The long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct finally happened, and the hour-long presentation was packed to the brim with information. The new Joy-Con 2s were detailed in full, the hardware specs were officially revealed, the console’s price was announced, and a frankly surprising number of games were confirmed for the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch window, including previously unannounced first-party and third-party titles.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct also confirmed that a handful of Switch 1 titles will be receiving a ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Edition,’ which will be a paid upgrade. These upgraded editions will add higher resolutions, higher frame rates, faster load times, HDR support, and, in the case of games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, it’ll add Switch 2-exclusive features like mouse functionality. The current list includes Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby: The Forgotten Land, Pokemon Z-A, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. This is a solid list to start with, but it should just be the tip of the iceberg.
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Games That Deserve a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The Animal Crossing franchise received absolutely no love during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, with no new game announced, no hint of an official Switch 2 Edition, and not even a place in Nintendo Switch Online’s GameCube catalog. While Animal Crossing: New Horizons runs well on the original Switch, it could certainly benefit from a Switch 2 Edition’s faster load times.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder appeared during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct to showcase the system’s improved frame-rates, but the game itself isn’t actually receiving a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Mario Bros. Wonder is one of the most visually stunning games on the original Switch, and its vibrant art style could benefit greatly from a Switch 2 Edition’s improved resolution, FPS, and most importantly, HDR support, which would allow its colorful aesthetic to really pop.
Metroid Dread
Nintendo Switch 2 users are already getting a dedicated version of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond during the console’s release window, but that shouldn’t mean Metroid Dread is forgotten about. Metroid Dread was a showcase for the Switch OLED’s capabilities, and it deserves to benefit from the enhanced visuals and frame rates a Switch 2 Edition could provide.
Some Nintendo Switch 1 games are getting free updates that will “improve playability” on the Switch 2. Nintendo’s website states these updates “may improve performance or add support for features such as GameShare,” but the improvements will vary from game to game. The current list of games receiving a free update includes Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Super Mario Odyssey, Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Splatoon 3
For a decade now, Splatoon has been one of Nintendo’s most successful multiplayer-focused franchises, and its legacy deserves to continue on the Nintendo Switch 2. Higher frame rates make all the difference in a multiplayer game, and Splatoon 3 could be granted them with a Switch 2 Edition upgrade.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Masahiro Sakurai may not be working on a new Smash Bros. game after all, but Nintendo could keep the franchise alive and well by giving Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Much like Splatoon 3, Smash Ultimate would benefit greatly from improved frame rates, and an enhanced resolution would help to make the on-screen chaos look a little cleaner.
Super Mario Maker 2
From the moment the Nintendo Switch 2’s mouse functionality was first rumored, fans have wanted a new Super Mario Maker game to rear its head. Though a new Mario Maker wasn’t announced during the Direct, Nintendo could still live up to this potential by releasing a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Maker 2, complete with mouse controls that allow players to more easily place blocks and create levels.
- Brand
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Nintendo
- Operating System
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Proprietary
- Storage
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256GB internal / MicroSD
- Resolution
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- App Store
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Nintendo eShop
- Wi-Fi
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Yes