The Nintendo Switch 2 will be home to plenty of original experiences, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, but a core part of the system’s early lineup will be “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” versions of Switch titles. These will include upcoming games that will launch simultaneously on Switch 1 and 2, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, as well as a handful of upgrades to older Switch titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Super Mario Party Jamboree.
I recently went hands-on with a number of these new editions at a Nintendo Switch 2 preview event (you can check out my general impressions of the hardware here). I’ve already chimed in on the Switch 2 version of Metroid Prime 4, but here’s a roundup of my thoughts on the various Switch 2 Editions of older titles. Are these editions a worthy upgrade or underwhelming? Scroll on for my early impressions…
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
Both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were said to run at 4K and 60fps by Nintendo reps at the hands-on event, although I suspect some sort of uprezing was going on, as they didn’t look quite as crisp as some of the other Switch 2 Edition titles I played at the event. Some assets didn’t look as sharp as they could have and shadows had quite obvious jagged edges. Of course, that can naturally come from uprezing a game that, in the case of BotW, is over eight years old at this point.
Make no mistake, the games did look much better than on the OG Switch, and the bump in performance was very welcome given both BotW and TotK struggled fairly significantly to maintain even a solid 30fps on the older hardware. Being able to run through Kakariko Village at a solid 60fps after all these years was certainly a cathartic experience. The new versions of Zelda BotW and TotK also support Zelda Notes, a service available through the Nintendo Switch App that provides additional maps, hints, the ability to share items between the two games, and more. As a generally app-adverse person, I don’t know if this will be something I bother with all that much, but I could see it being useful for some.
Overall, the Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are nice to have, and will undoubtedly become my preferred way to play the games, but neither felt quite as transformative as I was hoping.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition updates one of the most criminally-underappreciated games on the Switch, and it actually delivers one of the most notable upgrades of the early bunch of Switch 2 Editions. To my eye, the visuals looked sharper than either Zelda game, perhaps indicating Kirby is closer to a native 4K than they are. While the original Forgotten Land was a mostly-solid 30fps, the 60fps boost is noticeable and welcome.
In another departure from the Zelda updates, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is also getting new content in the form of the Star-Crossed World expansion. This largely seems to be a remix of the original Forgotten World, with blue crystal stars raining down and changing up stages. Rather than Waddle Dees, Kirby is now rescuing strange new creatures called “Starries,” while also grabbing new star-like collectibles. Smashing larger crystals will make new crystalline platforms and structures appear, altering stage layouts and making enemies more challenging. There are also some completely new features, including added Mouthful Mode transformations (I got to try out the bouncy new Spring ability). While Star-Crossed World isn’t a completely original creation, it felt just as fun as the original Forgotten Land and it seems like it may be quite a substantial add-on, remixing many, if not all, of the original game’s stages.
Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV
The demos for Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Edition were less about the visual and technical upgrades, and more about gameplay additions that show off the Switch 2’s new control options and accessories. I had the chance to try out a number of new minigames built around mouse controls that had me doing things like guiding toads through an electrified maze and spray painting bob-ombs. Most of these games were pretty fun. The new Jamboree TV expansion mostly focuses on using the new Nintendo Switch 2 Camera to insert yourself into games, which felt more gimmicky and less appealing to me.
Current Thoughts on Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Games
The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games demoed at the recent hands-on event weren’t just one thing, running the gamut from technically impressive but perhaps not essential (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom) to a quirky controller and accessory showcase (Super Mario Party Jamboree) to what seems to be a fairly significant content expansion (Kirby and the Forgotten Land).
We also have to take into account cost when we talk about these Switch 2 upgrades, which Nintendo is being slightly opaque about. They have revealed the Zelda updates will cost $10 apiece if you own the original Switch games, although you can get both for “free” if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber. If you don’t own the original games, you can buy Switch 2 Editions that will cost as much as the original game plus the upgrade pack (so, $70 for BotW and $80 for TotK). Pricing for the Kirby and Mario Party upgrades that actually add new content hasn’t been revealed, but store listings hint they’ll cost more – up to $20 for the upgrade and $80 if you’re getting the original game + upgrade bundle.
Of course, I need to play more, but these Nintendo Switch 2 Editions seem like a solid deal if you already own the original Switch titles, but may be a bit rich for the blood of folks that also need to buy the base game. All the Switch 2 Edition titles I played seemed worthwhile to some degree, and some, particularly Kirby and the Forgotten Land, were quite intriguing, but you’ll have to pick and choose which ones are worth it for you (or get that NSO+ subscription, assuming all the updates will be available through the service). Your mileage with these makeovers may vary.
Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom launch alongside the system on June 5. Meanwhile, Super Mario Party Jamboree arrives on July 24 and Kirby and the Forgotten Land is coming August 28. Look for more Wccftech coverage of these upgrades closer to launch.
