Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Farming Simulator: Nintendo Switch Edition is a detailed, deliberately slow farm-management game best suited to players who want to learn machinery and settle into repetitive work. Two contemporary reviews scored it 7/10: both valued its depth, while pointing to a steep learning curve and friction that can make the routine feel like a chore. This is the 2017 Switch Edition, not Farming Simulator 20 or Farming Simulator 23: Nintendo Switch Edition.
What critics thought
Nintendo Life’s Ryan Craddock gave the game 7/10 in a review published November 10, 2017. He praised its realism and depth, but judged the complexity and demanding learning curve to make it a niche experience. Nintendo World Report’s Daan Koopman also scored it 7/10, in a review published November 7, 2017. Koopman liked the variety and farm management, but criticized busy work, drab environments, and an inelegant button layout.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Farming Simulator 23 - Nintendo Switch | $39.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Farming Simulator 20 (Nintendo Switch) | $37.27 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Farming Simulator 23: Nintendo Switch Edition | $44.50 | Buy on Amazon |
Metacritic’s publisher catalog currently lists a score of 73 for the Nintendo Switch Edition and gives its release date as November 7, 2017. That is an aggregator snapshot, not a score derived only from the two reviews above or a complete survey of every critic review. See the Metacritic listing.
What playing the game involves
The core appeal is managing a working farm rather than completing a fast sequence of challenges. You cultivate fields, operate machinery, transport and sell harvests, manage livestock and their products, hire workers, and expand your operation. Nintendo’s product description also lists forestry, drivable trains, and two farming environments: North America and Eastern Europe.
#1 Best Overall
- Operate realistic tractors, harvesters, field sprayers, and more
- Cultivate fields with a variety of crops, or harvest grapes and olives on the hillside
- Start logging with heavy forestry equipment
- Establish production chains and use powerful trucks for transport
- Tend to farm animals like cows, sheep, and now: chickens!
Nintendo describes the game as including more than 250 faithfully reproduced vehicles and tools from over 75 manufacturers. Those are figures from the publisher’s product description, not independently verified counts. The official description also names crops and livestock such as pigs, cows, sheep, and chickens. Nintendo UK product details.
Why the pace and learning curve divide players
The work is the point
Farm tasks take time, and the routine is methodical: prepare fields, use the right machinery, harvest, and get produce to market. Craddock noted that harvesting and delivering a crop can take a long time. For someone who enjoys realistic processes and gradual progress, that pace can be absorbing. For someone expecting varied action, quick rewards, or constant new events, the repeated work may feel tedious.
Rank #2
- Use and drive over 100 faithfully reproduced farming vehicles and tools including, for the first time on Nintendo Switch, the largest agriculture machinery Company in the world: John deere
- tend to your livestock, including pigs, cows, sheep, and horses
- ride your own horses and explore the vast areas offered in a new North American open world loaded with farming activities
Expect to learn before the farm feels manageable
The game asks newcomers to understand how equipment, tools, fields, and farm operations connect. Craddock found the tutorial insufficient preparation for a farming novice and said menus and guides need study. That makes the initial hours a poor fit for players looking for a casual game they can pick up without much friction.
Presentation and controls are part of the trade-off
Koopman’s reservations were not limited to the workload: he also criticized the environments as drab and the button layout as inelegant. His review nevertheless praised the machinery’s detail and the management variety. Taken together, the reviews suggest that patience with the systems matters more than expecting a polished, easygoing presentation.
Rank #3
- Two maps: Amberstone (US) & Neubrunn (EU)
- 100+ authentic vehicles and tools from world-renowned manufacturers
- Grapes, olives, and sorghum are new among the 14 crops
- New farm animals: chickens added to cows, pigs, horses, and sheep
- Strengthened management options through production chains.Added mechanics on the fields such as weeding and plowing.Vast open world setting with seasonal visual effects.Enhanced active support: auto-loading, AI helper and tutorials
Who should play this Switch Edition?
| Reader preference | How well it fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic machinery and hands-on farm management | Strong fit | The game centers on operating equipment, tending fields and livestock, selling produce, and expanding a farm. |
| Slow, repetitive tasks and gradual progress | Depends on taste | The deliberate routine is central; simulation fans may find it absorbing, while players wanting variety or rapid rewards may find it tedious. |
| Easy onboarding and low-friction play | Weak fit | The tutorial may leave novices underprepared, and menus and guides take study. |
| Casual, cozy farming with a polished presentation | Approach cautiously | Critics highlighted a demanding learning curve, drab environments, and an awkward button layout. |
Craddock’s 7/10 review characterized it as a game for farming enthusiasts rather than a broad audience. That matches the central choice: buy into the complexity and repetition because you want a detailed farming simulation, not because you expect a low-effort cozy game.
Release and edition details
Nintendo lists the original Farming Simulator: Nintendo Switch Edition release date as November 7, 2017, with both Nintendo Switch Game Card and download formats. The Nintendo UK listing states English-language support, a PEGI 3 rating, and that the software does not support Nintendo Switch Online Save Data Cloud backup. Those details are specific to Nintendo’s UK product page and may not describe every region’s listing. Check Nintendo UK’s listing.
If you are shopping for a physical copy, look specifically for the 2017 Nintendo Switch Edition Game Card. Check the title carefully: Farming Simulator 20 and Farming Simulator 23: Nintendo Switch Edition are separate games, not alternate names for this release.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
