Company of Heroes Collection Nintendo Switch review: Stepping behind the enemy lines

SEGA brought back a classic RTS game with Company of Heroes Collection. Though I prefer turn-based to real-time strategy games, I appreciate what this series did for military strategy games in the early 2000s. I found myself intrigued to see exactly how this would play on the handheld Nintendo platform. That’s where I focused my energy because there isn’t a lot that is new here. The original game was released in 2006. If you enjoyed it back then, there’s a good chance you’ll find something to love here, too.

The thing I was most worried about was how it would play, though. You have to do a fair amount of unit management and upgrading as you play Company of Heroes Collection. Thankfully, SEGA and Feral Interactive didn’t disappoint with this upcoming release.

Company of Heroes Collection brings a classic RTS title to the Nintendo Switch

Company of Heroes Collection is a re-release of the original 2006 real-time strategy game for PC, alongside all the first game’s DLC. That means you have plenty of action all compiled into one place.

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The game puts players hip-deep into the action of World War II, controlling two different companies for the Battle of Normandy and the Allied Liberation of France. You also have the DLC, which has players controlling the German Panzer Elite, and the British forces.

We won’t go into details about the game's story because that’s part of what makes Company of Heroes Collection such an enjoyable experience. While none of this is new content, it is on the Nintendo Switch for the first time. So, how does it play?

Company of Heroes Collection’s controls are exceptional on the Switch

Company of Heroes is a classic RTS from the mid-2000s (Image via SEGA)

One of the most important aspects of a real-time strategy game is how it controls. Company of Heroes Collection admittedly worried me, as it’s a pretty in-depth game. You need to manage several groups of soldiers at quick speeds, and that is quite simple in this particular Nintendo Switch game.

It’s easy to select multiple soldiers and assign them to groups (R button and then Y to assign). You can swap between them easily with the D-Pad as well. You also have ZR to pull up your various special abilities and commands on the Command Wheel. Conversely, L lets you purchase upgrades and summon reinforcements.

It took me a little time to get used to it, partially because I haven’t played too much of my Nintendo Switch lately outside of Pokemon games. I was primarily worried about the controls, above everything else.

The cursor moves quickly. It’s easy to assign, move around the map, and command your units to perform the various objectives the game tasks you with. Even someone like me, who isn’t as big on RTS games, could easily get right into the thick of things on all the various missions I played.

If you’re worried about that - don’t be. Company of Heroes Collection plays remarkably well on the Nintendo Switch. Sure, players might prefer a keyboard and mouse, but I didn’t even notice the difference. There are more than enough buttons on the Switch controller to make sure everything is easily accessible.

The gameplay of Company of Heroes Collection is smooth, but multiplayer will have to wait

Thankfully, you can access the main story of Company of Heroes Collection or the DLC‌ on the main menu. You don’t have to beat the regular campaign first to get to it. It also has a wide assortment of difficulties to choose from. No matter how serious you want to play, the game has you covered.

The game also features a tutorial section where you can get used to the game if you’re new - which I highly recommend. For players hoping for multiplayer, that’s going to take some time, sadly. It is definitely coming to Company of Heroes Collection, but in a future update.

Vehicular combat and ground combat both feel amazing (Image via SEGA)

I was still glad to see Skirmish as an available option, though. The computer has more than enough difficulty for me. Thanks to the DLC, you also unlock more units for Skirmish Modes, so that’s another nice thing for players to keep in mind.

Remember that Company of Heroes Collection is from the 2000s

I remember back in 2006, Company of Heroes was one of the most visually stunning strategy games on the market. With an incredible voice cast and awesome graphics, it was easy to see who was on what side and what was going on. However, that was nearly a decade ago. It’s 2023 now, and these graphics have not been improved.

The cutscenes are still pretty great, but remember that this is an older game. It does, however, run at 30 fps in both handheld and docked modes. That’s certainly a positive in Company of Heroes Collection’s favor.

Sure, the visuals aren’t anything to write home about, but the maps are just as amazing as I remember them being. One thing I worry about in real-time strategy games is being able to see my units easily, and that’s no problem here.

In Conclusion

The gameplay felt responsive and satisfying in every mission (Image via SEGA)

I’m honestly pretty impressed with how great Company of Heroes collection plays on the Nintendo Switch. Sure, the graphics are dated, but that’s not really an issue. You get a great deal of gameplay out of the campaign and its DLCs.

Multiplayer is coming in a future update, so that’s another thing to be excited about. Though Company of Heroes 3 was a little disappointing, it was fun to go back to the franchise's roots.

The most important thing is that it plays well, and the console controls are easy to understand. Once you’ve taken some time to get to know the new buttons, you’ll be smashing through the Axis Powers with the greatest of ease. This game is a classic, and it’s certainly one worth playing through again.