I blasted through undead fiends in the Resident Evil 3 remake on Nintendo Switch 2, and this brief action-heavy horror holds up very nicely — here’s why I’d recommend it

TechRadar Verdict

Resident Evil 3 looks and feels great on Nintendo Switch 2, with consistent frame rates, faithful visuals, and smooth controls. It would’ve been nice to see this port take advantage of the Switch 2’s gyro aiming or mouse controls, but this won’t be a dealbreaker for most players. Meanwhile, the core game is one of the most high-octane entries in the series, and conjures up an immensely tense atmosphere — even if it lacks the depth and strong narrative of its predecessor.

Reasons to buy

• +Smooth performance
• +Good visual fidelity in handheld and docked mode
• +Still an extremely tense, atmospheric survival horror experience

Reasons to avoid

• -Doesn’t take advantage of Switch 2’s motion or mouse modes
• -Core game held back by short runtime and average narrative

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While a lot of fans have been mixed on Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 3 since its initial release in 2020, there’s no denying that it's an incredibly tense survival horror experience that’s filled to the brim with high-octane action. And now, you can experience Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira’s terrifying journey on the go, thanks to a new Nintendo Switch 2 port.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch (cloud only), Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC, iOS
Release date: October 16, 2026 (Switch 2 edition)

I’ve spent more than 10 hours playing Resident Evil 3 on Nintendo Switch 2, experiencing the main story in full. So, is it a port that’s worth your time and money? Here’s my take.

For the most part, I want to focus on the quality of this port on Nintendo’s latest hybrid system, but before we delve into that, I’d like to share a few thoughts on the remake of Resident Evil 3 in itself.

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Nemesis is coming for you...

I played through the Resident Evil 2 remake right before this entry, and while there are a lot of similarities in terms of the combat, resource management, environments, and visuals, they have a few striking differences.

Above all, Resident Evil 3 feels far more focused on the action — it feels like you’re constantly on the run, blasting through zombies, and rushing to save the people of Raccoon City. In some ways, this works to the game’s advantage: the horrifying Nemesis is a truly daunting foe, the high-paced gameplay is engaging from start to finish, and the explosive set pieces make this entry feel truly cinematic.

However, the fast pace and distinct action focus come with its drawbacks. The game’s runtime is very short — you’ll easily finish this one in about six hours. On top of that, the overall narrative feels a bit thin, and there are very few puzzles. Ultimately, Resident Evil 3 is still a blast, and its likeable cast and engrossing gameplay make it worth playing alone — it just doesn’t quite have the depth of some of the best entries in the series.

Best bit

OK, I thought Mr. X was frightening in Resident Evil 2, but Nemesis is on a whole other level. He’s far more deadly and imposing, and when he whipped out a flamethrower on the rooftop, I was bricking it. All of the battles against him feel so incredibly tense yet enjoyable, and ended up being my favorite parts of this adventure.

Anyway, let’s talk about how this title plays on Switch 2 specifically. And good news — the Resident Evil 3 remake runs very well on this system. The Switch 2 edition targets 60 frames per second (fps), and I enjoyed smooth frame rates in both docked and handheld mode with barely any noticeable drops. Yes, the movement of some distant enemies could appear a little shaky — something I also saw in the Resident Evil 2 remake on Switch 2 — but even the most action-packed segments of the game were silky smooth.

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