Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown originally released in 2019 nearly five years after Ace Combat: Infinity and four years after the release of Assault Horizon Legacy+ on 3DS. It was the first game in the main series in over a decade and returned the series to Strangereal, the franchise’s fictional stand-in on Earth.
Now, five years later, Bandai Namco is bringing Skies Unknown to Switch in the form of a Deluxe Edition. The Assault Horizon titles on the 3DS introduced Nintendo players to the series’ arcade-style flighter combat, but we’re very happy to see this particular title make an unexpected landing on Switch – and perhaps a little hesitant about how this port will fare on the hybrid system.
We’ll get to work on our review as soon as possible, but in the meantime we were able to ask the game’s producer, Ryunosuke Hagiwara, a few quick questions about this Switch port…
Nintendo Life: News of a Switch “successor” is on everyone’s radar at this point, and it’s been a while since an Ace Combat game came out on a Nintendo platform. We’re excited to see it return, but our first question is: why are we greenlighting this Switch port at this point?
Ryunosuke Hagiwara, producer: Development for this Switch version began in 2022, before any information about the successor was available. When we conducted a survey among Ace Combat users around the world, we found that there were players who were interested in Ace Combat but couldn’t play it because they didn’t have a gaming console.
That’s why we decided to release a Switch version of the latest title in the series so that more people can enjoy it.
For Switch gamers who are new to the series and its rich history, what do you think sets Ace Combat apart from other combat and flight simulation games?
The Ace Combat series is a series of flight shooting games in which the player becomes an ace pilot, flying freely in 360 degrees in a graphical space that pursues a realistic view of the sky. Enjoy the experience of becoming a hero and saving the world by piloting a fighter jet with casual controls that differ from those in flight simulators.
Switch already has some impressive “impossible ports,” but there are also plenty that fall short. What were the biggest challenges in bringing the full Ace Combat experience to Nintendo’s hardware?
During the verification phase, ACE7’s realistic cloud rendering could not be reproduced on the Switch. [However]After a long period of trial and error, we managed to reach production version quality, ensuring frame rate without sacrificing gameplay.
What frame rate do you want on the Switch?
30 fps (variable).
Ace Combat 7 was the first game in the series to feature volumetric clouds, real-time condensation, and aircraft icing. Did these features make the transition to Switch? If so, were they difficult to implement?
Ace Combat 7 featured realistic representations of clouds and weather that affected the game in real time. After much trial and error, we managed to [in porting] the game on Switch, allowing players to enjoy the same realistic weather conditions and volume as in the original version.
It wouldn’t be a true Ace Combat game without a deep, complex plot in Strangereal. Can you talk a bit about how you went about developing the story for a game like this? Also, can we expect a 1:1 single-player content experience on Switch compared to the 2019 version?
When considering the storyline, it is important to portray each product as an independent story, so that players new to the series can enjoy it even if they have not played the previous titles. However, we believe that the appeal of the series lies in the fact that, while independent as stories, each story can be seen as an event in the common world of “Strangereal” and can feel connected to each other.
To create this contradictory setting, we had many discussions with staff members who have been involved in the development of the series for a long time, designed the scenery with great precision, and spent a lot of time creating the story together with director Sunao Katabuchi, who is responsible for the script.
We noticed that the trailer made no mention of the Top Gun: Maverick DLC including the Darkstar prototype. Should Switch owners remove “the need for speed” from the pre-flight check? Is all other previously released DLC campaign content included?
Due to the popularity of the Top Gun: Maverick Aircraft set with players around the world, we are excited to announce that the Top Gun: Maverick Aircraft set will also be available for Switch, sold separately. We hope you enjoy the Top Gun experience on Switch.
Online multiplayer was a fun experience with the right group of friends in the original AC7 release. Has it survived the transition or is the Switch version strictly a single-seat affair?
This Switch version supports the same online multiplayer mode as the original version. We hope you will compete against other ace pilots from all over the world and become the strongest in the world. Online play requires an internet connection and a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Please note, however, that multiplayer does not support cross-platform play.
Is there anything else you would like to add that wasn’t covered in our questions?
This edition of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown for Nintendo Switch will be a deluxe edition featuring the main game, three original plane sets, plus three SP missions and other content. Enjoy the thrilling dogfighting experience in the air on your Nintendo Switch, in the comfort of your room or outside!
Finally, what games have you been playing in your spare time lately – on Switch or elsewhere?
I am a member of the Ace Combat team and as a gamer I play AAA titles from other companies every day, even if I say that for reference.
Recently I got hooked on Rise of the Ronin. I enjoyed the thrill of meeting real historical figures in an open-world setting of the Bakumatsu period, and the excitement of using sword fighting action to defeat enemies, partly because I am a Bakumatsu fan.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. Our thanks too Ryunosuke Hagiwara, and to Claire from Bastion for setting this up.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Deluxe Edition is out today on Switch. We’ll have a review up for you as soon as we can.