Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition Review

Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition

Release: January 1, 1970
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Developer: Giants Software
Genre: Simulation, Switch Reviews
PEGI: E
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If you don’t think farming would make a great simulation title, than think again. Although very few people would actually want to be a farmer in every day life, there are tons of people who would love to simulate this experience in a video game. The long running Farming Simulator franchise is back with another installment which is bigger and better than previous titles. Giants Software did an excellent job bringing this title to market, and should be commended for making something so unappealing, so appealing. While much of this review will be direct paste of what has been written, the Nintendo Switch Edition of Farming Simulator brings new options to the table that make the series even better than before.

The Life of a Farmer

There is no dirt under your fingers, no manure on your boots, and no stress around finances. It’s all pretend in Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition and that is exactly what everyone wants. Like real farming, Farming Simulator does have a fairly steep learning curve. A short, albeit descriptive, tutorial only scratches the surface of what the game has to offer, and having a great understanding of different tractors, harvesting equipment, and more will be required to really be successful at this title.

But that is what makes this so appealing. Real life farmers have very little margins for errors, and everything small decision could come at a great cost. That is NOT the case in Farming Simulator, especially if you are playing in real time. Experimentation with your farm is the least accurate element when compared to real farming, but a necessary one to make the game as enjoyable as possible.

Get Those Crops in the Ground

Reviewing Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition will actually be pretty tough, as it’s so hard to explain. So many times, people will see me playing the game out and about, ask what it’s all about, and say, “That sounds incredibly boring.” It’s definitely game you need to play, not hear or read about. If you are reading this, go give it a try!

To sum it up, you plow or cultivate, sow, fertilize, harvest, and sell or store it. There are many ways to get through that progression path, and you’ll have to decide that for yourself. What tractor will you use, and what fertilizer spreader? What will you plant, what will you do with your harvests? Will you sell the bales of hay or save them for when you can afford animals? There are tons of questions to answer, but if you acknowledge and expect a steep learning curve, you will slowly manage.

It’s more than just sowing and harvesting, however. As crops come off the fields, you will have to keep an eye on the local market place, to see who is paying the best price. At times, no one will be paying well so storing it will be ideal. Knowing how the markets change will help you maximize your income. Since money can be difficult to come by early on, it’s important to get every dollar you can.

There is more to decide outside of when to sell. Will you buy your equipment – better if you plan to use it frequently – or rent it for a short job? The title is as much an economy simulation title as a farming simulation title, which only increases its appeal for many players.

Visuals

For the most part, the game looks fantastic. From what my actual farming friends tell me, the tractor representation is pretty spot on, and very few were able to point out seemingly impossible tractor designs. At times, crops within fields disappear for seconds, and a few areas of the map suffered greatly because of framerate drops. To be honest, I only played Goldcrest Valley, so I can only speak to the visuals in this environment. Overall, top notch stuff with a few missteps here and there.

When the game was moved from other consoles to the Nintendo Switch, I was worried about some graphical downgrades and how that would change my experience. So much of my time in Farming Simulator on Xbox One was waiting for the fields to grow, looking at the scenery, and soaking it all in. Thankfully, in docked mode we are still running at 1080, and the game looks fantastic. Even on the go, everything looks crisp and clean on the Nintendo Switch unit.

Audio

The game also sounds great, which creates a higher sense of realism within the player. You’ll hear different noises as you move across different types of terrains with your vehicles, and the tractors sound authentic and real when powered up. It really is impressive to see how much work went into creating a realistic farming experience on consoles and PC. The amount of work necessary to make everything sound right must have taken years. You can easily see how the developers have built off the previous releases.

On the Go Farming

For those that argue that graphics are king for console video games, they really haven’t experienced the Nintendo Switch yet. While Farming Simulator looks better on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, I cannot take those consoles to the dealership for an oil change, or to my docotros offices while waiting for an appointment. I can with the Switch, and I’ll take a small graphical hit everyday to have the experience on my person 24/7.

And Farming Simulator takes advantage of the Nintendo Swithc unit in more ways than one, most notably the touch screen options for navigating the menus. A lot of what you do in Farming Simulator will revolve around the numerous screens in the menu, checking prices on crops, buying and selling machinery, and much more. Being able to use the touch screen is a huge bonus, and makes navigating all the menus that much easier.

Conclusion

It’s a hard game to review, not  because it is bad, but because writing about it just doesn’t do justice. This is something you really need to experience to enjoy. It can be therapeutic as well, and although you might be sitting on your couch with kids screaming around you, somehow you feel like you are outside, away from the world, and in your own happy place. This game has that power, and deserves to be played.

Are you ready to rev up that tractor? We cannot recommend Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition enough, and give it a resounding 8.5/10!