While the likes of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza wow with visuals and gameplay that couldn't really be managed by the original Switch, that doesn't mean there isn't room for some more simple-looking retro fun on your Switch 2. You might have missed it when it came out, but a recent action platformer is perfect for any old-school gaming fans.
I've been playing Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound since I finished Bananza about a week ago, and it's been a whale of a time – and a very clear change of gear. This is a pure retro side-scroller, one that feels a little like a blend of Castlevania and Contra. You play as Kenji, a member of the Hyabusa clan who gets a daring mission of his own while Ryu's first-ever story plays out.
When things go very wrong, he's forced to team up with the spirit of Kumori, a member of the evil Black Spider Clan, during a spate of demonic invasions. It's a simple narrative that unfolds in quick vignettes at the beginning and end of missions, and is amusing enough in its way.
The game unfolds in missions, rather than the sort of open, connected world that Castlevania pioneered, and each one basically sees you run through a gauntlet of enemies and platforming before facing off against a boss. These bosses don't mess around, either – I've had to retry all of them a good handful of times to make it through.
You're very fragile in Ragebound, by design. Old-school games were rarely easy, after all, and that makes it a pretty accurate homage. Unlike back in the day on much clunkier controllers, though, the controls in this case are really smooth and responsive, letting you chain together the moves you need without any hesitation.
In fact, the game reportedly has minor performance issues on the original Switch, so it's even better if you can play it on the Switch 2, where I haven't noticed any frame rate drops or lag. It's a great little experience, although I'm starting to hit the point where the difficulty is almost a tad off-putting.
If you're in the market for a new experience on your Switch 2, and you want a throwback that demonstrates how well old game mechanics can be updated for the present day, give Ragebound a look. It's a bargain at a lower launch price, so you'll save compared to full games, too.
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