Dave the Diver was hands down the surprise indie hit of the summer, and with its first major update out now and the Switch release on the horizon, it’s an exciting time for fans of deep sea exploration and restaurant management. That said, whether you’re a new player or someone who’s already sunk some time into the PC version of the game, there are four big reasons why you should consider getting Dave the Diver on Switch.
It’s the Perfect Cozy Switch Game
The Switch is the quintessential cozy game console. With games like Animal Crossing, Cult of the Lamb, Stardew Valley, and Spiritfarer, Dave the Diver fits right in with that lineup. Here, we’ve got a rogue-like adjacent fishing game that’s also a sushi restaurant mangement sim, and there are farming sim elements once you unlock the fish ponds and farms.
Dave the Diver also happens to be one of those games where you can just play and take things at your own pace without worrying too much about not hitting your deadlines. I mean, yeah, there are some VIP missions that require you to collect specific ingredients before a certain date, but for the most part, they’re pretty easy to acquire. And even if you happen to miss the deadline, it’s really not a huge deal in terms of progression. You’ll get ’em next time.
Gameplay Sections are Broken Up Into Small Chunks
What makes a Perfect Switch Game (TM)? The ability to just pick up and play a game, put it down, then pick it right back up later and not feel like you need to get back into the groove of things.
Dave the Diver fits perfectly into that category with how its various gameplay sections are broken up. The fishing aspect is the lengthiest portion for sure, but it’s also largely dependent on your O2 capacity and how much inventory space you have. Especially when you’re just starting out, you’ll probably only spend about 10 minutes underwater before needing to come back up to unload.
The restaurant and farming sim aspects are also very casual, which means that Dave the Diver is a great game to play on your commute or during your small pockets of free time. Just hop in, do a shift and Bancho, then put the Switch to sleep and come back later.
It Plays Better With a Gamepad
While the game did originally release on PC first, Dave the Diver actually plays better with a gamepad.
The harpoon aiming feels less funky with a proper controller, which is huge. There’s nothing more frustrating than missing a harpoon on a shark while you’re in combat just because you needed time to adjust, and aiming on the gamepad definitely feels more natural.
While navigating the menus with a mouse and keyboard is certainly smoother, the meat and potatoes of Dave the Diver lies in the underwater exploration, so we wouldn’t mind sacrificing a bit of menu convenience for a better combat experience.
It Looks Cuter on a Smaller Screen
So this might be a little subjective, but pixel aesthetic games like Dave the Diver do tend to look nicer on the Switch’s smaller screen in our experience. It’s just a perfect fit for the handheld, as opposed to looking all bloated and blown up on a bigger monitor.
It doesn’t help that Dave the Diver’s pixel models aren’t all that elaborate either, so it’s not like you’re missing much by playing on the Switch instead of on a larger display. The cooking and prepping animations should also look very crisp on the smaller screen, adding to the game’s overall cozy vibe.
So, are you planning on picking up Dave the Diver on Switch? What are you most looking forward to doing in the game? Let us know in the comments down below.
