TUROK on Switch Feels Like Playing a Nintendo 64

Earlier this week, Turok was released on the Nintendo Switch. The game originally premiered on the Nintendo 64 back in 1997. Then, in 2015, Nightdive Studios launched the game on Steam with some minor tweaks. The lovely people at Nightdive Studios were kind enough to send me a copy for the Nintendo Switch release, and I’ve decided that while it’s a few days late, I still wanted to share my thoughts on this game that many view as a classic. I should note though that I never got the chance to play the game before this version. That means I cannot compare it to the PC version or the N64 version.

Let’s get this one out of the way, the models and textures have not changed. It looks like you’re playing an N64 game. The game does support higher resolutions and widescreen formats, so it doesn’t look bad on modern TVs, but if you’re looking for smoother models and textures, this isn’t the game for you. I knew about this going in though, so it wasn’t a big deal to me.

Another aspect I struggled with was the lack of a story. There’s no story. I’m just some guy on an island filled with random people and dinosaurs who are attacking me. I would’ve liked some kind of narrative as to why I’m on this island. Am I trying to stop an evil corporation from using dinosaurs as weapons? This is in no means the fault of the remaster though as there clearly wasn’t a story in the original.

One final point that I have against it is that it makes me feel sick. Once again, I do not blame Nightdive for this problem. I just have noticed that with some games (especially first-person N64 games in single-player mode) I get motion sick. I’m not sure what it is, but it hits hard. If you struggle with playing the original Perfect Dark story mode or if games can make you motion sick, be careful with this one.

What are some positives about this game? Well, for starters, you’re on an island with a bunch of bad guys and dinosaurs that you have to kill. The gameplay itself is actually a lot of fun as you think about which weapon is going to be best against the enemies, and it’s simply fun to see dinosaurs in a game. I derive great joy from that simple fact.

Also, the remaster allows you to re-bind your controls for maximum comfort for the player. Sometimes developers can choose keymappings that aren’t the most intuitive for all people, so it’s always great to have the option to adjust the controls if needed. Another perk of the remaster is that it has gyroscopic controls. Granted, this can be a perk or an annoyance depending on how you see it, but if you don’t like it, you can easily turn it off.

Overall, I felt like Turok on the Switch was a simple port with small tweaks and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. At only $20, it is still a lot of fun as long as you’re not a graphics snob. If you played the original, I can only imagine this is perfect for that nostalgic itch. I felt like I was playing an N64 game on the Switch. There are some problems with my experience of the game, but I also recognize they are not Nightdive’s fault. Heck, even with the few areas that I didn’t like (such as a lack of story), the game is still fun to play although I do question the replay value. I’m interested to see what Turok 2 is like when it comes to the Nintendo Switch later this year.