Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus released on Nintendo Switch

The New NEW Colossus

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has been released on Nintendo Switch this past week. The game was originally launched for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 27, 2017. The first person shooter is the sequel to  2014’s Wolfenstein: The New Order. Both titles were developed by MachineGames, and published by Bethesda Softworks. This whole franchise began back in 1981 with Castle Wolfenstein, a stealth-based top-down action game. The series evolved into 3d with Wolfenstein 3D, developed by id Software, which was the offspring of legendary developer John Carmack. Wolfenstein 3d, released in 1991, is largely regarded as having helped popularise the first-person shooter genre. The franchise was brought into the modern age with Return to Castle Wolfenstein in 2001, and a sequel, simply titled Wolfenstein, followed in 2009.

The Old Colossus

Since the initial move to Wolfenstein 3D in 91, the series has followed the exploits of one William “B.J.” Blazkowicz, an American soldier, spy, and general badass. In the early games, Blazkowicz was tasked with escaping Nazi detainment during World War 2 and subsequently causing all kinds of havoc for his dastardly captors. The New Order, 2014, saw a new timeline introduced, whereby Nazi Germany won World War 2, and occupied the U.S. The New Colossus follows on with this timeline, reintroducing Blazkowicz in 1961, with the US still under Nazi occupation. It’s now up to Blazkowicz to lead the American resistance, and destroy the Nazi menace infesting the land of the free.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is played entirely through the eyes of Blazkowicz, and almost entirely on foot. The action comes thick and fast, with the opening sequence being a particular highlight, as wheelchair-bound Blazkowicz must escape a sinking German submarine. The game revolves around a plot to assassinate several high profile Nazi leaders and takes many fantastical twists and turns. The gameplay is fairly linear, and rarely involves anything other than gunning down wave after wave of enemy soldiers, as well as enhanced super soldiers and other monstrosities. there’s a fairly taut section involving BJs father that you will definitely remember after playing.

The Youngblood

The New Colossus was well received critically and commercially. Two follow-ups are already in development. Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a direct sequel scheduled for release in 2019. This game follows up with BJs daughters searching Europe for their missing father. Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot is a VR standalone entry, played through the eyes of a French hacker, who fights with the resistance in Europe at the same time as the events of Youngblood.

The release trailer below is for the Nintendo Switch version of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Most notable of the port to Switch is the drop in resolution and frame rate. Played on the handheld device you’ll get BJ in a resolution of 360p, and at 30 fps. Even docked apparently it doesn’t get much better. This is a version of Wolfenstein best played on the move. And why not? What better way to take advantage of the good weather here in Ireland than to get outside and murder wave after wave of disgusting Nazi scumbags…

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is available now for Nintendo Switch for 59.99.