RPG Maker MV on Switch is a bit of a different prospect than its massively popular PC counterpart. This, much like the 3DS version which released back in 2017, is a more console-friendly version that strips away some important aspects which avid users of the software may consider essential. There are no plugins here to make life easier or introduce streamlined ways of going about your creative business, no way to freely integrate your own custom music, sprites or other graphical elements and no option to export and sell your elaborate creations once you're done. This is a much more contained and restricted beast. However, if you can make peace with these exclusions and get to grips with a UI that's certainly slower and more clumsy than on PC, you'll find a game that provides for unlimited creative pleasure within its console-specific confines.
Getting stuck into RPG Maker MV as a newbie the first thing you'll have to contend with is a pretty serious lack of hand-holding. There is a tutorial here that walks you through a few basics upon first launching into the game, but it really does feel as though it's in a huge hurry to push you out the door and into the program proper as soon as it possibly can. What's offered here feels like the bare minimum in terms of direction and you'd better pay very close attention because there's no way – at least we couldn't find one – to return to this tutorial once it's done and the game has no help section to speak of. In one way, this is a disappointment; we'd love to have had a lot more of the in-and-outs explained to us, but, in another, it's a grounding dose of reality for anyone who's genuinely planning on spending time creating the RPG of their dreams. You're going to have to put in the hard graft with this one, and there's no way around it.
However, what the tutorial does cover before making its quick exit should at least give you a rough feel for how you'll go about working with this pretty exhaustive RPG building tool. You'll learn how to toggle through the various menus that make up the main areas in which you'll spend the bulk of your time before being presented with a little 16-bit character stood in a field who needs to complete a simple fetch quest. In order to complete this quest, you'll be charged with creating trigger points that enable your character to move from their current location to another area.
You'll be tasked with adding some scenery to a map, giving an NPC character a simple movement ruleset and dialogue as well as defining an enemy's health and attack parameters in a quick turn-based battle scenario. You'll also be introduced to the game's layering system that divides elements of scenery into separate sections that sit on top of one another as you build your game's environments. It may sound like plenty, but it's all over before you know it, and there's absolutely no doubt that if you're in this one for the long haul you'll need to avail of the RPG Maker MV forums, enthusiast sites and the myriad YouTube tutorials and help guides that will no doubt spring up in the days and weeks following release.
Another key aspect in getting to grips with the deep systems at your disposal in RPG Maker MV will be the work of other users. As we speak, there are already numerous examples of other players' work ready to be downloaded and played from the in-game Maker Forums. Simply search for a game here and you'll be presented with efforts sorted into new arrivals, daily and monthly top fives and most highly-rated. Getting stuck into other people's offerings is quite possibly the best and most immediate way to see just what is achievable with this software from a creative perspective, and we've already had some fun jumping into a few creations and seeing what other minds have come up with.
If we haven't made it clear already then, experimentation and patience are vital with this one. RPG Maker MV is absolutely stuffed to the gills full of customisable elements. From maps, sprites, weaponry, NPCs, enemies and scenery to various battle and levelling up systems, tons of music and every other conceivable aspect of an RPG for you to tool around with and make your own creations, but you'll need to sit down and learn in order to make the most of it all.
It's a slow and methodical experience for sure and one that, unfortunately, is made just that little bit slower on Switch by a UI that can be quite clunky and sometimes really struggles to keep up with what you're doing. Touchscreen controls help things somewhat here but, overall, we found that menus pause and stall quite frequently – sometimes for up to a minute – as the game processes what you're doing and it really is a bit of a pain that a process that's already quite slow is exacerbated by the game trying to keep up. Typing in dialogue can thankfully be sped up by plugging a keyboard into your Switch – we tried to hook a mouse up to navigate menus but as yet this isn't supported – but you're going to have to make peace with the fact things take time here.
If you're seriously considering jumping into RPG Maker MV on Switch you may also want to consider checking out the RPG Maker MV Player, a free platform releasing alongside the game, that's available and accessible to all Switch owners, regardless of whether or not they own the main game. Here you'll be able to play a constant stream of user content and get a really good idea of exactly what's possible as well as perhaps some indication of the level of commitment it'll take to create your own stuff.
RPG Maker MV is undoubtedly a deep, flexible and fun RPG creation tool on Switch. It may lack the total freedom afforded by its PC counterpart but, in comparison to the likes of Super Mario Maker 2, it still easily holds its own and provides players with a vast catalogue of RPG elements from which to form their very own epic adventures. It can be slow and clunky and, outside of making very simple games with the myriad templates provided, you'll have to commit to doing some learning and online research to get your head around things but, overall, this is an exciting addition to the Switch line-up and we can't wait to check out what expert users come up with in the coming weeks and months ahead.
Conclusion
RPG Maker MV on Switch is a stripped back and limited version of its PC counterpart that removes the ability to integrate your own custom elements as well as the use of plugins. There's also very little in the way of help or tutorials and the UI can be clunky and slow to navigate. However, if you can make peace with these limitations, what's here is still a vast, hugely flexible bit of game-making software that provides those with the patience to get to grips with its systems almost limitless potential for RPG-making fun. We can't wait to see what players come up with over the coming weeks and months ahead and the free RPG Maker MV Player means that all Switch owners get to share in the fun and perhaps be inspired to join in down the line. If you're hugely serious about RPG making you may do best to stick to the PC version, but, if you just want to have some creative fun within the limits of the assets provided here, you'll have a blast.
Comments 42
Back when originally announced I was planning to give it a spin and maybe make a small mini adventure with it or something but the unfortunate release timing right after the new PC RPG Maker put an end to those thoughts.
Maybe I'll give it a try sometime in the far future but for now it'll just be sitting on my shelf.
I want to make or play an rpg with mcdonalds characters, ronald, grimace, birdy the hamburgurlar, it would be a lot of fun
With no ownership over your creations or possibility to export and sell what's the point in this game? I don't understand the thought behind this at all. If someone is going to go through all the effort to write and design a whole RPG why wouldn't they just use one of the many pc tool sets that's offers complete ownership.
I suppose someone could use the game and ease of portability to design a first draft, but even then there are probably better and cheaper ways to plan out an RPG before putting it together.
@Old-Red I was just going to say the same thing. I don’t understand what the market is for the console version of this tool? The PC version offers a lot more, even the ability to add mods to the engine and the ability to sell said games you create on Steam etc. There must be enough people buying it as they keep releasing home console versions.
I bet you guys didn't even beat the game before giving it a score...
@Old-Red
Creating games in itself is fun to some people, there doesn't necessarily need to be monetary returns for it.
I played around with it a bit when it released in Japan a couple of years ago and it sounds like nothing has really changed since then. Enjoyable for the most part the slow UI really does hamper the experience a lot.
There will be people whom just collects this and others will take the challenge and become a dungeon Master. That's how it is and won't be long before a site on eShop to host those created content. So don't think users won't do this.
I have it on PC, and I find it pretty fun to use. I've never made a full game, but it is fun to mess around making maps and stuff. If you have a ok PC, I recommend buying it there because you can add plugins, your own assets, and share games easier.
I've poured countless hours into the PC version of RPG Maker MV. The system requirements are low enough that just about any computer from the last decade should be able to run it.
And while I can't export games to the RPG Maker MV Player on Switch, I can export to Windows, Mac, Linux, and even make my games playable in-browser.
Though I use stock assets for my character sprites, I use an editor called Game Character Hub: Portfolio Edition to modify them. Many of them cannot be made with just the standard character editor alone.
My work is relatively simple, but the limitations of stock RPG Maker MV are so great that none of them would be possible in their current form in this Switch version.
Unless you absolutely cannot access a computer or hate using computers, you'd be far better off with the real deal.
@Old-Red Same as Mario Maker really. Making things is fun in and of itself. I've never made a game before so nothing I make is going to be high enough quality to actually sell. It'll just be a fun little adventure for my friends to play.
@Collette You can download games with RPG Maker Player, a separate thing. But no PC support.
Also worth noting that this game has a REVERSE Switch tax. The Switch version is 49.99 while the Steam version is a whopping 79.99. If I just want to make games for my friends who all have Switches and lack the artistic ability to make my own sprites anyway, this seems like a better deal.
@HeroponRiki RPG Maker stuff regularly goes on sale. I bought RPG Maker MV, the essentials set, and Game Character Hub: Portfolio Edition all for $40 back in 2017.
@Old-Red im guessing for the pure enjoyment of making something.
I’ve played through in bits and pieces RPG Maker 95, 2000, 2003, XP, VX, VX Ace, MV, and MZ, and found each one to have their hits and misses. I got a copy of this knowing the limitations and so far, I’ve found, aside from a clunky UI, that I’ve enjoyed what’s there, and with the hints of DLC, am curious as to what they’ll add. Bare bones? Yes and no, as I find they do have a generous assortment of tile sets in this version. Plus, one can find a decent amount of tutorials on the RPG Maker forums if they’re stuck, and a lot of events don’t require plugins if one has the patience.
If I want to really blow open the doors, I’ll fire up MZ. If I want a simple experience where I just make a smaller version of a game I’m making in MZ, I’ll gladly keep playing around in this one for a while, even if I can’t have all the nice plugins and abilities to create my own or import art and music (maybe a future update?)
Also, the score given is a fair one.
I will admit that I had expected there to be a greater amount of non-human character options, at least on par with what RPG Maker Fes on 3DS offered by the end of its support lifespan, so my own game is on hold until I see what sort of downloadable content Kadokawa releases; I would have to change too much of the plot to acommodate the current limitations, which I'm reluctant to do because it's basically going to be a love letter to my favorite sci-fi/fantasy tropes.
Also worth noting is that the game does what Mario Maker 1 did and drip-feeds you extra customization options for checking into the Makers Forum on a daily basis, though I don't know if the reward list extends past the ten days currently available on the screen.
@Anguspuss @Expa0 Yeah, I get that, I make levels on Mario Maker too, but to not give the option seems a bit off to me. Talking to some friends who work in the industry, we all agree that games like this and dreams are benefitting from the user base essentially working for them and paying for the privilege. The least they could do is give the option to release what you make as your own whether for money or not.
@Old-Red i agree 100% and plenty of games on google apple store made with it etc. But also gives someone chance to make something on it and show it to a employer at inerview look what i made.
Sure you can sell your creations on PC but good luck getting any attention in the sea of other rpg maker games out there. There's a lot of people that go "ugh and rpg maker game" whenever they see one on steam so at least here you can get your game out there and heck, maybe if it's really good and creative you might catch the attention of someone. Very talented people are usually noticed, regardless of where they share their talent.
We have it and so far are enjoying the creations aspect of it but this review overall is bang on the money. It is a game that potentially could be huge if it was refined and implemented a little better. Kind of had to help by youngest son figure it out here and there but he grasped it all very quickly. Slow UI can be slightly painful though.
Too bad you can't share your creations or export it to PC.
I'll be picking this up. I got the 3ds version a few years back and made a simple 15 minute game with my niece as the main character and my brothers (her uncles and father) needing to be rescued. She spent most of that Christmas constantly replaying that game.
I might try and recreate that this year with the switch version.
For those against this game, what about Dream and Little Big Planet. Heck, Roller Coaster Tycoon!
@RPGamer wants to know your location
@FlashmanHarry That is one sweet story.
"Con: A lesser version compared to its PC counterpart"
And that's when I'll stick to my PC version. I am glad to see an RPG Maker game come to the Switch, but the lack of plugins and custom assets further cripple the reasons for me to invest in this one (at least, at full price).
That said, I'm willing to buy this at a very low price if possible, albeit to "mess around with".
Hey I just wanted to give some heads up to anyone buying the Switch version (I see NintendoLife glossed over this, which is huge):
The Switch version does not run properly compared to the PS4 version. Besides having minor lag going through menus, the problem is that when you are playing the actual RPGs or sampling, there is major lag and stutter problems. Even frame skipping. I went ahead and recorded my video to show you (check the description on it for marks on when its buggy).
On Gamefaqs others helped me out by testing the same exact map tile by tile, on both the physical version of the Switch and PS4 that they own. We found that the PS4 edition runs perfectly smooth, but the Switch version, same map, same settings, lags and stutters. This testing was done all with the recent US release of the game. Hope this helps if you want to purchase this, as of right now they haven't patched it in the Switch version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgitOzjf7w8
Are you the people responsible for that RPG with the deadly chicken, or did you just take a screenshot of it? I got stuck behind the pit with the chicken and couldn’t get back out.
No Mouse means its huge pass for me. I did download the RPG maker player though.
Just get it on PC.
@Old-Red SAID "With no ownership over your creations or possibility to export and sell what's the point in this game?"
ANSWER: The point is to have FUN. Like in Mario Maker 2
@StardusterEX Chickens in an RPG Maker game? It is a very old reference.
From what I read, decades ago there was some kind of user-created game contest in Japan (for some old Japanese PC version, like maybe PC-98) and the winner was a game called Cock-adoodle-doo. Then it got remade with the Super Famicom port (which I think was the first console version of RPG Maker) and distributed by Satellaview.
The Super Famicom RPG Makers are what I put some hours into when first seeing emulation (particularly 2, since 1 wasn't even properly emulated until several years later).
I used to mess around with this loads when I was younger. Not sure I want to try without a mouse though!
@StardusterEX Haha, no, wasn't my effort. I really wanted to make a little RPG for the review but, alas, I just didn't have time for it!
Can someone provide pictures/link to the sheets of available character sprites? I would like to know before buying, if the non human characters available are interesting enough for my project.
@StephenYap3
Didn't realize you were on this site too. Surprised you'd even talk about RPG Maker seeing as you make fun of people for being proud of their Mario maker levels they create. Not sure what your deal is belittling others on various communities.
@Zeldas_Crown
Surprised you'd even talk about RPG Maker seeing as you make fun of people for being proud of their Mario maker levels they create.
I've been making fun of people for being proud of their Mario Maker levels they created? Really? I'm going to need to see proof because throughout my years of Mario Maker and since then, I don't recall "making fun of" people and their levels.
Not sure what your deal is belittling others on various communities.
Newsflash: That's the internet. People are always going to have different viewpoints on anything they come across. Some people like Mario games while others don't. Some people like Zelda games while others don't. Some people like Pokemon while others don't. Some people are civil while others are toxic. That's the internet.
In fact, I think you tagged the wrong user...
One thing that has put me off of RPG maker on consoles is the lack of any sprite editor at all and in this kind of software it really is something that should be implemented since you can't import any assets and only use the stock ones and any future DLC at least that way at least you could make something very unique as opposed to something that looks like everyone else just in a different order. Kind of criminal that it doesn't when it was included in game creation software and 8 and 16 bit systems but not modern ones.
I think I’ll stick to Fuze, thanks. RPG maker seems so restricting in comparison.
I somehow managed to glitch out of the tutorial (bypassing whatever it had to teach, seemingly forever*), and then crashed the game twice (I AM ERROR) within an hour period seemingly doing nothing more than putting random stuff on a map and flipping through menus in the in-game database. :/
*I’m aware I could look stuff up on the internet, but the two ensuing crashes haven’t given me a warm fuzzy feeling about the game running on Switch.
Wow, handheld version of the player has tiny text so no way to see what u are downloading except looking at the stars.
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