DNF Duel Reviews
DNF Duel is a 2D fighting game that features an extraordinarily accessible control system and move list that’s certain to put newcomers at ease while welcoming veterans as well. Its Story Mode could certainly have been more developed with such a rich lore, but the sharp, intuitive gameplay experience is going to fit like a glove on anyone who enjoys 2D fighting games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
DNF Duel is a fun fighting game suitable even for players who are not fans of the genre or do not have much experience with it. But you won't enjoy the story very much and the online gameplay is quite austere. In addition, the Switch version does not support rollback netcode.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
DNF Duel is a fine addition to the rosters of fighting games on the Nintendo Switch. I can only hope that crossplay comes in the future alongside the number of updates and support Arc System Works has promised the other versions. It's a bit of a niche franchise when compared to stuff like Dragon Ball Z and may not quite have the appeal for more casual fans. That said, fans of the genre who fancy an anime fighter with a bit of a difference will find that DNF Duel stands in its league.
Overall, DNF Duel was and still is one of the most aesthetically pleasing games I’ve played in a long time and one of the better ports on the Nintendo Switch, taking everything there was to love about the game while still retaining its sleek gameplay and killer sense of style. Sadly, while the characters and animations still look great, and the game runs like a champ, it took a slight hit in terms of graphical fidelity to be able to run the game at its most optimal on the Switch. Nevertheless, while it may not be an entirely new game, it does a phenomenal job showing that an old dog doesn’t need new tricks to be great. So if big beautiful sprites, bone-crunching combat, and vivid visuals are your cup of tea, don’t be afraid to give DNF Duel a try.
DNF Duel remains a good fighting game in general, but the noticeable drop in graphics quality and the lack of Rollback Netcode makes the Switch version the least successful and appealing.
Review in Italian | Read full review
DNF Duel had the potential to be a great fighting game for beginners, but is far too shallow and unbalanced to be competitive in. Even so, it's good for a more casual and laid back experience with some great visuals.
The Switch version of DNF Duel is a wild, ridiculous fighter with some neat systems to keep you invested in each battle. It's still the weakest release among all platforms, though.
DNF Duel on the Switch is a fairly decent port of the game that was released for the PlayStation and PC. The game remains intact and is an enjoyable fighter. The downside is that the visuals have suffered, and thanks to Nintendo, you have to pay to play online, which may hamper any chance of a healthy online community.
As it stands, DNF:Duel is not a fighter I will continue to play as it’s not the kind of experience I’m looking for in a fighting game. However, that is not to say that I don’t see the value in having a game where bombastic, overtuned characters do dumb things to each other as I don’t believe every fighter needs to be meticulously balanced and brutally deep to have a place in the FGC. All that really means is that I’ll just be watching instead of playing.
While feeling a tad bare bones, DNF Duel still manages to be a highly entertaining 2D fighting game among many coming out this year.
DNF Duel is a surprisingly deep fighting game, that doesn't require a whole lot of learning to be enjoyed. Mechanically interesting and with a very diverse cast of fighters, this videogame has the potential to entertain both new players and old fans of this genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
DNF Duel is a good fighting game, but nothing more. It has beautiful animations between fights and a very rich universe to use to its advantage. Besides that, the gameplay makes combatants use their creativity to the fullest in combos. But still, it seems that all the meticulousness of the mechanics has not been extended to the game modes and all the rest of the experience that a fighting game can give its fans.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
DNF Duel adds and subtracts from a variety of fighting game mechanics to create something strangely unique, fundamentally simple, and undeniably fun.
There is not much more to say about DNF Duel. The game does not push the genre forward, but what is here is an exceptionally fun fighting game that is slightly cheaper than full price.
A visually pleasing fighter that is competent in every aspect, but other than being based on a popular MMO and some of the minutiae of its system, other fighters have offered a better experience, some of them even from the same developer.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
It’s hard to know what DNF Duel will look like in a year’s time, let alone a few months. Fighting games get huge updates so frequently these days it’s impossible to know what form they’ll take in the long term, whether due to the developers deciding to make massive changes or the meta shifting in such a way that pigeon-holes the greater play dynamics. Right now, though, it’s a ton of fun and relatively easy to hop in and just start pressing buttons. Hopefully it can stay that way for a while because it’s nice to have something to just turn on and get some quick sets in without feeling like I need to actually put in actual work to do anything.
A pleasing surprise.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
DNF Duel is the total package and it has something for everyone. It's an easy to jump into fighting game, thanks to the simplified inputs while offering great depth and lots of opportunities to improve your skill. If ArcSys and Eighting can address those pesky infinities, and maybe make it not so much Kusoge, which I'm sure they will, and make address some character balancing, the DNF Duel will be at the forefront of fighting games for quite some time.
When Nexon first announced that they would be collaborating with Arc System Works to develop a fighting game based on Dungeon Fighter Online, the response was a bit muted. Arc System Works is arguably the best fighting game studio in the industry right now, but working with an IP that has such a niche audience–no matter how huge that IP may be–didn’t set the fighting game community on fire. Fast forward a year and a half later, though, and there’s no doubt that DNF Duel earns its place as one of the more accessible and polished releases the studio has had thus far.
DNF Duel has a glorious soundtrack, distinct characters, and immersive environments that really set this whole game up to be a fan favorite. Anything else coming after this game’s launch is more than welcome and I can’t wait to see what happens next.