The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

 Switch
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 750 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 617 out of 750
  2. Mixed: 57 out of 750
  3. Negative: 76 out of 750
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  1. battleTerror
    Jan 28, 2018
    10
    Skyrim looks just incredible on Switch. Playing it on the go is about the best portable gaming experience I've had, especially long haul on a plane. The new motion controls are a very welcome addition and really help energise the magic and archery combat which would have been cumbersome otherwise. Audio is also sublime and the game maintains a very respectable frame rate. It's hard to findSkyrim looks just incredible on Switch. Playing it on the go is about the best portable gaming experience I've had, especially long haul on a plane. The new motion controls are a very welcome addition and really help energise the magic and archery combat which would have been cumbersome otherwise. Audio is also sublime and the game maintains a very respectable frame rate. It's hard to find fault with this port ...the caveat being that anything you didn't like about the original hasn't changed. Skyrim is one of the all time greats so I'd recommend this to anyone with a Switch.… Expand
  2. PortableGamer
    Nov 11, 2019
    10
    15 years of portable gaming, this was what we've been dreaming of. Spent hours just staring into snowy night forests and mountains and fighting feels like childhood fantasy. I would give just 9/10 if big consoles would run this with 60 fps, but they don't. Just this one game is a reason to go with Switch.
  3. Footballpires
    Nov 22, 2017
    10
    Really solid port of the Special Edition. Runs at very steady 30fps in both modes and in handeld looks incredible, a dream come true to have Skyrim on the go like this. Glitches will still be found like in any version of the game, but my score is based on the port, rather than the game itself. We already know what game Skyrim is.
  4. ADHGO
    Nov 18, 2017
    10
    Go east go west SKYRIM is the best Game ever made, although it is the same, I encourage the gamers who didn’t taste this amazing adventure to try it now
  5. OzzyTO
    Nov 25, 2017
    10
    Same game it’s always been and with all DLC. Can’t fix what’s not broken. Game plays very smooth, fast load times, and great graphics on the switch. I was very impressed.
  6. JJTX
    Mar 24, 2019
    10
    One of the best games of all time finally comes to a Nintendo platform. While it is nowhere near its PC and other console versions in terms of performance, Skyrim on Nintendo Switch still has just about everything from the legendary Elder Scrolls game. I've put in about 200 hours so far, with at least 50 of those in handheld mode, and I've not encountered a single major glitch or bug. IfOne of the best games of all time finally comes to a Nintendo platform. While it is nowhere near its PC and other console versions in terms of performance, Skyrim on Nintendo Switch still has just about everything from the legendary Elder Scrolls game. I've put in about 200 hours so far, with at least 50 of those in handheld mode, and I've not encountered a single major glitch or bug. If you've never played Skyrim before and you have a Nintendo Switch, this is a great way to experience an amazing open world fantasy RPG.… Expand
  7. sefrabu
    Dec 6, 2017
    10
    My score might be just slightly overblown, as there is no new content, no actual remaster in place, and the game is 7 years old and is sold for a full price. But hey, I'm in the Nord realm again, and it's my, like, 20th playthrough, and I'm still glued to the screen like a teenager, a long, long time ago. And this time, I can take if everywhere with me. If you own a Switch, it's a must.
  8. CDizzness
    May 18, 2020
    10
    Amazing game, amazing port. When it comes to graphics, it's in between the Xbox 360 and Xbox One version (which I personally think runs better than the PS3 and PS4 version.) They took out God rays, but trees still reflect advanced shadows as if the God rays are still shining through them. The water textures are from the next gen versions, the night skies as well. Most of the other texturesAmazing game, amazing port. When it comes to graphics, it's in between the Xbox 360 and Xbox One version (which I personally think runs better than the PS3 and PS4 version.) They took out God rays, but trees still reflect advanced shadows as if the God rays are still shining through them. The water textures are from the next gen versions, the night skies as well. Most of the other textures are from the 360 version, but everything looks much cleaner. The resolution is bumped up as well and the frame rate is locked at 30 and never drops! (Except one instance when I used a scroll that caused an entire room to explode and items went flying everywhere, the frame rate dropped for a split second). You get the entire package on a mobile device, and in handheld mode it looks next gen. What more could you ask for? (Besides mods)… Expand
  9. Bryzzo
    Nov 20, 2017
    10
    This is probably my favorite game ever. I've played for around 100 hours. There's so much to do & explore. It's hard to believe this game is running on a Nintendo console and handheld at that! It runs very smoothly, looks great for a 6 year old game and is totally playable in the dock or handheld mode. I haven't really felt the need to try the motion controls.
  10. bradward
    Mar 4, 2018
    10
    As somebody who has played Skyrim on PC for years, I was a bit worried that the game would not translate well to a smaller screen without keyboard and mouse controls, but I have been pleasantly surprised.

    The graphics are almost (but not quite) as good as on PC or other consoles. Depth of field and light shafts are present, but less pronounced, and the maximum resolution is not as    As somebody who has played Skyrim on PC for years, I was a bit worried that the game would not translate well to a smaller screen without keyboard and mouse controls, but I have been pleasantly surprised.

    The graphics are almost (but not quite) as good as on PC or other consoles. Depth of field and light shafts are present, but less pronounced, and the maximum resolution is not as large. It feels a bit more like vanilla Skyrim than Special Edition, but I was still very impressed with the graphics, especially when I'm playing in the portable mode.

    Sound is one area where I have noticed some good and bad. On the PC version, I feel like I have to turn the volume way up in order to hear some of the ambiance and character voices, but on the Switch version, they have balanced the sound levels out wonderfully. It sounds great without having to blast it. However, there are some audio issues added in this version as well. Sometimes, when casting a spell, the audio gets delayed until several seconds after the spell is complete, and then plays. Also, I will occasionally hear an audio spike. It sounds like some loud static for just a fraction of a second, and this definitely did not happen in any other version of the game that I have played. But, these audio issues are rare enough to shrug off.

    Gameplay is just as great as it has always been. Having so many different ways to play and things to do basically guarantees high replay value and the possibility of putting hundreds of hours into the game. That said, it also retains the same bugs from previous versions. In maybe 100 hours of playing the Switch version, it has crashed three times. I hear that you can avoid crashes if you close out of the game completely (and not just put it in sleep mode). I have started doing this occasionally, and haven't had a crash since.

    Controls are pretty impressive. I'm not a huge fan of using a controller for a first person game, but the Switch version compensates by allowing you to use motion controls to aim magic or bows, and it works pretty well. It can still be a bit of a pain when trying to aim very precisely at a far away target because the motion controls aren't extremely precise, but I still find that I often prefer using motion controls over the sticks. Plus the Switch version (and the Special Edition generally) has aim assist on by default, so that helps out too.

    The Switch version also allows for motion controls when picking locks, which is pretty satisfying.
    And finally, the Switch version includes some Zelda-themed gear, which you can get even if you don't have an Amiibo. This gear is good, but not the best you can find in Skyrim.

    To conclude, Skyrim on Switch is pretty much the same Skyrim that everybody knows and loves, but you can take it on the go, and it adds some pretty useful motion controls. It's a must-buy for anybody who hasn't yet played Skyrim or for anyone who just needs an excellent first person RPG on the go.    … Expand
  11. BigEvilSquirrel
    Aug 12, 2018
    10
    5 out of 5.
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is open and expansive, giving you the tools to truly play the way you want. The variety of quest lines will keep you busy for quite some time. Leveling doesn’t penalize you as previous entries in the series, and that is a welcome change. Combat is excellent. The stories are great with some hard decisions as to which side to take, while making you    5 out of 5.
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is open and expansive, giving you the tools to truly play the way you want. The variety of quest lines will keep you busy for quite some time. Leveling doesn’t penalize you as previous entries in the series, and that is a welcome change. Combat is excellent. The stories are great with some hard decisions as to which side to take, while making you feel uneasy either way. The world is vast, you will be hard pressed to run out of things to do. If you’ve played a Bethesda game, you know what to expect, and this game is their masterpiece.    … Expand
  12. sceic
    Nov 26, 2017
    10
    做为PS3时代与Steam时代都未能通关（因为开场马车很便宜啊，坐马车到别的城后，就不可收拾的陷入杂乱分支任务）但一直无法放下的作品。这游戏也是买的第三份，能在掌机上玩到上古卷轴5SE，720P近乎不妥协的画面，帧数也不怎么掉落，并且首发中文版，不用像其它语言一样需要补丁，给满分表示我的喜悦之情。。。做为PS3时代与Steam时代都未能通关（因为开场马车很便宜啊，坐马车到别的城后，就不可收拾的陷入杂乱分支任务）但一直无法放下的作品。这游戏也是买的第三份，能在掌机上玩到上古卷轴5SE，720P近乎不妥协的画面，帧数也不怎么掉落，并且首发中文版，不用像其它语言一样需要补丁，给满分表示我的喜悦之情。。。
  13. b00lpr0p
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    What should I say about his game? It's just a amazing, a totally must have! I felt like playing a real tabletop RPG, as it has the most realistic roleplay I've ever seen in a e-game. TONS of quests are waiting for you, wherever you are, Dovahkiin!
  14. destinyfan1
    Nov 17, 2017
    10
    Yep zelda is a great game , but one of my favorite rpg's come's to the switch
    Just imagine ,running trough the big world just on a small screen on a plain
    It pretty much has everything that the other console version have
    Only controls are a bit hard in the beginning
    That doesn't take anything away from the 10 ,the game is just so good
    A must buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  15. CzarSquid
    Feb 20, 2022
    10
    The last game Bethesda ever made. Press F to pay respects to the fallen giant
  16. A-A-Ron837
    Jan 4, 2018
    10
    I mean, it's skyrim. It was amazing and fun when it first came out, and it is still amazing and fun today. I'm not going to do an in-depth review of the game, since it has been out for the past 6 years. I personally had never played skyrim until now, so it was even better for me. It impresses me that Bethesda was able to port a game as massive as skyrim to the switch, and have it run nearI mean, it's skyrim. It was amazing and fun when it first came out, and it is still amazing and fun today. I'm not going to do an in-depth review of the game, since it has been out for the past 6 years. I personally had never played skyrim until now, so it was even better for me. It impresses me that Bethesda was able to port a game as massive as skyrim to the switch, and have it run near perfectly. It looks good, considering it's a last-gen game, and frame drops are very scarce. The best part though, is that you can now take skyrim anywhere you want with no inconveniences. There goes my social life. Weather you had never played it, or you had played it for hundreds of hours, this is an amazing port for an amazing game.… Expand
  17. TopHatHapi
    Nov 18, 2017
    10
    I never picked up Skyrim before the Switch version came out, so I'm glad it came out when it did because I probably would have never bought it otherwise. This port is one of the best ports I've seen on a Nintendo console, next to Doom, if you haven't picked up Skyrim, I highly recommend it on the Switch, being able to play such a huge and amazing game on the go and at home docked is one ofI never picked up Skyrim before the Switch version came out, so I'm glad it came out when it did because I probably would have never bought it otherwise. This port is one of the best ports I've seen on a Nintendo console, next to Doom, if you haven't picked up Skyrim, I highly recommend it on the Switch, being able to play such a huge and amazing game on the go and at home docked is one of my favorite things about this game and the console its on.… Expand
  18. sonicpulsar
    Nov 21, 2017
    10
    Skyrim is outstanding on the Switch. It's beautiful, it runs well, has motion controls, HD rumble and most of all I can be on an adventure anywhere; portable mode is crisp and as good as it gets!
  19. Voodooseeker
    Nov 17, 2017
    10
    This game got hundreds of hours of content. I think the game is pretty crispy both in docked and handled. Nothing is left out in this Switch version, beautiful work - thank you Bethesda.
    I'm very impressed - and I'm able to carry Tamriel in my bag every day. My lunch breaks gonna be more fun from now on. This game is worth a re-visit + a must have for you Nintendo Switch!
  20. VincentWarte
    Nov 17, 2017
    10
    BEATIFUL! Since 2011 I dreamed to play a game like Skyrim on the go. I have a strong passion for handhelds, and I even bought a handheld Windows PC (GPD Win) to play games like Skyrim and Witcher 3 on the go. Unfortunately, that pocket PC wasn't strong enough to deliver and acceptable experience, and also the controls were not always easy to handle.
    But this port is the definitive way to    BEATIFUL! Since 2011 I dreamed to play a game like Skyrim on the go. I have a strong passion for handhelds, and I even bought a handheld Windows PC (GPD Win) to play games like Skyrim and Witcher 3 on the go. Unfortunately, that pocket PC wasn't strong enough to deliver and acceptable experience, and also the controls were not always easy to handle.
    But this port is the definitive way to go if you want to play on the go. The game runs perfectly fine on the Switch, it's the full Skyrim game, nothing was left out. I love it! If you're into that kind of games, then GO for it!    … Expand
  21. michellelynn097
    Nov 17, 2017
    10
    What a wonderful game. It was amazing back in 2011 and it is amazing now. More so because they have removed most of the bugs (some were left in for comedy) and you can take it on the go with you. The frame rate is smoother than the PS4 version, and the Joy Con motion controls work wonderfully.
  22. sofaspartan
    Nov 30, 2017
    10
    It boggles my mind that Bethesda was able to port such a colossal game like Skyrim to the Switch! Looking great and playing great, Skyrim is still the game I know and love and now it can be played anywhere at anytime. There are no compromises in quality with this port, however if you are comparing this to the other console releases obviously this doesn't match the visual quality of those.It boggles my mind that Bethesda was able to port such a colossal game like Skyrim to the Switch! Looking great and playing great, Skyrim is still the game I know and love and now it can be played anywhere at anytime. There are no compromises in quality with this port, however if you are comparing this to the other console releases obviously this doesn't match the visual quality of those. While this version of Skyrim lacks the high resolution textures, and mods found in other versions of the game, I would still consider this to be the definitive way to play the game due to its portability factor. This is a must buy for anyone looking to dive back in to the world of Skyrim and a no-brainer for those uninitiated.… Expand
  23. Maxttvd
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Skyrim, um RPG épico, é melhor ainda ainda quando se joga no modo portátil, ainda mais no Switch que roda com perfeição.
  24. aisijimoren
    Jan 15, 2018
    10
    Anytime, anywhere, playing, killing, loving as a dragonborn, amazing live in skyrim. Love the way on switch!
  25. Ryijun
    Jul 11, 2020
    10
    Well, without further ADO.) Hey, buy Skyrim.)) Excellent port, no sagging anywhere, technically everything is perfect. As an action-RPG game, I also liked it, a lot of spells, weapons, armor, dragons in the end.) What else is needed.
  26. HenryDrago
    Mar 5, 2018
    10
    extremely excellent !! A fantastic world to explore, fun missions that are even more difficult considering the level of the player, incredible opponents, enemies and memorable factions (and boring to face when they defeat you several times in a row ahaha ...). The Elders Scrolls V was the best game I played until the end of this review.
  27. TARKUSironBLACK
    Mar 22, 2018
    10
    eu poderia ficar aki citando todas as qualidades do jogo mais ficaria chato pois sao tantas que daria 1 textao ,porem vou falar dos defeitos :bugs quests repetitivas e graficos nao tao belos assim .porem mesmo asim eu tenho skyrim em 2 consoles e no pc e em cada 1 tenho 2 .3.4 saves e em cada 1 dos saves tenho entre 100 a 500 horas se somar todo o tempo que joguei e ainda jogo ate hojeeu poderia ficar aki citando todas as qualidades do jogo mais ficaria chato pois sao tantas que daria 1 textao ,porem vou falar dos defeitos :bugs quests repetitivas e graficos nao tao belos assim .porem mesmo asim eu tenho skyrim em 2 consoles e no pc e em cada 1 tenho 2 .3.4 saves e em cada 1 dos saves tenho entre 100 a 500 horas se somar todo o tempo que joguei e ainda jogo ate hoje daria milhares de horas nen 1 jogo fez isso ate hoje entao é inegavel o que esse jogo representa viva 1 vida dentro do mundo do skyrim.… Expand
  28. Rapture_Veri
    Oct 7, 2022
    10
    So far this is one of the best open world games on the switch! The gameplay still holds up great in 2019!
  29. Kakadu
    Mar 23, 2020
    10
    It's just an amazing port. To play Skyrim on a handheld is incredible and Bethesda has done flawless work. It runs perfect and look as good as ever. Good job Bethesda. This is one of the best version of Skyrim.
  30. agge1415
    May 2, 2019
    10
    its just simply amazing, playing skyrim on the switch compared to the ps3 is like night and day, the ps3 verision was the worst one and going to whats the best one according to me becouse of how good it looks and with how stable it is and damn the load time are short
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Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best Switch Game of 2017
11
#11 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
6
#6 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 63
  3. Negative: 0 out of 63
  1. CD-Action
    Feb 8, 2018
    85
    Anyone who dreamed of exploring Skyrim on the go or during prolonged toilet sessions, will instantly forgive a slight downgrade needed to ensure fluidity (the game almost always runs at 30 fps). Apart from some visual trade-offs and a bit of exclusive Nintendo content (e.g. Link’s outfit) it’s the same game you know and possibly love. [01/2018, p.50]
  2. games(TM)
    Jan 25, 2018
    80
    It's Skyrim, warts and all, in your pocket. [Issue#196, p.90]
  3. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Jan 7, 2018
    90
    Whether it's your first Elder Scrolls experience or your fifth, Skyrim is still a worthy journey. [Issue #31 – January/February 2018, p. 25E]
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