Civilization VII Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
It’s been four months since Civilization VII first launched on Switch, and I’ve played it weekly ever since. In that time, I’ve come to appreciate the game’s bold changes more deeply, and while I still stand by much of what I said in my original review, some of the limitations continue to nag. The smaller map sizes and reduced civ count just don’t carry the same weight as Civ 6’s sprawling campaigns. That said, credit where it’s due: the dev team has steadily improved the experience with updates, and it’s clearly on the right trajectory. Now that Civilization VII has a Switch 2 upgrade, it’s the perfect time to revisit the game and see if the score should be updated. What’s it Like? Form your armies, research some tech, and enjoy the view as we review Civilization 7 on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Since launch, Firaxis has clearly been listening to the vocal and passionate community of fans. A lot of people were quick to point out what was missing at release, and to be fair, they weren’t wrong, but the updates over the past few months have helped shape Civilization VII into a much stronger game. The foundations were always solid, but with each patch, the mechanics feel tighter and more rewarding. One of the biggest shifts from Civ 6 is how towns and settlements work, and I still really like it. The more I play, the more I understand how to make it work in my favour. You can build some incredibly powerful setups if you plan your cities and towns properly, and that’s something Civ 6 didn’t quite offer in the same way.
Where I still struggle is with the game’s pacing. It feels like we’re missing a final act, like there was a fourth era that didn’t make the cut. Hopefully, that’s something we see added down the line, because the current structure feels like it ends a little early. The civ-swapping mechanic is another one I’m not totally sold on. I prefer fixed leaders, but at least it doesn’t drastically change how I play personally, and I do like that individual leaders can level up as you go. The regular decision prompts every ten turns are a nice addition. They keep things moving and give you solid bonuses without feeling overwhelmed. Diplomacy, too, has improved as it’s a lot more transparent now, and that makes it easier to plan around allies and rivals. It’s not perfect, but it feels more usable than Civ 6 in a lot of ways.
While Civilization VII struggled to run consistently on the original Switch, it’s a totally different story here. The Switch 2 brings a whole new level of hardware and, to Firaxis’ credit, they’ve put it to good use. I haven’t experienced framerate drop, hangup, or graphical glitch across dozens of sessions. Even in late-game scenarios with large-scale wars, everything stays responsive and snappy. Standard-sized maps are now the maximum available, so while there’s still no option for truly massive worlds or true Earth maps yet, what’s there feels far better to play on. The game is significantly more stable, too. Music and sound issues are gone, enemy turns are processed almost instantly (even when every Civ is at war), and there’s none of the long pauses that used to pull you out of the experience. Honestly, I kept forgetting it was my turn because I was so used to the game on the Switch one hardware taking a minute or two between turns.
The biggest advancement for Civilization VII on Switch 2, however, is the mouse controls with the new Joy-Cons. I’ll admit, I didn’t expect much from it going in. I’ve played these games with a controller for years and have no interest in using a mouse, but testing it out for the sake of the review, I’ve now realised this is the only way to play. The right Joy-Con becomes your mouse, with R1 and R2 for selecting and commanding units and the R Stick controlling the zoom, while the left Joy-Con handles map movement. It took a little getting used to, but once I got into the rhythm, I was cycling through units and coordinating attacks faster than ever. Placing buildings, managing scouts, or assigning projects is just… faster. My only complaint is more of a personal one because after an hour or so, my hand would start to cramp up a bit. There’s also true parity between docked and handheld modes now, with no major sacrifices on either side. And the handful of bugs that made the handheld mode frustrating at launch, like vanishing text and screen-blocking UI, seem to have been fixed or minimised. All of this makes the $15 AUD upgrade from the original Switch version an easy recommendation. The difference in how it plays is night and day, and if you’re planning to spend any real time with Civ 7, this is absolutely the better way to do it.
Civilization VII already had a strong presentation at launch, but the Switch 2 version brings a noticeable visual upgrade. Everything is sharper, more detailed, and fluid in motion, from the bustling cities to the sweeping terrain. It looks and feels more polished as Firaxis has taken advantage of the Switch 2’s hardware, offering both 4K and HDR graphics modes depending on how you’re playing, and the result is a strategy game that looks outstanding. The soundtrack remains nothing short of phenomenal. Geoff Knorr, Roland Rizzo, and Christopher Tin return with a score that still hits hard after dozens of hours. While I do miss the iconic atomic-era version of Waltzing Matilda from Civ 6, there’s no denying that Civilization VII’s soundtrack carries the same emotional weight, from tribal drums and sweeping strings to full choirs building to climactic crescendos. Gwendoline Christie continues her role as narrator, and she brings a sense of gravitas and elegance to each quote and wonder description. While some fans insist she doesn’t quite replace the authority of Sean Bean, I feel she’s excellent in her own right and suits the game’s tone perfectly.
For my conquerors or politicians, after accessibility options, the same welcome features are still here. You’ll be prompted at the beginning to select from colourblind modes, subtitle options, and font scaling, and the interface is largely easy to navigate. The addition of mouse-mode controls can also be considered an accessibility bonus, offering a more direct, intuitive way to play that may suit certain players better than the traditional control scheme. As always, I recommend further research to see if Civilization VII suits your needs.
Civilization VII on Switch 2 is not a reinvention of the Switch 1 version, but a refinement. It takes what was already a solid (if slightly polarising) entry in the series and elevates it, delivering a much smoother and more satisfying way to chase your next cultural renaissance or world domination. If you’ve already sunk dozens of hours into Civilization VII on Switch, this upgrade is absolutely worth your time, and if you’re jumping in for the first time, now’s the best the game has ever been. The new mouse controls are a genuine game changer, add to that a stable framerate, cleaner visuals, quicker turn speeds, and no sound issues, and it’s clear that the Switch 2 gives Civilization VII the performance it deserves. It still has a few quirks, and the map size limitation will sting for some, but for a $15 AUD upgrade, the value here is undeniable.
So, What’s it Like? Civilization VII is like Civ 6 with some well-thought-out changes… and some questionable ones.
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