Devil May Cry 3 With Style Switching Could Make for a Crazy Party (Update: It’s Happening)

I had another good time with Devil May Cry 3 when I replayed it in December 2018, a late-generation PlayStation 2 game that’s aged exceptionally well after over a decade — the visual fidelity aside. I was well aware of its minor flaws this time around, like the level design in the last one-third of the game not living up to the preceding stages. Outside acknowledging how it still plays great, one particular thought traveled through my mind several times: Man, I wish I could switch Dante’s Styles on the fly.

Dante has four main Styles he can use for extra techniques: Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger, and Royal Guard, which focus on enhanced dodging, melee, long-range, and defense maneuvers, respectively. Only one can be used in a given mission, though they can be switched at a golden statue. That means only one will primarily gain experience as Dante ventures through levels. This wasn’t a complaint when it first released in 2005, but like many sequels tend to do, it’s tough not to get spoiled by future innovations.

Devil May Cry 4 added the feature of letting Dante switch through Styles by using the directional pad, giving him access to a laundry list of moves at a time. This has serious practical uses. It’s very useful to switch to Swordmaster at opportunities during levels or boss fights when melee attacks are better, the same goes for Trickster in sections where enemies have attacks that are tough to dodge by using the DMC-style short-ranged rolling dodge, and so on. It works even better in Devil May Cry V, which includes more stages and bosses made specifically for Dante to fight, and take advantage of the player knowing how to switch Styles.

This would be incredibly useful for similar sections in DMC3, where Dante is the only playable character throughout the main campaign. Well, without modding the PC version — I’m more of a console guy here. As it turns out, Capcom might have been listening to people like me.

The ports of Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2 to Switch were nothing special, the same versions of the games included in the Devil May Cry HD Collection released on other platforms. But the Switch port of Devil May Cry 3 will have a purportedly neat addition, and that could be the ability to switch Styles on the fly. If so, it will be fittingly added in this version because, you know, it’s the “Switch” version. You get it.

Capcom will officially reveal what this extra feature is as the release date approaches, from the tease that started with a video from Capcom Japan’s Matt Walker. In it, he acknowledged that DMC3 is special thanks to how it’s by far the best of the first three games, and promised the Switch port will have “a little something extra” that fans might like. There are overt clues that Style switching is what he’s referring to. Attentive fans looked at the first screenshots of the Switch version and noticed how the Style Dante has equipped is located above the health bar, which wasn’t present in the original version or the remastered one released on other platforms. There’s also this little nugget from the Switch version’s website:

“Will you prioritize speed or defense? Swordsmanship or gunplay? The new Style Change system allows you to experience the action through a number of unique Styles allowing for unprecedented variety. Level up the Styles and weapons as you see fit and create a playstyle all your own.”

Hmm!

You’ll notice how this description doesn’t completely confirm that the Style switching system is in. It could only be referring to a feature new to this particular game, over the two DMC titles previously released on Switch, based on how it’s written. But the clues point right to this, since why else would they go through the bother of adding the Style names if the port didn’t come with a big new feature?

Let’s be honest here: Style switching on the fly will absolutely break this game in half. DMC3 was not made for these options. Just imagine how the Cerberus fight, the game’s first real boss fight, can play out. The Trickster style can be switched to whenever he fires fast icicle projectiles, while Swordmaster can be used when he gets up close, and Gunslinger can be used while he retreats, to shoot all two of his three heads simultaneously. Dante’s Style switching did the same with DMC4, where most of the enemies and bosses were made for then-new protagonist Nero to fight. This will trivialize several battles, but it’s not like it won’t be fun.

The Switch version of Devil May Cry 3 will arrive on February 20th through the eShop worldwide for $19.99, or an equivalent. There will also be a Devil May Cry Triple Pack physical package in Japan that includes the original Devil May Cry — of all games — on the game card, while the other two will be available through a code. If Style switching is indeed the new big feature, get ready to see combo videos utilizing it soon, like those for the modded PC version.

Update: This has now been officially confirmed. It’s gonna be a crazy party.