You’re huddled in a dark corner of a procedurally generated cave, your health bar is a sliver of red, and a swarm of corrupted spiders is closing in. This is the moment where Children of Morta Switch version either wins you over or makes you want to chuck your Joy-Cons across the room. It’s tense. It’s messy. But honestly? It’s probably the most "at home" this game has ever felt on any platform.
Most people look at the Nintendo Switch and assume it’s the place where indie games go to compromise. You expect lower frame rates, muddy textures, or long load times that make you regret not just playing on a PC. With Children of Morta, developed by Dead Mage and published by 11 bit studios, that narrative doesn't quite fit. It’s a game about a family—the Bergsons—and there is something inherently right about playing a game regarding domestic bonds and ancestral duty on a handheld device you can tuck under your pillow.
The Performance Reality of Children of Morta Switch
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first because that’s what everyone asks about. Does it run well? Sorta. Mostly.
On the Switch, you’re looking at a target of 30 frames per second. On PC, you can blast this thing into the hundreds, but here, stability is the name of the game. For the most part, it sticks to that target. However, when you’re playing as Lucy—the youngest daughter who slings fireballs like a magical gatling gun—and the screen fills with particle effects, you might notice a dip. It’s not a dealbreaker. It’s just the "Switch tax."
The loading screens are the real hurdle. They are longer than the PlayStation or Xbox versions. You’ll have enough time to grab a coffee or check your phone before a dungeon floor generates. But once you’re in? The pixel art is gorgeous. The way the light hits the Bergsons' fireplace or the shimmering purple corruption in the Caeldippo Caves looks stunning on the OLED model’s screen.
Handheld vs. Docked Experience
If you play docked, you’ll notice the pixels are a bit softer. The game uses a very specific, hand-painted pixel art style that relies on fluid animation. On a 55-inch 4K TV, the limitations of the Switch’s output are visible.
In handheld mode, though? It’s crisp.
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The smaller screen hides the imperfections and makes the lighting effects pop. Because the game uses a fixed isometric perspective, you never feel like the camera is too far away. You can see every telegraph of a boss’s attack clearly.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Bergsons
A lot of reviewers call this a "roguelite." That’s technically true, but it misses the point of why Children of Morta Switch is special. In a typical roguelike—think Binding of Isaac or Enter the Gungeon—death is a reset. You lose everything. You start over.
Children of Morta doesn't do that.
Every time you die, you go back to the family house. You see a cutscene. Maybe the father, John, is worried about his kids. Maybe the grandmother is brewing a potion. You use the gold you found in the dirt to upgrade the entire family’s stats.
- You aren't just leveling up one character.
- You’re leveling up the "Family Shared Skills."
- If Kevin reaches level 20, he might unlock a passive dodge buff that applies to his big brother Mark too.
It’s a brilliant loop. It removes the frustration of "wasted runs" because every single run, no matter how short, contributes to the family’s survival. It turns the genre's biggest weakness—repetitive failure—into its greatest narrative strength.
The Couch Co-op Factor
Gaming is better with friends, but Children of Morta is better with family. Or a partner. Or anyone who doesn't mind you shouting "Get behind my shield!" at 11 PM.
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The Switch version supports local co-op right out of the box. You just hand over a controller. Playing this way changes the game entirely. Suddenly, you aren't just managing your own cooldowns; you’re coordinating combos. John can tank the damage with his shield while Linda rains down arrows from the back.
There was a massive update a while back that added online co-op too. It was a long time coming. For a while, Switch players were left in the dark while PC players enjoyed the feature. Now that it’s here, it works surprisingly well, though your mileage may vary depending on Nintendo’s notoriously fickle netcode. If you have a choice, stick to the couch. The lag is zero, and the snacks are better.
A Note on Difficulty Spikes
Don't let the cozy "family dinner" vibes fool you. This game is hard. The first boss, the Spider Queen, is a notorious wall for new players.
I’ve seen people give up on the Children of Morta Switch version because they feel stuck in the first area. Here is the secret: stop trying to "win" and start trying to "farm." If you can’t beat the boss, spend three runs just collecting gold and dying. Dump all that gold into the "Armor" and "Damage" upgrades in the workshop. The game is designed to be a slow burn. You aren't supposed to breeze through it. You’re supposed to struggle, just like the Bergsons are struggling against the Corruption.
Content Updates and the Complete Edition
If you’re looking to buy this now, you’re likely seeing the "Complete Edition" on the eShop. Get that one.
The base game is great, but the DLC—specifically Ancient Spirits and Paws and Claws—adds a lot of flavor. Paws and Claws is especially cool because it adds an animal shelter to the family house. You can feed and care for animals, which in turn gives the family combat buffs. It’s a win-win. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from that DLC originally went to animal charities (Humane Society International), which is just a class act by the developers.
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Then there’s the "Trials of Temple" mode. This is for the people who think the main story is too easy. It’s a pure, combat-focused challenge mode that strips away the story and focuses on the mechanics. It’s great for quick 15-minute sessions on the bus.
Is the Switch Version the Definitive One?
This is where the nuance comes in.
If you want the absolute best graphics and the fastest load times, play on PC. If you want the most comfortable, personal, and "pick up and play" experience, the Switch wins hands down.
The game’s structure—short, intense dungeon floors followed by quiet narrative moments—fits the handheld lifestyle perfectly. It’s the kind of game you play while the TV is being used for something else, or right before you go to sleep.
There’s also the physical release factor. Signature Edition Games put out a beautiful physical version for the Switch that looks great on a shelf. For collectors, that’s a big deal.
Real Advice for New Bergson Recruits
If you’ve just downloaded the game, keep these three things in mind to avoid early-game burnout:
- Switch characters often. The game literally forces this through a "Corruption" mechanic where characters get tired if you use them too much. Don't fight it. Each character plays differently, and you need those family-wide buffs from leveling everyone up anyway.
- Focus on the Book of Rea. This is where you upgrade your XP gain and gold find. It feels boring to invest in "utility" early on, but it pays off massively in the mid-game.
- Watch the background. The environmental storytelling in this game is top-tier. Even on the small Switch screen, keep an eye out for small details in the dungeons—it’s how you find the side quests that lead to the most emotional moments in the game.
Children of Morta isn't just a game about hitting things with swords. It’s a story about what people are willing to sacrifice for the people they love. On the Switch, that message feels a little more intimate, a little more personal, and a whole lot more accessible.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
To get the most out of your experience on the Nintendo system, start by checking your system storage. The game isn't huge, but it benefits from being installed on the system memory rather than a slow SD card to help with those load times. Once you’re in, head straight to the options and adjust the "Screen Shake" if you find the combat too chaotic in handheld mode; turning it down can help you track enemy movements during high-intensity encounters. Finally, make it a point to play through the first two boss encounters before deciding if the game is for you—the mechanics really only start to "click" once you've unlocked at least three family members and seen how their skills intertwine.