Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition Nintendo Switch 2 Review

Hello everyone, I'm Lao Wang, a Nintendo Switch gamer and game reviewer with over ten years of experience. Today, we're going to talk about a controversial but nostalgic title – Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, and its performance on the Nintendo Switch, especially the future Nintendo Switch 2.

1. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition Nintendo Switch Version Overview

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition includes three classic titles: Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This "Definitive Edition" aims to revitalize these classic games through visual upgrades, operation optimizations, and more. However, its initial performance on the Nintendo Switch was disappointing.

At launch, optimization issues were severe, the frame rate was unstable, and bugs were rampant, leading many players to complain about a terrible experience. After subsequent updates and fixes, the situation has improved, but it's still far from perfect. Considering the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, I have higher expectations for these three games.

2. Gameplay Review: The Core Experience of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

2.1 Core Mechanics and Mission Design

The core charm of the Grand Theft Auto series lies in its open-world freedom, where players can freely explore vast cities, complete main missions, participate in various side activities, and experience a realistic criminal life. All three games follow this core mechanic, with each city having its unique style and story.

• Grand Theft Auto III: Set in Liberty City, it pioneered the 3D open world. The plot is compact, the missions are diverse, and it's full of gang warfare.
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: Based on 1980s Miami, it creates a neon-lit, rock-and-roll-filled Vice City. The plot focuses more on personal grudges, and the soundtrack is a classic.
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: The largest in scope, it tells the story of CJ in the state of San Andreas, covering social issues such as gangs, police corruption, and racial conflict.

2.2 Handling: Improvements Brought by the Definitive Edition

The "Definitive Edition" has made some modern improvements to the handling, such as adding aiming and shooting mechanics similar to Grand Theft Auto V and optimizing vehicle handling. However, on the Nintendo Switch, due to hardware limitations and optimization issues, the handling still feels somewhat stiff, especially during fast movement and high-intensity combat. Hopefully, the Nintendo Switch 2's powerful performance can completely solve this problem.

2.3 Challenge and Replayability

All three games offer rich main storylines and side missions, as well as a large number of hidden elements and collectibles. Players can spend dozens or even hundreds of hours exploring each city and experiencing different criminal lives. However, due to some repetitive mission designs and uneven difficulty, some players may feel bored.

3. Graphics and Sound Review: The Audiovisual Presentation of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

3.1 Visual Upgrades: Falling Short of Expectations

The "Definitive Edition" has significantly upgraded the graphics, including improving model accuracy, increasing texture detail, and improving lighting effects. However, due to optimization issues and the choice of art style, the visual performance is not satisfactory. On the Nintendo Switch, the picture quality is further reduced, with obvious jagged edges, blurry textures, and unstable frame rates, which seriously affects the gaming experience. If it can run on the Nintendo Switch 2, with higher resolution and more stable frame rates, I believe the visual performance will be significantly improved. You can refer to nintendo switch2 first look to learn about the possible visual improvements.

3.2 Sound Performance: Still Classic

The sound effects of the Grand Theft Auto series have always been praised, especially the radio music, which includes a large number of classic songs, perfectly recreating the atmosphere of each era. This "Definitive Edition" retains the original sound effects and has made some repairs and optimizations, allowing players to immerse themselves in the classic music again.

3.3 Visual Bugs and Technical Issues

The biggest problem with the "Definitive Edition" is its technical issues, including model errors, texture bugs, lighting problems, and more. These problems seriously affect the gaming experience and disappoint players. Although Rockstar Games has released some patches to fix them, some problems still exist. Hopefully, on the Nintendo Switch 2, these problems can be completely solved through better optimization and higher hardware performance.

4. Plot and Narrative Review: The Soul of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

4.1 Story Background and Character Development

The Grand Theft Auto series is known for its engaging plot and distinctive character development. All three games tell different crime stories, and each protagonist has their unique personality and motivation.

• Grand Theft Auto III: Claude is a taciturn criminal, and his story is full of betrayal and revenge.
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: Tommy Vercetti is an ambitious gangster, and his story is full of power struggles and money temptations.
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: Carl Johnson (CJ) is a young man who fights for his family and friends, and his story is full of social issues and personal growth.

4.2 Narrative Techniques and Theme Exploration

The Grand Theft Auto series is known for its black humor and satire. The game uses exaggerated and distorted techniques to show the dark side of American society, exploring complex issues such as power, money, crime, and race.

4.3 Plot Defects and Room for Improvement

Although the plot of the Grand Theft Auto series is engaging, there are also some defects, such as uneven plot rhythm and insufficient character development. I hope future works can further improve the plot and make players more involved in the story.

5. Handling Review: The Experience on the Nintendo Switch

On the Nintendo Switch, the handling of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is a mixed bag. Although optimizations have been made, the experience is not perfect due to machine limitations.

5.1 Operation Mode: Handheld Mode vs. TV Mode

In handheld mode, the operation feels more cramped due to the smaller screen and limited operating space. In TV mode, you can use the Pro controller, which improves the handling, but some problems still exist.

5.2 Button Mapping and Custom Settings

The "Definitive Edition" provides a custom button mapping function, allowing players to adjust the button layout according to their habits. However, the custom setting options are limited and cannot meet the needs of all players.

5.3 Vibration Feedback and Somatosensory Operation

The "Definitive Edition" supports the vibration feedback function, but the vibration effect is relatively rough and lacks delicacy. The game does not provide somatosensory operation functions, which may be a regret for some players. I hope that more abundant operation methods, such as somatosensory operation, can be added in the future Nintendo Switch 2 version.

6. Nintendo Switch 2 Outlook: The Future of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

Considering the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, I have higher expectations for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition.

6.1 Improvements Brought by Performance Improvement

The Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to have more powerful performance, which will directly improve the visual performance and smooth operation of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. Higher resolution, more stable frame rates, and more detailed textures will all allow players to have a better gaming experience. At the same time, nintendo switch2 price will also directly determine whether this game will attract more new players.

6.2 Optimization and Repair: Solving Existing Problems

The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 will also provide developers with better optimization space to solve the bugs and technical problems existing in the current version. Better optimization will make the game run more stably, reduce crashes and lag, and improve the overall player experience.

6.3 New Functions and Features: Exploring More Possibilities

The Nintendo Switch 2 may add new functions and features, such as more advanced vibration feedback, more precise somatosensory operation, more powerful network functions, and more. These new functions will bring more possibilities to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, improving the game's playability and interactivity.

6.4 Backwards Compatibility: Retaining Existing Achievements

If the Nintendo Switch 2 can achieve backwards compatibility, then players can directly experience Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition on the new console without having to repurchase it. In addition, if the game can be optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2, then players will get a better gaming experience. You can refer to nintendo switch2 compatibility to learn about possible compatibility issues.

7. Summary and Score: The Value of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is a controversial work. On the one hand, it carries the childhood memories of countless players, and revisiting the classics is a kind of nostalgia; on the other hand, its poor optimization and technical problems seriously affect the gaming experience and disappoint players.

On the Nintendo Switch, due to hardware limitations, the gaming experience is not ideal. However, considering the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, I have higher expectations for this game. If it can run on the new console and be better optimized, I believe Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition can shine with new brilliance.

Score: 6.5/10

Reason for Scoring:

• Advantages: Classic plot, rich game content, modern operational improvements.
• Disadvantages: Poor optimization, a large number of bugs, poor picture performance.

Reference Score:

• IGN: 6/10 (https://www.ign.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-review)
• Metacritic: 55/100 (https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy---the-definitive-edition)

Purchase Advice:

If you are a loyal fan of the Grand Theft Auto series and have a certain tolerance for optimization issues, then you can consider purchasing it. But if you have high requirements for picture quality and smoothness, it is recommended to wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 version or choose other platforms.

8. Suggestions for Players

• Wait Patiently: If you have high requirements for the gaming experience, it is recommended to wait for the official release of optimization patches for the Nintendo Switch 2.
• Pay Attention to the Community: Pay attention to the game community to learn about the latest bug fixes and optimization information.
• Adjust Settings: Adjust game settings according to your preferences, such as picture quality, operation method, etc.

I hope my review has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a message in the comment section. See you next time!