Multiplayer Minute: Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection

Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection on the Nintendo Switch. @PohnDip and I fired this up on our Nintendo Switch 2's. There's no dedicated Switch 2 version, but it ran great on the newer hardware. The boost mode was a nice touch when playing in handheld — smooth and responsive, exactly what you want from a classic shooter.

Credit where it's due: the remake devs did a great job with the multiplayer support. Getting into games together was seamless once we figured out the lobby system. That said, the UI is obviously dated. We weren't always sure when others could join, and we had to set up the lobby fresh every single time — selecting maps, game modes, settings — nothing saved between sessions. Minor annoyance, but it adds up.

Speaking of things not saving, I had to adjust my controller sensitivity settings every time I booted up Battlefront 2. Battlefront 1 was fine, but every single time I jumped into Battlefront 2, I'd get into a match only to remember my sensitivity was back to default. Maybe there's a trick to making it stick from the main menu, but it shouldn't be that complicated.

Here's the thing though — you don't really "beat" the classic Battlefront games. You just play all the maps and have fun. And honestly? That's refreshing. Old games like this give you a breath of fresh air. Simple game loop, not trying to do too much. The core gameplay is there and it's solid. Shoot the bad guys. Got it. No convoluted systems, no battle passes, no live service nonsense.

There are so many classic little details baked into these old games that modern titles just can't match. For example: there's this voice line the Stormtroopers shout — "They're coming around" — that me and my friends cannot stop quoting. It's probably because the NPCs cycle through the same ten voice lines on repeat, but the way they deliver it, and the timing in which they say it, is absolutely hilarious. Sometimes when the battlefield is in complete chaos, a Stormtrooper will scream at the top of his lungs "THEY'RE COMING AROUND!" and it breaks me every single time. That's the kind of organic, unscripted comedy that makes multiplayer memories.

The mechanics are sound too. The blaster bolts are projectiles, not hitscan, so you can actually watch the laser travel and connect with your target. The sniper might be hitscan, but that works perfectly for its role. It's almost like they had dedicated testers who actually played the game top to bottom and provided real feedback — and the devs listened. They built the game around how people actually want to play, not forcing players into situations the developers think you should experience. Huge difference from modern titles like the newer Dragon Age where they shoehorn you into design decisions that serve the dev's vision over the player's fun. Classic Battlefront just lets you play. What a concept.