Skullgirls: 2nd Encore

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is another welcome addition to the Switch's fighting game library — if the tiny online community is acceptable to you. While it would've been nice to get something extra for the game's late arrival, all of the previous modes are intact, and the fighting remains as solid and deep as ever. Unless you've already had your fill of the game on other platforms, Skullgirls 2nd Encore on the Switch is well worth a purchase.

Like a favourite movie, Skullgirls 2nd Encore will keep you coming back long after the credits roll. Its beautifully crafted, if a little distasteful at times, and proves that fighting games don’t need big name characters to win plaudits.

If you're a fan of 2D fighters or merely want to get into the genre, Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a solid game to pick up.

It’s a fighting game that doesn’t apologise for its learning curve as it does more than enough to teach the player to improve as long as they are willing to put the effort in. Whether it rivals some of the more famous entries in the genre on the system is of course down to personal preference. Either way, despite a rocky online experience, I had a blast with Skullgirls 2nd Encore on Nintendo Switch. Lab Zero Games truly know how to tune up a decent fighter, and I for one would love to see them revive a new Darkstalkers game that Mike Zaimont has recently been seen playfully pitching across Twitter.

Overall, Skullgirls is a wonderfully charming fighting game, with an incredibly memorable cast of characters all represented by gorgeously animated hand-drawn sprites that just make them feel alive. From Peacock and Parasoul, to Beowulf and Big Band, you’re more than likely to find a character that appeals to you or your playstyle among the cast. The experience is especially heightened by the fantastic jazzy soundtrack provided by Castlevania composer Michiru Yamane. As stated before, if you’re not a fan of the genre as it is, Skullgirls probably won’t change your mind, but if you’re interested in fighting games or already enjoy them as a whole, this is one title you should probably pick up.

With a fantastic style and superlative gameplay, supported by the best netcode in the business, Skullgirls: 2nd Encore is right at home on the Nintendo Switch.

Warts and all, Skullgirls: 2nd Encore is definitely worth picking up if you want a stellar fighting game to play with your friends, though its single player content will keep you entertained for quite a while too. Whether it has online legs remains to be seen though; that will ultimately decide how good an investment the game is for many. Interesting characters and modes aplenty aren’t enough to keep a fighting game afloat in the long-term. Active communities do that.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a frantic 2D fighting game with exquisite artistic design and great animations that will delight fans of the genre. Unfortunately, the online mode does not work properly. However, it has many contents to unlock offline.