Right, so what did other critics have to say? Starting with RPG Site, it gave the game 8 out of 10, calling it an “excellent entry” in the series and noting how it was a “very good entry point for newcomers”:
“Revisiting it in 2024 on Nintendo Switch played handheld has been a fun experience…This conversion bringing in some quality of life features like auto-save and licensed music including Receive You [Reborn] is also great to see. While there are noticeable cutbacks to visuals and performance, Yakuza Kiwami is an easy recommendation to play on the go on Nintendo Switch with its low asking price.”
God Is A Geek also gave the game 8 out of 10, labelling it a good port of a great game:
“Yakuza Kiwami on Switch still holds up, despite some visuals showing their age and movement not feeling particularly smooth. Controlling Kiryu in combat and via minigames feels good, not skipping a beat as you play through the story. The audio is good too, and it feels much like the original Kiwami that game out seven years prior. If you’ve never dabbled in the series, this is a great way to play the game that started it all, and if you’re after a game that blends drama with the occasional touch of humour, you cannot go far wrong with this one.”
CGMagazine awarded it 6.5 out 10, calling it a “serviceable port of a solid remake”:
“Yakuza Kiwami is a good enough way to get your toes wet in the ever-expanding beat-em-up series. With whatever will eventually supersede the Nintendo Switch in the near future, it is more than likely legacy Switch games will be compatible with the new hardware, meaning, despite a lacklustre port, the future for Yakuza Kiwami on Nintendo hardware may still have room to improve.”
Gaming Bible gave the game 7 out of 10, recommending it if you’re exclusively a Switch player or are keen to play this series on the go:
“If you’re exclusively a Nintendo Switch gamer, then this port is an ideal place to begin your journey in the series. That being said, if you’re a returning fan who has been desperate to play this series on the go, Yakuza Kiwami is a dream come true – especially if you thought this day would never come. Now if you excuse me, I’m off to sing some karaoke with Kiryu and his friends.”
And Noisy Pixel felt this port was “a less than ideal way to experience this classic” but still had a good time awarding it 7.5 out of 10:
“Yakuza Kiwami is a terrific opening to the fan-favorite series that is an absolute must-play for newcomers and players of the other games alike. It is bolstered by an effectively layered combat and growth system where you genuinely do sense Kiryu growing stronger as you progress. Yet, if you have any other modern platform available to you, this release simply isn’t worth it. The sloppy framerate can make the action experience underwhelming and frustrating, even if it’s relatively ironed out in handheld mode. Ultimately, if you only have a Switch, you could undeniably enjoy this port, but just be aware that every other version is more worthwhile.”
Will you be trying out Yakuza Kiwami on the Switch this weekend? Let us know in the comments.
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Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He’s been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief.
