might not even notice this.
You Can’t Teach An Old Dragon New Tricks
Kiwami is a remake of the original Yakuza from 2006 for PlayStation 2, giving it a much needed facelift, adding loads of new content such as new fighting styles, minigames, substories, and more. Now ported to Nintendo’s handheld, the surgery has held up well and Kiwami doesn’t need to pop to the doctor for another round of botox.
As well looking identical to the PlayStation version, the gameplay of Yakuza Kiwami is faithful to a fault at points. It’s a port, so was never going to tidy things up or drastically improve the things we already know. You have to remember this is a game that’s nearly a decade old, and it shows. There was never an expectation of it standing shoulder to shoulder with recent launches like Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth in terms of quality, but I think we take for granted that games age more than we remember.
We look back on them with rose-tinted glasses, holding them aloft and remembering how they were in their prime. Having had so many other entries that have refined and improved the formula, it makes the lack of these improvements all the more apparent when you take a step backwards. I’m not even talking about all the extra shiny new features that were added over the years. On a fundamental gameplay level Kiwami looks and feels clunkier.
This clunky feel is far from a dealbreaker, but it’s certainly noticeable. It shouldn’t turn anyone off on what is a fantastic narrative that set the stage for the games to come. Besides, if we stopped playing amazing games just because they got a little long in the tooth, we’d all be saddos.
The Perfect Entry Point To The Series
Kiwami is one of the few viable entry points to the series, and has long been my personal recommendation of where to begin. After taking the blame for murdering his patriarch to cover for his sworn brother Akira Nishikiyama, Kazuma Kiryu returns to the streets of Kamurocho after ten years in prison to find the world a much different place. His childhood friend has become his sworn enemy and the love of his life is missing. As war erupts between different factions, Kiryu finds himself dragged back into the criminal underworld while trying to uncover a much grander mystery.
The series’ staple mix of zany humour combined with hard hitting drama remains superbly balanced, both throughout the narrative and the wealth of side content. The Kiwami-exclusive Majima Everywhere gives a fan-favourite character a much-loved increase in screen time with hilarious scenes, remaining one of my favourite parts of Kiwami.
And let’s not forget, Kiwami has three of the top-tier series’ minigames with Pocket Circuit, where you customise and race mini kit cars; the Hostess Club, where you get to chat with your favourite hostess; and of course, karaoke. It’s a pure winner and now you can do all this on the bus or the loo.
Kiwami is one of the building blocks of the series. This is where it all began with the debut of protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima. This left gamers ready and willing to lap up each new emotional rollercoasters while embracing the whiplash of changing tone from serious to absolute bonkers for years to come. I’m happy that Switch players are now able to experience the beginnings of a classic series and see what the rest of us have been banging on about.
It’s Time To Welcome Nintendo To Kamurocho
This port will be the first time Western Nintendo gamers will have ever been introduced to the world of Yakuza (Japan had ports of the first two games for Wii U). I have no doubt that if successful, RGG Studio will continue to port the remaining games, and it’s not lost on me that by the time it gets the more demanding entries, Nintendo Switch 2 will be in our hands.
This launch also coincides withAmazon’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza, an adaptation that will appeal to old fans as much as it will introduce a whole new audience to Sega’s universe. It’s all been planned rather perfectly. We’re nearing the end of the Year of the Dragon, so get in on the action so you can kickstart the Year of the Snake with my favourite snakeskin wearing thug come February.
If any new fans pick up Kiwami only to speedrun the entire series before Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza launches, I’ll tip my pirate captain’s hat to you.
Yakuza Kiwami remains one of the best stories that RGG has ever told, and showing its age a smidge doesn’t diminish that. Showcasing Kiwami on another platform to welcome new fans into the fold can only be a good thing, and it’s impressive just how well it runs on Switch. Most importantly, now Majima Everywhere can really be everywhere as he just became portable.
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6Images
4.0/5
Yakuza Kiwami
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.
- Franchise
- Yakuza
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega, Deep Silver
- Engine
- Dragon Engine
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- October 24, 2024
Pros
- The perfect entrypoint for Nintendo Switch players
- Remains one of the best Yakuza games in the series in terms of narrative, humour, and characters
- The port to the Nintendo Switch has not diminished the quality
Cons
- It shows its age a little in the clunkier feel of the camera and movement
