The fun of ‘Pol Guys’ was still there. Since it became free, it was easy to access even by acquaintances, so there was a lot of time to enjoy it for betting.
Thanks to this, the popularity has risen sharply in recent times. It is continuing an explosive upward trend, surpassing 20 million users within 48 hours of becoming free and over 50 million users within two weeks. The upward trend in domestic indicators is also remarkable. According to NMedia Platform’s ‘The Log’, Pole Guys is currently ranked 17th in PC room market share. This is a record that has risen by a whopping 142 places compared to the 20th of last month, just before it became free.
In general, Pole Guys is often enjoyed on PC. It supports representative console devices such as PlayStation, XBOX, and Nintendo Switch, but with the exception of XBOX SERIES X and PlayStation 5, it is advantageous in terms of graphic quality and frame defense to enjoy on PC.
The reporter continued to enjoy Pole Guys on PC. Then, I wondered what it would be like to enjoy Fall Guys on the Nintendo Switch, where you can play dynamic games with Joy-Con, so I pressed the power button that I had not used in a while.
In fact, in the case of the Nintendo Switch, the specifications of the device itself were not good, so there were many concerns. In addition, since I haven’t used the Nintendo Switch for a long time, I started thinking regarding whether I might play the game without any problems.
When I pressed the power button with a trembling heart, luckily it ran smoothly. Frames are limited to 30 or less, and the graphic quality has been adjusted to low specifications. The quality of the Nintendo Switch screen did not feel very different, but when it was connected to a monitor or TV, it felt a little awkward and different. Anyway, if you plan to connect to a monitor and TV, you can enjoy it with a PC, so it was not a problem to consider.
When I started playing the game in earnest, there was no frame fluctuation phenomenon. There was a slight lag due to a network problem, but it didn’t interfere with the gameplay enough to actually win.
In Pole Guys, different types of games are played for each round, such as ‘race’, in which you run away from obstacles to a certain point, and ‘survival’, where you avoid various obstacles, and only a certain number of survivors can advance to the next round.
Hunting was not easy. Unfamiliarity with Joy-Con aiming had a bigger impact than the low framerate was a problem. After repeating it 3 or 4 times, I got used to it and was able to get through it without problems.
If someone asks, “Do I need to downgrade what I used to play on PC and enjoy?” I want to ask the opposite question, “Don’t you know how much fun it is to play Pole Guys while lying down?” The biggest advantage is that you can enjoy Pole Guys while lying on a bed or sofa just like you would enjoy a mobile game. When my roommate sat down and the reporter did it comfortably, I felt like I had won something even when I lost a game.
In addition, the joy-con operation was a unique fun factor unique to the Nintendo Switch that might not be felt on a PC, and provided sufficient satisfaction. If you enjoy the Joy-Con separately from the main body, dynamic fun is added so that you can unconsciously see yourself running with the character.
I was curious to see if I might enjoy it in an external environment without any problems, but there was definitely a big difference in the game environment depending on the network condition, and in certain areas, the game was cut off, so it is difficult to believe that it can be played completely, so it is recommended to avoid external play.
If we review the Nintendo Switch version of Pole Guys, it can be said that “the fun of the Nintendo Switch is definitely there”. Being able to enjoy Pole Guys anywhere is a big advantage. Since the game and fun elements are already proven games, the graphic downgrade was not too much of a concern.
Most importantly, it’s free to play, so there’s no pressure. If you own a Nintendo Switch, you can have fun with Pole Guys even when you lie down and relax.
Won-bin Moon, Reporter at Hankyung.com Game Talk
