Games
With Rockstar's perp-squeezing classic LA Noire soon to appear on the Nintendo Switch, we imagine how the anarchic world of Grand Theft Auto could translate to the console.
It's an exciting time to be a Rockstar fan. Red Dead Redemption 2 is galloping over the horizon, and LA Noire, the developers' detective cult classic, is reemerging on all our favourite, next-gen consoles, including the Nintendo Switch. For Nintendo fans, this is a Very Big Deal.
Rockstar's work with Nintendo has certainly adhered to the quality over quantity rule, with 2009's superb Grandt Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars the last collaboration between the two. Ask any Nintendo owner, however, and they'd prefer a little more quantity. With the Wii receiving an excellent port of Bully back in 2008, perhaps it's time for Rockstar's most famous franchise, and its most recent instalment, to receive similar treatment on Switch. Excitingly, the anonymous tipster who first revealed LA Noire would be coming to Switch has claimed a port is in the works. But what exactly would GTA on the Nintendo Switch look like?
Power up Online Race with exploding shells
What's more fun than Mario Kart? That's the question we hope Rockstar will ask themselves if GTA V, and GTA Online, were to make it to Switch. Online Race is a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend your time in San Andreas. Whether you're on land, in the water, or airborne, testing your skills against other players is a thrilling way to make the most of GTA's excellent driving mechanics. That said, what's more fun than Mario Kart?
The answer, is very little. This is why we'd love to see Rockstar and Nintendo merge features from the classic karter with GTA Online Race, offering drivers the chance to collect fireable shells, speed boosts and the all-powerful Super Star to further spice up proceedings. While this may seem unlikely, we've already seen Rocket League incorporate a Mario Kart into its driving roster, and Rockstar have made it clear that they're willing to shake things up with the arrival of Transform Races.
Essentially, all the pieces are in place to see those three green shells hanging from the back of your Sentinel: we want to see it happen.
Bring driving to life with the Joy-Con Wheel
While we're on the subject of Online Race, why not bring the experience of hurtling around the streets of Los Santos to life by manoeuvring those hairpins with an actual steering wheel? Part of the joy of Switch is the hands-on experience afforded by the Joy-Con controllers (more on this later). Whether it's swinging, shaking, or swiveling, the tactile Joy-Con is a Switch USP, so why couldn't this be translated to racing in GTA V?
Nintendo's Joy-Con Wheel could help bring an arcade-edge to Online Race. The reasonably-priced steering wheel accessory was launched in April, and only requires you to insert your Joy-Con into the wheel before using. It's a shame, then, that Switch users have such a limited number of games to actually make use of the wheel. It's been a hit with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe players and could bring an all-new racing experience to GTA Online, so we'd love for this to become part of the San Andreas experience.
Feel the Joy-Con with GTA mini games
With the Wii, Nintendo struck upon something that is too often forgotten in the games industry: that video games are meant to be, y'know, fun. Sure, they can be more than that too – challenging, artful, beautiful – but for the most part, people play games to have a good time. The Nintendo Wii, and, in particular, Wii Sports, reminded everyone of this fact, inspiring families and friends to gather together to swing around a motion controller to compete at golf, bowling, baseball and more. The downside, of course, was the number of broken TVs.
Thankfully, Switch has seen Nintendo building on the Wii's success with the Joy-Con controllers, which include new features like the infrared motion sensor and "HD Rumble" to offer an improved tactile experience. So, where does GTA come in? The answer, again, is sports. Grand Theft Auto has a long history of sporting mini games, from baseball, to darts and pool. GTA on Switch could breathe new life into these mini games, offering a Wii Sports-esque experience within the world of GTA V. Best to draw the line there, however, as swinging a baseball bat in GTA isn't always for sporting reasons.
Become the king of Kong
Arcade machines have been a fixture of GTA since the heady, neon-soaked days of Vice City, where the unplayable Pogo the Monkey proved a tempting glimpse into the series' mini game future. True enough, GTA: San Andreas offered the users the chance to play four arcade games, including the similarly simian-based Go Go Space Monkey. Recent instalments have included GTA IV's QUB3D, and Online's Don't Cross the Line.
While Rockstar's arcade games have always been enjoyable, they've rarely been as compulsive, compelling, or infuriating as the true arcade classics. Were GTA to make an appearance on Switch, we'd love to see this change, with Rockstar incorporating a playable version of Nintendo's most famous (or infamous, depending on your patience levels) arcade game – Donkey Kong. The inclusion of the legendarily difficult platformer would add even more hours into the single player campaign, and could introduce an element of King of Kong-style competition, uploading your high scores online to battle it out to see who's the Billy Mitchell of San Andreas.
Grab yourself a Game Boy
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone without fond memories of the Game Boy. Whether you started out with the big grey brick, the sleeker Game Boy Colour or the purple beauty that was the Game Boy Advance, there's a good chance that special Nintendo handheld still holds a place in your heart. For some, the Game Boy is the equivalent of the first love you never quite get over, dreaming wistfully of the times spent on Zelda: Link's Awakening, or Warioland, wishing you could return to those halcyon days. GTA V on Switch could be just the thing to scratch that nostalgia itch.
In GTA V your mobile phone is invaluable, allowing you to save your game, sign up for missions, and yes, even take selfies. The depth of detail on the mobile phone truly becomes apparent, however, in first person mode, where you can scroll through settings, check your emails and rifle through your contacts. On Switch, we'd love to have the option for Trevor, Michael, or Franklin to pick up from a different pocket and withdraw not a phone, but a classic Nintendo handheld. Seeing the fading in of the grey Nintendo logo would be another joyous touch to a game brimming with them. And why stop there? If arcade games are playable, why not add a couple of Game Boy classics to enjoy while you're strolling the streets of Los Santos? We’d love to see the characters removing and blowing the cartridge after an initial, dusty attempt at firing up an old favourite.
Coordinate heists with the Nintendo Switch Online app
Heists are a major part of GTA Online, and the gathering together of a group of likeminded players to bust someone out of the joint is something we'd love to see were GTA to make it to Switch. That said, teamwork is a necessity for a successful heist, and so you have to be able to speak with and coordinate with other players. This is where Nintendo Switch online chat comes in.
While the Nintendo Switch Online app has had a mixed reception, Nintendo have made strides to ensure chat functionality is available, adding wireless headwork capability in a recent update. For eager heisters, creating a game through the lobby on your smartphone app will likely be the answer for those Switch users who want to experience GTA in full, both online and offline, and is a feature we'd love to see included if GTA on Switch ever sees the light of day.
