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Annual sports game releases tend to get their fair share of stick across all platforms, and wrestling game series WWE 2K is no exception. Just a few years ago, the response to the buggy mess that was WWE 2K20 was so bad, the team behind the franchise went back to the drawing board and skipped 2021’s release altogether.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: July 23, 2025
Since then, the WWE 2K franchise has gone from strength to strength with just enough polishing every year to warrant an annual release. This year is no different, with my colleague Scott McCrae calling WWE 2K25 “the best wrestling game of the modern era.”
Now, if you’re reading this review, it’s likely that you’ve not only been burnt by the annual sports title release in the past (2K isn’t the only culprit, EA’s sports franchises like FC suffer a similar fate), but you’ve also been burnt by continuously poor ports of sports games to Nintendo platforms.
It brings me great joy to write that WWE 2K25 is the wrestling experience Nintendo fans have wanted for a very long time, offering an almost identical experience to WWE 2K25 on PS5 and Xbox Series X, albeit with some small caveats.
In this review, I’m going to focus on the core experience of playing WWE 2K25 on Nintendo Switch 2. While I’ll be discussing aspects of the game, I’d also advise you to read TechRadar Gaming’s full WWE 2K25 review from earlier this year, as I’m going to touch less on gameplay mechanics and modes than the original write-up.
Time to play the game
In our original review, we praised the improvements to the core gameplay mechanics, such as chain wrestling, as well as the long-anticipated addition of intergender wrestling matches. Some of the Game modes have received lots of love this year, such as the best 2K Showcase to date, based on the Samoan wrestling dynasty, The Bloodline. For fans of Roman Reigns and co, the documentary-style game mode is a genuine blast to play, giving you a history lesson in wrestling while offering fans the chance to relive the moments themselves.
Universe mode, which lets you direct a wrestling show from start to finish, now has in-ring promos, and while still fairly limited, it adds much-needed depth to what I think is the best game mode for a handheld device. Being able to take your fantasy-booked show on the go adds a whole new dimension to the way fans can experience WWE 2K25, and because of it, this Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game might just be my favorite way to play.
You see, while the negatives mentioned in our original review still stand, such as a heavy focus on trying to get players to spend more of their hard-earned cash on unlockable items in the brand new online mode, The Island. Or buying downloadable content (DLC) to access wrestlers that probably should’ve been in the roster to begin with, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25 unlocks the ability to take a fully-fledged wrestling game on your next vacation, on your next long-haul flight, or even just to the couch while your significant other watches TV.
In terms of the game itself, the best praise I can give it is that it’s essentially identical in content and gameplay to the PS5 and Xbox Series X releases of the game, and that’s not been something sports fans have been able to say about Nintendo ports for a very long time.
Where the Nintendo Switch 2 version does fall short, however, is in graphical fidelity. WWE 2K25 looks like a PS4 game, and while that’s impressive on the go, it feels like you’ve gone back in time when you try to play in docked mode. Considering just how gorgeous WWE 2K25 is on home consoles, the Nintendo Switch 2 version feels a bit lifeless, lacking textures, and in general just not up to par graphically with the game wrestling fans have been enjoying since March.
Pocket combat
If docked mode on Nintendo Switch 2 is your preferred way of playing, and you have access to another current-gen console, I’d advise you to buy this game elsewhere. If, however, you only have access to the Nintendo Switch 2 or you want to take Wrestlemania on the go, WWE 2K25 hits all the right notes.
I’ve been waiting since the Stone Cold Steve Austin glory days for a wrestling game that’s as good in handheld as it is on a big screen, and with WWE 2K25, developers Visual Concepts have nailed it.
Best bit
Handheld mode shines, giving wrestling fans the portable fighting game they’ve always dreamed of. Universe mode is the perfect way to delve into the ring, allowing you to fantasy book shows on the go.
There’s something quite magical about being able to take a sports video game on the go, and I hope WWE 2K25 is a sign of the future for Nintendo Switch 2. While it might not be on par graphically with the competition, it is gameplay-wise, and ultimately, that’s the most important thing for fans of any gaming series.
With EA FC 26 set to release in the coming months, Madden 2026 already available on the Nintendo eShop, and more annual release sports games coming to the Switch 2, I really hope these other developers have taken a page out of WWE 2K25’s book. Give me the same game with less graphical fidelity for small bursts of action while travelling, and the Nintendo Switch 2 might just become my favorite console of all time. Please, developers, don’t let WWE 2K25 be the outlier.
Should you play WWE 2K25?
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
How I reviewed WWE 2K25
I played 25 hours of WWE 2K25 between handheld and docked modes on Nintendo Switch 2. Around 15 hours were spent playing the game on the go during a week of travelling across Europe, connected to my SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds.
During this time, I played all of the game modes on offer, comparing them to my experience of playing WWE 2K25 on PS5 Pro. On the PS5 Pro, I have over 100 hours on the game this year with my Samsung S90D, one of the best OLED TVs on the market. With over 125 hours played of WWE 2K25 combined between Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 Pro, I have a deep understanding of how the Nintendo Switch 2 version compares to the other consoles on the market.
First reviewed August 2025
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