Classic Resident Evil Games Are Coming To Nintendo Switch

Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil 4.

If you heard a loud squealing sound over the weekend, that was probably the collective noise of fans reacting to the news that Capcom is bringing a trio of Resident Evil games to the Switch next year. This collection includes some of the most beloved entries in the long-running zombie blast-a-thon, including the original Resident Evil, Resident Evil 0 and, yes, even Resident Evil 4.

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Capcom took to social media this weekend to let everyone know that a trio of Resident Evil games is bound for the Switch, though no launch window was offered at the time more specific than "2019." More information has been promised soon and, with Nintendo rumored to have two Direct video presentations scheduled for the month of November, we've got our fingers crossed that "soon" means "in just a few weeks.

Both Revelations games are already available on Nintendo's Switch platform and, if you live in Japan, you can even play Resident Evil 7 on the console/portable hybrid. With these three upcoming games, that'll make about half of the series' full roster available on the Switch.

It seems like a safe bet that this announcement refers to the remastered versions of both Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0. The former was a big hit with fans while the latter could definitely use some more attention. As for Resident Evil 4, that's the game pegged by many as being the absolute pinnacle for the series, striking a balance between the horror elements of the earlier series entries and the action elements that went on to dominate gameplay moving forward.

Part of Resident Evil 7's success could easily be attributed to the fact that it shed the over-the-top action of more recent entries in favor of scarcer resources, a more focused narrative, and genuinely spooky moments of gameplay. Using just a handful of locations and enemy types, Capcom was able to recapture that old-school charm the series hasn't enjoyed in quite a few years while still shaking things up by shifting the perspective to first-person. That also allowed the game to be played in virtual reality on the PlayStation 4, which kicked the horror and immersion up to a whole extra level.

As for the three new Resident Evil games heading to the Switch, it seems like they're all going to be safe bets and huge hits for Capcom. If you scroll through the comments following the Twitter announcement, you'll find folks saying that this will be the umpteenth time they pick up Resident Evil 4 in particular which, again, speaks volumes for how much fans love the game.

Now for the big question: Will these be physical or digital releases? It's so much easier for Capcom to launch the games as digital exclusives, but a lot of fans seem to be eager to get them on physical cartridges. We'll just have to wait until the publisher finally breaks silence on those extra details.

Ryan Winslett

Staff Writer for CinemaBlend.