Now that we’ve got over the excitement of the initial wave of Switch 2 games (well, just about), we’re entering an interesting phase for the new console where certain types of third-party titles — stuff that’s either been pretty awful or non-existent on Switch 1 — is now starting to drop.
We haven’t had a big annual sports title yet — nothing like the upcoming FC 26 — to really dig into the performance prospects with, and so WWE 2K25 is, thus far, one of the bigger tests of the real-world differences early adopters can expect. And it’s very good news. Amazing news, really. As soon as you boot into this year’s action, which comes after the fiasco that was WWE 2K18 and the disappointing 2K Battlegrounds, you can tell things have changed in a very meaningful way.
It’s in the responsive menus, in how flicking through modes on the game’s home screen is slick and smooth, with accompanying artwork, photos, and videos showing up without stuttering, slow-loading, or other issues. Before you’ve even dug into a practice bout, you can just tell this is a handheld version of the game that’s gonna stand shoulder to shoulder with its other console counterparts in ways that Switch 1 never could.
No more wading through sluggish menus or waiting for assets to load in as you select a mode, then, no more switching off in frustration because stuff is missing or the online is a bust. Indeed, this port (of one of the overall best wrestling games we’ve been treated to in a few years on any platform) has plenty in common with its PS5 sibling in terms of how it looks and plays in action. Bar slightly less detail on textures, it’s really hard to tell the difference in action, and for the first time it feels like Switch WWE fans get the little bells and whistles in terms of volumetric effects and all that nice stuff.
A banger of a port, then. And it’s a strange sensation, to not immediately have to list all the concessions in terms of graphics, resolution, and frame rate required to get it running on a Nintendo console. What we’ve got is a fully-featured version of a 2025 sports game that’s running at 60fps at all times as far as I can see, with the only fly in the ointment of note being the lack of integration with regards to uploading images, which is a shame.
Indeed, this customisation aspect is huge within the community. I’m not sure what can be done, and it’s probably an impossible thing to police all images, I should imagine, if that’s what the problem is. For me personally, this is a non-issue, which is reflected in how I’m scoring it, but for others it may be a very big deal.
Moving on, what about the game itself, now that we know there are no performance issues, even when playing a Royal Rumble? Well, it’s the best time I’ve had with a 2K wrestling game in absolutely ages, and given the paucity of wrestling games on Switch in the first place (sorry, I’m just angry we don’t have Fire Pro Wrestling yet), this really is pretty much as good as it gets for Switch 2 grappling fans.
This year’s outing continues to refine the overall feel of the series’ mechanics. Timings on button presses for various moves, attacks, dodges, and all that jazz are all really responsive this time out, so it’s just a very slick thing to play at its core.
We’ve also got lots of really solid modes to dig into, with all the usuals returning — your WWE Universe, MyGM, MyRise and so on — with plenty of improvements to presentation and options that see MyRise and Showcase the strongest they’ve been in recent memory. I’m not sure anyone has time to play all these modes in a 12-month period, but they’re here anyway.
Barring some very OTT cutscenes, which I’m always down for, new mode The Island feels like a bit of a mess. Think of the city setting in NBA 2K25, except not nearly as good. Hmm…maybe more in line with Street Fighter 6’s open world, but yet again not as good. Anyway, it’s not great, and doesn’t hold your attention enough to keep you invested. The story, involving Roman Reigns and a mystery island, is amusingly performed, I’ll give it that, but alongside MyFaction and its tricksy, show-me-your-wallet ways, this mode seems to exist to get you to start spending all your actual cash.
On the flip side, one really nice addition worth a shoutout this year is that you can now have intergender matchups. I’m actually surprised this hasn’t been in the game earlier, as I’ve skipped quite a few years in a row and just assumed they’d added it, but it’s here and opens up lots of fun new match-ups and roleplaying possibilities. It also let me pit The Rock against Glasgow’s very own Isla Dawn (she smashed his face in and stole what he was cooking), so I’m very happy right now, thanks.
Wrestling games, as far as I’m concerned, have always been a bit confusing for newcomers because you’re not perhaps expecting the actual scrapping to be so reliant on so many timed button presses and QTE-styled shenanigans. It can be off-putting, even disappointing if you aren’t expecting it. And I say this because WWE 2K25 has a fantastic set of tutorials and, more importantly, it beckons you to get stuck in when you load up for the first time.
Give it some time in this mode and all the tricks will be at your disposal quicker than you’d expect. Honestly, once you know the ropes, so to speak, this little genre-within-a-genre can be a real surprise for people who’ve never engaged with it, so kudos for ensuring that this side of things feels much improved.
Indeed, out on the magic blood mat of sweat and death (as I believe it’s known), things have never been better for this franchise. In terms of how it looks and plays, it’s a proper good time that gives solo players, online nomads, and pals who want to party together loads of ways to throw down in local and online modes. There’s an absolutely enormous roster of wrestlers here, too. It’s stacked full of modern and retro favourites, and a whole ton of further unlockable characters to pick up as you play.
The 2025 entry also sees the return of the chain wrestling mechanic that was axed in 2022’s version. This little minigame pops up during early stages of a bout as a test of quickness in how you choose a move and then try to find the rumbling spot on your thumbstick before your opponent, all in order to advance to another, more complex hold and so on. It enables you to pull off some really fancy stuff! It does take a bit of getting used to, mind, but fans should mostly be happy, I’m sure, to see this reintroduced, because it’s the sort of thing that shows a bit of creativity, rather than just dead-eyed retreading of the same mechanics.
I should also give a shoutout to MyRise mode, where I’ll be spending 100% of my time going forward, and in particular to its insanely flexible character creator. Again, this sort of thing just wasn’t enjoyable on Switch 1. There wasn’t the draw that there is when it loads properly and looks as it should, but here it all looks and feels great to interact with, so you’ve got this great big creative timesink in your lap, too – even without the option to upload images that I’ve already mentioned.
Other changes of note see MyGM gain an online mode, so you can now play with pals. Honestly, there’s just so many ways to play this game, both online and off, in terms of rulesets, characters, locations, designs…it’s a wrestling fan’s paradise. And it all runs beautifully on Switch 2, it looks nearly as good as the version I have on PS5, and this one I can play in my lap. Have that! In docked mode — where the graphical shortcomings of a Switch port are usually laid bare — this game looks fab, and even more so when you’re pummeling on the go, as is so often the case round my bit.
So, overall then, is WWE 2K25 the best wrestling game on a Switch console? Yes, it is. It’s also one of the best big-budget grappling efforts we’ve been treated to on any platform in aeons, and this port brings it all home in fine form.
Conclusion
WWE 2K25 powerbombs onto Switch 2 in an excellent port that holds its own against the likes of the PS5 version, and keeps the action smooth and silky, even when you start piling on the wrestlers in a Royal Rumble.
With great looks, best-in-class core mechanics, a ton of online, local, and solo modes, and an enormous roster, this one will keep all you Switch 2 wrasslin’ fans busy for a good long time. Intergender matches, improved MyRise and Showcase, in-depth tutorials, and the return of chain wrestling are all just icing on top.
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