SwitchUp ran Borderlands 3 for Switch through its paces, and the results are promising. It looks to be a very playable experience, even in handheld mode. It doesn’t run at a steady framerate, but it always seems to keep things running above 30 FPS at all times, and usually runs somewhere between 45-60 FPS. That’s quite an accomplishment.

As for file size, there seems to be a discrepancy in the game’s file size listed in the eShop from what’s listed on the back of the game case. The base game is only around 9 GB according to the eShop, and even when all the DLC is downloaded, is only around 20 GB. This is much lower than was first reported by the publisher and reports on the internet. Maybe 2K did some tinkering post-launch to optimize the game’s file size to something reasonable for Switch. On PC, Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition is much, much bigger.

Visually, compromises had to be made. The game looks blurrier and muddier, but it doesn’t look bad. It’s playable and the visual sacrifices will be less noticeable playing in handheld mode on the smaller screen.

Overall, it seems to be another impressive Switch port that could possibly be even better in the future if Switch 2 allows for backwards compatibility and the ability to patch older Switch games already on the eShop.