Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Switch Review – Free to Win!

It has been a long, long wait, but Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, also known as Free for All now, is finally available on the Nintendo Switch as a free-to-play version of its former self. This was a massive hit in August 2020 when it initially released, and it was one of those pandemic games that just connected with its audience in the same way Among Us did. But it is 2022 now, and there is a lot more within Fall Guys than there was at the 2020 launch.

So is Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout the ultimate version on the Nintendo Switch? Or is this a bit too little, too late? Let’s find out!

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has been out for almost a couple years now, and a lot has changed since it first hit the scene back in 2020. For starters, it was originally developed by Mediatonic and published by Devolver Digital, but after a short period, Epic Games became the publisher and what we have now is a free-to-play model that abandoned its original structure for something a bit different.

Fall Guys is a platformer battle royale of sorts where you need to outdo your opponents in a variety of tasks, like racing to a finish, surviving, and more, and it is presented in such a way that it is like a game show. There are multiple rounds where a certain number of contestants pass through until the final round where a true winner is declared. This formula still exists in the free-to-play version.

For what it’s worth, Fall Guys is pretty much the same wild experience it was back when it first released, but it does take some hits on the Nintendo Switch due to limited power and internet capabilities. For starters, I noticed the performance issues right from the get-go. My opponents were constantly lagging, and their character textures would take a while to load. For context, I am using my Switch in docked mode with a LAN connection, so my speed is as good as it can be. Despite that, the issues are still there.

Thankfully, though, the way they designed the Switch version is to make sure your experience is smooth, so although your opponents may appear to be clipping, rubber banding, and such, you should not. I have been playing nonstop for hours now, and although finding a match can take ages, once I am in a game, I never experienced a single drop or disconnect. I understand that my LAN connection helps here tremendously, but it also shows that the servers are doing their jobs as well.

In terms of gameplay, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is still a blast. The choices in shows are varied, like Solo Show where you compete alone, Squads Show where you play with teammates, and Duos Show where you play with another person. There is also Stadium Stars Show, which is the current limited time event, and it looks like this will refresh every so often. The different games within each show are a lot of fun, although some times they can feel cheap and frustrating due to your starting position or other factors. For me, though, the racing stages are the most fun while the survival ones feel like they are lacking in something.

Since Fall Guys is a free-to-play game now, how does this affect things? Well, the good news is there is no pay-to-win option here. Similar to other great free-to-play games out there, like Team Fortress, Fall Guys goes down the route of paying for cosmetics. Basically, as you play the game, you earn in-game currency that can be used to buy some basic costumes and goodies. However, if you want all the cool stuff, then you need to pay some real money for Show-Bucks, but thankfully that is completely up to you. You can earn Show-Bucks without spending money, but like any free-to-play model, this will take ages to buy anything worthwhile.

Creating parties on the Switch is easy thanks to the in-game invite system, and you can have a party of up to 4 players, which is great for both Squads and Duos (Or for bragging in Solo). This is wonderful, because the Switch’s own ability to invite friends is lacking, and the dependency on the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app is ridiculous. But in-game chat among your party is possible without having to use your phone.

The beans still look hilarious and bounce and flop around like they always have, and despite the technical issues on the Switch, this is still a beautiful game that glows in so many ways thanks to its vibrant colors, unique stage designs, and charming customizable characters. It is a little unfortunate that the connection issues on Switch prevent the game from looking its best, but I still stand on the fact that it looks amazing.

As for the soundtrack in Fall Guys, I am not a fan. I get that it is supposed to sound like a game show, but the constant playing grates after a while and I simply recommend muting (Or at least lowering) the music in-game. All of the other sounds, though, are fantastic, and I find the little grunts and bounces of the beans to be hilarious.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is still a ton of fun even after almost two years. This is a welcomed addition to the Nintendo Switch, and its free-to-play price is going to attract a lot of players.

It is not a perfect experience, as the connectivity issues on Switch hurt, but everything else transferred over really well and the game is just as fun as it always has been. Seasons will keep things fresh, so this can definitely be a go-to title for anyone looking for some online competition on their hybrid console.

I mean, it’s free, so why no get on the eShop, download it, and try it out? Worst case scenario, you don’t like it and can delete it. But the best case scenario? You will love it, play a ton of it, and laugh alongside your friends that enjoy it, too.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Review provided by Nintendo Link
Publisher: Epic Games
Developer: Mediatonic
Release Date: June 21st, 2022
Price: $0.00, £0.00, €0,00
Game Size: 40 MB (Plus in-game updates)