As some of the most influential and iconic games of all time, it's frankly shocking that the Metal Gearseries has yet to debut on any current-generation console. While quite a few fans have been hoping for remakes of the series' earlier titles, there are just as many who would simply be satisfied with Konami making all of these games playable on one system. Should the latter desire eventually be fulfilled, it would be a pleasure to have the entire series sneak onto the Switch. Like other classic franchises to hit the system, many of the games stand to benefit from a new life on Nintendo's hybrid console. However, one entry in particular,Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, would be such a great fit for the Switch that one might even swear it was made exclusively for the system.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was built with portability and convenience in mind — two ideas central to why folks love the Switch. Additionally, as evidenced by Peace Walker's HD remaster for home consoles, the game is just as great at home as it is on the go, making it seem like an excellent candidate to hit the two-in-one console next.
The Portability of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
It’s no secret that the Switch is commonly used as a handheld, and that utility is perhaps the system’s defining feature. That said, not every Switch game is necessarily made for the handheld gamer. Games tend to suffer, visually, while undocked, performance may take a slight hit while playing portably, and some games just aren't as great in the palm of one's hand as they are on a large TV screen.
To be frank, It’s hard to imagine a Switch port of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walkerhaving any of these issues. Unlike other Metal Gear games, this title was specifically designed for a handheld, and that’s reflected in its gameplay. The missions are bite-sized, generally taking less than 10 minutes each to complete, which makes the game an ideal way to kill time whether on a commute or in a waiting room.
As for performance and visuals, it bears mentioning thatPeace Walkeris a 10-year-old PSP game, so the Switch probably wouldn’t have too much trouble running it at a healthy framerate, even in handheld mode. In the off chance the system couldn’t quite hit the silky smooth 60 frames-per-second seen on the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game, it would still likely be a significant step up from the original PSP release.
Peace Walker: The Evolution of Hideo Kojima’s Transfarring
The PSP and PS3 versions of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker could interact with each other in a way that was unique for the time but is fairly commonplace nowadays. Dubbed “transfarring,” players could swapPeace Walkerdata back and forth between the two systems, but the process is far from fluid. To properly “transfar,” one first has to own two copies of the game; one for each system. Then, they need to hardwire the consoles together while each is running the game. Only then can the transfarring process begin. It’s a neat feature, but a little too complicated for its own good, and it's not exactly quick, either.
Despite the process’ faults, the concept behind it — being able to seamlessly swap between console and handheld gameplay — would go on to be a prominent selling point of the Nintendo Switch. With this in mind, it would be lovely to see Peace Walker take full advantage of the Switch's hybrid functionality. The ease with which one can swap modes of play woul make this unique feature feel like the fully realized version of what Kojima was going for with transfarring all those years ago, which is something Kojima previously alluded to while discussing the Switch.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker has all of the fixings of a Switch game: it's great on the go, a blast on the big screen, and players are encouraged to alternate between the two. Unfortunately, it has yet to arrive on Nintendo's latest console, and it's uncertain if it ever will. There are surely other Metal Gear games more worthy of a re-release, but if the series were to ever hit Switch, no entry would be a more perfect fit for the system than Peace Walker.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is available now for PS3, PSP, and Xbox 360. It is also playable on PS Vita, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S via backwards compatibility.
