Crawl is the perfect game for the Nintendo Switch

Crawl is a macabre multiplayer game built around local multiplayer and today, it releases on Nintendo Switch, perhaps the perfect console for the title. In the game, players alternate between playing the hero and the enemies the hero encounters. Collectively, players battle to gain the most experience and loot as they race to face off against a massive final boss, which is controlled by all the enemy characters.

If this sounds like a recipe for a fantastic evening of local multiplayer, then you’d be right. I’ve personally enjoyed Crawl for years on Windows, even at the expense of having to lug around a gaming laptop and four Xbox controllers to show off the game to friends. The hassle was always worth it, but now that this game is out on Switch, I can give my back a break. A new trailer for the game uploaded by the game’s creators, Powerhoof, shows off how well the game lends itself to the flexibility of the Switch.

Games like Enter the Gungeon, Overcooked and Crawl are slowly making the Nintendo Switch a console that can breathe new life into local multiplayer games that started life on PC and home consoles. The Switch’s portability, relative power and the fact that it always has at least two controllers makes it a console that seems almost custom made for these types of games.

Before, PC owners needed fancy living room set ups — or portable gaming laptops — to enjoy inventive local multiplayer games. Now that the Switch is finally finding its way into the hands of more players, these games can be enjoyed almost anywhere. At this rate, the less expensive Switch is going to make my fancy gaming laptop obsolete. Go figure.

If you’ve never experienced the mayhem of Crawl’s mechanics, it’s worth picking up in the Nintendo Switch eShop today.