Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage review for Nintendo Switch 2

We’ve all seen the announcement a while ago about the new Virtua Fighter project in development at SEGA behind the minds of the Like a Dragon franchise. To keep you held over until the inevitable release of the new entry, RGG and SEGA released Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage for Nintendo Switch 2. You might be wondering how well a fighting game like Virtua Fighter 5 might be on a portable platform, and honestly, you might be surprised how great it is.

VF5’s been playable for quite some time now and we’ve seen the few re-releases it’s received over that lifespan, so you mostly know what you’re getting into if you’re a Virtua Fighter fan. But if you’re not familiar, no worries, we’ll touch on it a little for new eyes. Being portable on something like the Switch 2 is excellent, because it means you have a fan-favorite fighter on something with the form factor of a tablet capable of going anywhere with ease. If you’ve been playing Virtua Fighter 5 since its release in 2007 on consoles, you can take that nearly 20 years of muscle memory and skill with you anywhere.

Despite being released early on for the PS3 and Xbox 360, VF5 World Stage still looks good, especially on the Switch 2’s full 1080p screen with HDR capabilities. The visuals are crisp, the colors are nice and full, and the game itself runs smooth as can be. Of all the fighting games I’ve toyed with on Nintendo platforms, I genuinely think Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage plays the best on their controllers. You can obviously get arcade sticks for the Switch 2, but if you’re playing in handheld or with the Pro controller, it’s still pretty comfortable and responsive.

This port’s a little later than other platforms, but it’s still a great option if you travel and need that fighting game kick. I can’t speak on combo fluidity in depth as I’m not a Virtua Fighter pro and come from a different game background, but it felt good to link all your moves together with varying directional attacks and inputs.

On the matter of controls, it’s not super complicated to get accustomed to. You have two punch buttons and a kick button by default, but you can remap your inputs to anything you’d like. The R, L, ZR, and ZL buttons are generally saved for quick combination inputs like Punch and Kick together, or for easier grab inputs. The biggest control hurdle I had coming from games like Street Fighter and Tekken was having to get accustomed to block being a button press instead of just holding back.

It’s by no means hard or complicated, it’s just a muscle memory thing. There really isn’t an explanation I could come up with, but this has been the only instance of a fighting game where the control stick feels alright to use for directional inputs.

The online parts of this port are pretty solid too. Obviously you’re dealing with Switch players, but the Switch 2’s vastly improved network capabilities are noticeable here compared to games on the previous console. Ideally you still use an Ethernet cable, but if you have to rely on wireless connectivity, you’ll be more than comfortable. World Stage’s release on Switch 2 also has full crossplay, so you’ll be able to play with people regardless of platform. Again, just be mindful you’re still on a Nintendo console, so be mindful of connection hiccups on the off chance you run into any.

While it is an older title, I’m still surprised at the quality and general smoothness of Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage on the Switch 2. It plays incredibly well, the online is generally smooth, and runs pretty great. SEGA definitely took some care with this port and it shows. Between the ability to use handheld mode, arcade sticks if you get compatible models, and the ease of portability of the console itself, this might be the best way to play VF5 currently. Whether you’re a returning vet or looking to start with Virtua Fighter ahead of future releases, you probably won’t find a better option.

Note: Sega provided us with a Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage code for review purposes.

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