Are you ready to battle hordes of demons anywhere from a passenger airliner to the comfort of your own bathtub? One of the greatest dungeon-crawling adventures has finally made its debut on the most versatile console on the market. Diablo III Eternal Collection is available now for the Nintendo Switch.
Diablo III Eternal Collection Details
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Genre: Action role playing, hack and slash
Modes: Single player, multi-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Rise of the portable dungeon crawler
Since releasing in 2012, Diablo III has been selling millions of copies and seeing plenty of new content and updates. I’ve been playing since the beginning myself, first on PC and later on PlayStation consoles. Regardless, I have to say that I’m not sure any amount of joy matches being able to take Diablo III Eternal Collection with me on my daily commute.
The game runs beautifully in portable mode, with barely a hiccup. It looks great, even if it isn’t the most graphically intense way to play. The fact that I can jump into the unholy fray anywhere from my morning train ride to a cross-country flight more than makes up any minor compromise in graphics.
The gameplay loop in Diablo III Eternal Collection is so simple but so addicting. Blast through waves of demonic enemies, gather loot, and repeat. It’s the perfect game to jump in and out of whenever you can steal a few minutes with your Nintendo Switch.
The complete package
Diablo III Eternal Collection doesn’t hold anything back for the Nintendo Switch. It’s the most complete bundle to date, including both the Reaper of Souls and (most recent) Rise of the Necromancer expansions. This means that there are a full seven different classes available to choose from.
Having not previously tried out Rise of the Necromancer, I was quick to choose that class for my first character. I’m happy to report that the necromancer class is extremely fun to play, and possibly my favourite among all the classes. Well, ok—maybe my second favourite. I’ll never abandon my original demon hunter!
Regardless, the necromancer is an awesome class with a satisfying set of attacks and combos. There’s nothing better than piling up the corpses, only to cause them to explode and deal even more damage to remaining enemies. I felt like I had barely blinked on my first session and was already 2 hours in and 15 levels deep.
A new set of armour from a Nintendo legend
I know what you’re thinking. Sure, Diablo III Eternal Collection gives me all of the content to date on the portable Switch—but what else do I get? Developer Blizzard hears you, and they’ve put in some nice bonus Zelda exclusives just for its Nintendo fanbase.
First off, you can earn a unique Cucco companion pet to accompany you around Sanctuary. There is also a Tri-Force portrait frame. You’ll get a unique set of cosmetic wings as well.
Last but certainly not least, Diablo III Eternal Collection for Nintendo Switch offers a unique transmogrification set. This exclusive content is inspired by Link’s iconic nemesis. You’ll be able to sport the armour of none other than Ganondorf himself.
‘Tis the season
When creating a new character in Diablo III Eternal Collection you’ll be able to choose between a regular character or a “Seasonal” character. Seasonal characters play and compete to complete seasonal challenges throughout the game. By climbing the seasonal leaderboards, these characters can earn special rewards and legendary items.
The only issue with seasonal characters is that seasons are online and therefore require an internet connection. This isn’t something you might normally think about when playing on an exclusively home console. When travelling with the Switch however, it might cause you some grief.
If you suspend play while connected to a seasonal character, you’ll be able to continue playing even when you’ve lost your connection. However, if you haven’t already launched a play session with your seasonal character, you won’t be able to do so without an internet connection.
This is something that hit me the first time I took my game mobile without already being in a play session. It was a bummer when I took my seat on the train only to realize I wasn’t going to be able to play with my seasonal necromancer character.
I understand the logic behind needing an internet connection. Still, considering the awesome portability of the Switch, I wish they had found a way to let players launch their seasonal character on the go, checking their progress in once a connection to the leaderboards could ultimately be made.
It’s dangerous to go alone
Diablo III Eternal Collection is a game that goes great with a group of friends to adventure with. The Nintendo Switch makes this easier than ever before.
On top of the normal online or local screen-sharing multiplayer, Switch adds the ability for local multiplayer with up to three friends on separate Switch consoles. That means a group of four can relax and play together in the same room without having to share a screen. The best part is this local mode does not even require an internet connection!
Diablo III Eternal Collection for Nintendo Switch is an amazing game on the go
Diablo III is an incredible game in and of itself. If you’re a fan you may potentially have already put hundreds of hours into it. That said, being able to take Diablo III Eternal Collection on the go with the Nintendo Switch is a brand new experience entirely. It’s worth another purchase for this feature alone. And if you’re new to Diablo III, even better.
The gameplay is addictive and fun to master. There is so much content and replayability between the seven different classes and perpetually new seasons and challenges. I have a strong feeling that for as long as I am playing my Nintendo Switch, I will always be coming back again and again to Diablo III Eternal Collection for more demon-slaying mayhem.
+ Take Diablo anywhere
+ 7 classes, seasons, and tons of replay value
+ Exclusive Zelda-themed content
+ Local multi between consoles with no internet required
– Can’t resume seasonal characters without server connection
OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF DIABLO III ETERNAL COLLECTION
Gameplay: 5/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4.25/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability: 5/5
Overall Rating 4.6/5 (91%)
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I can’t say that I’ve ever played a Diablo game, but I am interested in this. I’d like to try it out before I make a decision, so hopefully we’ll get a demo at some point. This game does look cool.
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