Despite having been originally released on PlayStation 4, Final Fantasy VII Remake never made it to the original Nintendo Switch, debuting on the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year with one of the most impressive third-party ports we have seen to date. The last-generation Nintendo system, with some pointed modifications, however, can run the PC version of the game surprisingly well, even with the performance overhead of the Box64 + Wine translation layer required to get the PC version to run on an ARM-based system.
This impressive technical feat was achieved by modder Naga, who detailed the creation of a Nintendo Switch Lite "Pro" in a new video. Besides showing the installation of 8GB of RAM, doubling the system's stock memory (which prevented ports of games like Genshin Impact, which could release on Switch 2 soon), the modder upgraded the storage to a 256GB eMMC and installed a Super5 OLED screen. Following the initial setup, the video showcases how the modded system handles both native and emulated games.
While seeing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt at 45 FPS on the original Nintendo Switch would have been impressive enough, the modder showcased how well this Switch Lite Pro handles PlayStation 3 emulation with Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX, Wii U emulation with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, and PS Vita emulation with Gravity Rush and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. But, as already mentioned, the most impressive feat this modded system achieves is running Final Fantasy VII Remake reasonably well.
Although the modded Nintendo Switch Lite Pro doesn't have the horsepower to run the game at its best, achieving playable framerates in the 20 to 30 FPS range in a PC game running via a translation layer is an amazing feat. It demonstrates how hardware tweaks could have allowed for even more "impossible ports" during the system's original lifespan, something that Sony is reportedly keeping in mind for its PlayStation 6 handheld, although cutting it down for the home system could help keep its price down.
While a modded Nintendo Switch Lite can run Final Fantasy VII Remake surprisingly well, it's unlikely it could handle the more demanding Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (which is set to break records on Nintendo Switch 2) just as well. However, Nintendo players will get the chance to play the second entry in the remake trilogy this June with what's already looking like a solid port featuring great image quality with some compromises, and will eventually be able to play the third, yet-to-be-revealed entry powered once again by Unreal Engine 4 when it launches on a still-unconfirmed release date.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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