Honestly, if you’d told me back in 2020 that we’d still be talking about jellybeans tripping over hammers six years later, I might have rolled my eyes. But here we are. Fall Guys—or "falling guys" as my younger cousin still insists on calling it—is basically a staple of the Nintendo Switch library at this point. It’s that one game that lives on your home screen for whenever you have ten minutes to kill or need to settle a petty grudge with a friend via a hex-a-gone tile.
But let’s be real for a second. Playing this on a Switch isn’t the same as playing it on a PS5 or a beefy PC. Not even close.
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It’s been a weird road for the Switch port. We had the long wait, then the free-to-play transition, and now, in 2026, we’re looking at a game that has evolved into a massive "infinite" platformer. If you haven't checked in lately, the Fall Forever update basically turned the game into a never-ending stream of creator-made levels. It’s cool, but it also highlights exactly why the Switch version feels like it’s held together with tape sometimes.
The 30 FPS Struggle (And Why Switch 2 Matters Now)
Most people get frustrated with the Switch version because of the lag. You know the feeling: you jump, but your bean reacts a millisecond too late, and suddenly you’re falling into the slime. On the original Nintendo Switch, you’re locked at 30 FPS. In a game about precise physics and timing, that’s a huge disadvantage compared to someone on a PC running at 144 FPS.
Interestingly, the community is currently split down the middle because of the Nintendo Switch 2.
If you’ve managed to snag the newer console, you’ve probably noticed that things are... better? Sorta. Reports from the r/FallGuysGame community suggest that while the game didn't get a massive "next-gen" overhaul immediately, the extra ram in the Switch 2 has fixed those annoying crashes that used to plague the original console. Some players are reporting a smooth 60 FPS on the newer hardware, which finally puts Switch players on a level playing field.
On the OG Switch? Yeah, you’re still dealing with:
- Long loading times for the shop (sometimes up to 10 seconds of freezing).
- Physics that feel "heavy" because of the low frame rate.
- Frame drops when too many beans are on screen at once.
Can You Actually Play Split Screen?
I get asked this constantly. "Hey, can I play two-player on one Switch?"
The short answer: No. It’s 2026 and we still don't have official split-screen support. Mediatonic has been asked about this since the dawn of time. Their standard response used to be that the game is "best played with 40-60 players," and keeping track of all those physics objects twice on one screen is just too much for the hardware to handle.
If you want to play with your friends, they basically need their own console. The good news is that the game is still 100% free-to-play and supports full cross-play. You can be on your Switch, your friend can be on their phone, and another person can be on an Xbox, and you can all party up together. Just don't go looking for a "Guest" button on the home screen; it's not there.
Is it Still Worth Downloading?
Despite the technical hiccups, there’s something about the Switch that just fits this game. It’s a "handheld" game at its core.
The Explore Mode is probably the best thing to happen to the Switch version. Instead of waiting in long lobbies for 60 players to load in—which used to take forever on Switch—Explore Mode lets you hop from one level to the next almost instantly. If you cross the finish line, you can just dip and go to the next level without waiting for the "Big Yeetus" to finish knocking everyone else out.
The Realities of Playing in 2026
If you're jumping back in, here's the current state of play:
- The Physics Factor: It’s been proven that lower frame rates on Switch actually affect how your bean interacts with objects. You might notice you fall over more easily or that flippers don't launch you quite as far. It's annoying, but you learn to compensate.
- The "Piggyback" Feature: This was a recent addition that's a godsend for playing with younger kids or friends who are bad at platformers. You can literally carry another player on your back through the hard parts.
- Storage Space: The game has grown. It's not the tiny download it was in 2022. Make sure you have a decent microSD card, or you’ll be deleting screenshots just to fit the latest "Fame Pass" update.
Troubleshooting the "Black Screen" and Crashes
If your game is acting up—which, let’s face it, happens on Switch—don't panic. Usually, it's a memory leak. If you've been playing for three hours and the game starts stuttering, just close the app and restart it.
If it's really broken, the "Nuclear Option" is still the most effective:
- Highlight the game on your home screen.
- Press the + button.
- Go to "Data Management" and then "Delete Software."
- Redownload it from the eShop.
Since everything is tied to your Epic Games Account, you won't lose your skins or your progress. You'll just get a fresh, un-buggy installation.
What to Do Next
If you’re ready to dive back into the Blunderdome, your best bet is to focus on Daily Discovery challenges. It's the fastest way to earn "Kudos" and "Show-Bucks" without spending real money. Also, check your settings and make sure "Cross-Platform Play" is toggled ON. If you turn it off to try and avoid PC pros, you’ll find that matchmaking takes ten times longer because the Switch-only player pool is much smaller.
Next Steps for You:
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- Check your Switch system settings to ensure you're on the latest firmware; the 2026 updates improved controller latency.
- Link your Epic Games account to your Nintendo account on a PC first—it’s way less glitchy than trying to type your password with a Joy-Con.
- Try Explore Mode first to get a feel for the physics before jumping into a sweaty "Knockout" tournament.
The game isn't perfect, and the Switch will always be the "underpowered" sibling in the Fall Guys family, but for a free game you can play while lying in bed, it’s hard to complain too much. Just watch out for those rhinos. They’re still a nightmare.