Let’s be real for a second. Devil May Cry 3 is basically the "Citizen Kane" of character action games, except with more pizza, heavy metal, and a protagonist who thinks getting stabbed through the chest is a minor inconvenience. It’s a masterpiece. But for years, if you wanted to play it, you had to settle for the original PS2 version’s rigid systems or the HD Collection’s somewhat lazy ports. Then Capcom dropped Devil May Cry 3 Nintendo Switch in 2020, and honestly? It changed everything.
It’s weird. You’d think a handheld port of a 2005 game wouldn’t be a big deal in the 2020s. You’d be wrong.
While the "Special Edition" moniker has been slapped on this game since the mid-2000s, the Switch version is a different beast entirely. It isn't just a port; it's a mechanical overhaul. It fixes the one thing that held the original game back from being perfect. If you’ve ever played Devil May Cry 4 or 5, you know the joy of switching styles on the fly. In the original DMC3, you were locked in. You chose Swordmaster at a statue, and you were stuck with it until the next checkpoint. The Switch version says "forget that" and gives you the full freestyle experience.
The Style Switcher Revolution
This is the big one. The feature everyone begged for. In the Devil May Cry 3 Nintendo Switch port, Capcom finally added Free Style mode.
Think about why this matters. In the old days, if you wanted to use the "Royalguard" style to block a boss’s massive hit, you had to commit to that style for the whole level. If you wanted to use "Trickster" to dash around? Too bad, you can't block now. It created a high barrier to entry that felt more like a chore than a challenge. On the Switch, you just tap the D-pad. Up for Trickster, Down for Royalguard, Left for Gunslinger, Right for Swordmaster. It transforms Dante from a specialist into a literal god of war.
It’s fluid. It’s fast. It’s exactly how the game was always meant to be played.
The technical wizardry here is that the game engine—which is ancient by modern standards—doesn't chug when you do this. You can launch an enemy into the air with Rebellion, switch to Swordmaster mid-air for an Aerial Rave, swap to Gunslinger to juggle them with Ebony & Ivory, and then finish with a Royalguard release before you even hit the ground. It’s peak gaming.
Why freestyle mode changes the meta
Veteran players will tell you that DMC3 was designed around limitations. Some people argue that being able to swap styles makes the game "too easy." I think that's nonsense. What it actually does is raise the skill ceiling. Instead of mastering one style, you’re now tasked with mastering the synergy between all of them. The "Dante Must Die" difficulty is still a nightmare that will make you want to chew on your Joy-Cons, believe me.
You Can Finally Carry Every Weapon
Remember having to pick only two melee weapons and two guns? It was a nightmare. You’d bring the Cerberus nunchucks but then realize you really needed the Agni & Rudra twin swords for a specific room. Tough luck.
In Devil May Cry 3 Nintendo Switch, you can cycle through your entire arsenal. All of it. At once.
If you want to carry Rebellion, Cerberus, Agni & Rudra, Nevan (the electric guitar/scythe thing), and Beowulf all at the same time, you can. It makes Dante feel like a walking army. The UI handles it surprisingly well, too. You just hold a shoulder button and use the radial menu or tap to cycle. It keeps the momentum going. You never have to pause the action to think "Man, I wish I brought the shotgun." You have the shotgun. You also have the Kalina Ann rocket launcher and the weird Artemis laser.
Local Co-op is the Secret Sauce
Capcom snuck something else in here that most people totally missed: Bloody Palace co-op.
Bloody Palace is the classic survival mode where you fight floor after floor of increasingly difficult enemies. In the Switch version, you can play this with a friend. One person plays as Dante, the other as Vergil. It’s local co-op only, which is a bit of a bummer if your friends live across the country, but if you’ve got someone on the couch, it’s some of the most fun you can have on the console.
Vergil is, as always, "Motivated." His playstyle is completely different from Dante’s. He’s precise, fast, and devastatingly powerful. Seeing Dante and Vergil fight side-by-side instead of trying to kill each other for once? It’s a fan's dream come true. It’s chaotic. Sometimes you can't see what's happening because of all the particle effects, but who cares? You're doing "Judgement Cuts" while your buddy is shredding on a lightning guitar.
Performance and Portability
Let's talk specs. The Switch isn't a PS5, obviously. But for a game from 2005, it doesn't need to be. Devil May Cry 3 Nintendo Switch runs at a rock-solid 60 frames per second. That is non-negotiable for a character action game. If the frame rate drops in a game like this, the combat feel is ruined. Here, it’s buttery smooth, even in handheld mode.
Speaking of handheld, playing this on the bus is a trip. Back in the day, we needed a bulky CRT television and a wired controller to experience this. Now, I can perform a "Million Stab" while waiting for my laundry to dry. The resolution is crisp, and the gothic art style of Temen-ni-gru still holds up remarkably well. The textures are a bit dated—you'll see some muddy walls if you look too close—but the animations are still some of the best in the business.
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A few nitpicks
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The camera in DMC3 is... well, it’s a 2005 camera. It’s stubborn. It likes to hide enemies behind corners. It likes to flip around right when you’re trying to time a jump. The Switch port doesn't fix the camera logic, so you’ll still be fighting the "hidden" boss that is the 360-degree view.
Also, the Joy-Con analog sticks aren't exactly "Pro Controller" grade. If you’re playing on a Switch Lite or using Joy-Cons, doing the 360-degree circular motions for certain moves can feel a bit cramped. I highly recommend a Pro Controller for the harder difficulty settings. Your thumbs will thank you.
Vergil: The Other Half of the Story
You can’t talk about this game without mentioning Vergil. While the "freestyle" upgrades were focused on Dante, Vergil is still here in all his glory. You can play the entire campaign as him. He doesn't have the "styles" Dante has, but he doesn't need them. His "Dark Slayer" style is built into his core kit.
Playing as Vergil changes the game into a rhythm-based slaughter. It’s about positioning. It’s about the "Concentration" gauge (though that was more of a DMC4SE addition, his core moveset here is still elite). The Switch version keeps all the Vergil content from previous Special Editions, ensuring you get the full story of the brothers' rivalry.
Why This Version Beats the PS4 and PC Ports
This is the controversial part. If you buy the Devil May Cry HD Collection on PC, PS4, or Xbox, you are getting the "vanilla" Special Edition. You do not get style switching. You do not get the "all weapons" feature. You do not get local co-op.
For some reason, Capcom decided to make these "Quality of Life" features exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version.
This makes the Switch port the definitive version of the game. It’s the only version that lets Dante play like he does in the modern entries. It bridges the gap between the old-school difficulty and the new-school complexity. If you're a series veteran, playing without style switching feels like playing with one hand tied behind your back once you've tried the Switch version.
Is it worth it in 2026?
Absolutely. Even years after its release on the eShop, Devil May Cry 3 Nintendo Switch remains a staple. The "character action" genre hasn't actually evolved that much since 2005 because DMC3 basically perfected the formula on its first try. The story—a prequel about two brothers fighting over their father’s legacy—is surprisingly emotional for a game that also features a scene where a guy rides a rocket like a surfboard.
It’s campy. It’s cool. It’s stylish.
Most importantly, it’s a complete package. There are no microtransactions. There’s no "battle pass." You buy the game, you play the game, and you unlock stuff by being good at the game. It’s a refreshing reminder of what gaming used to be, upgraded with the conveniences we expect today.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
If you’re picking this up for the first time, or returning after a decade, here is how you should actually approach it to avoid frustration.
First, don't start on Hard. Just don't. DMC3 is famously one of the most difficult games of its era. The US release of the original PS2 game actually shifted the difficulty levels so that "Normal" was "Hard" in Japan. While the Special Edition fixed this, it’s still a punishing experience. Start on Normal, get the hang of the style switching, and learn the enemy patterns.
Second, invest in "Air Hike" early. This is the double jump. It is the single most important upgrade in the game. It helps with platforming (which is the weakest part of the game) and keeps you safe in combat.
Third, embrace the Style Switcher. Don't just pick one and stay there. Force yourself to swap. Use Trickster to close the gap, then swap to Swordmaster to dish out damage. It’ll feel clunky for the first hour, and then suddenly, it’ll click. When it clicks, you'll feel like a genius.
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Lastly, pay attention to the boss fights. Unlike modern games that often use "bullet sponge" bosses, DMC3 bosses are puzzles. Cerberus teaches you about elemental weaknesses. Agni & Rudra teach you about parrying. Vergil teaches you everything you're doing wrong.
Actionable Steps for New Players
To master the Switch version, follow this progression path:
- Go to the Options Menu immediately: Ensure you have "Free Style" mode enabled. It’s usually the default, but you don't want to play without it.
- Farm Red Orbs in Mission 3: If you find yourself struggling, the early missions are great for grinding orbs to buy health upgrades (Blue Orbs) and Purple Orbs (Devil Trigger).
- Customize your weapon loadout: Spend time in the menu organizing your weapon cycle. Put your favorite weapons next to each other so you can swap between them with a single tap rather than cycling through five items.
- Try the Bloody Palace with a friend: Even if they aren't good at action games, the co-op mode is a great way to experience the mechanics without the pressure of the story mode’s platforming sections.
- Watch "Jump Cancel" tutorials: If you want to go from "good" to "pro," look up how to jump cancel on YouTube. It’s a hidden mechanic where jumping off an enemy's head resets your animation, allowing for infinite combos. The Switch’s freestyle mode makes this even crazier than it was on PS2.
There isn't a better way to experience Dante’s origin story. Whether you're playing on an OLED Switch or an old v1 model, the game shines. It’s a piece of gaming history that feels brand new thanks to a few smart choices by the porting team. Grab your pizza, turn up the volume, and get ready to roar. Keep it stylish.