Today, I’m adding two more games to the list of games that have gotten a boost with new versions releasing on the Nintendo Switch. Let’s have a look!
No Man’s Sky – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Genre: Open-World Action-RPG
Players: 1-4 Co-Op (Online)
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Review:
Announced only a day before the Nintendo Switch 2 launched, No Man’s Sky – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a welcome surprise to the Nintendo Switch 2 lineup for multiple reasons. Not only is this a magnificent game that was released in highly-compromised form on Nintendo Switch, but it’s a game that is a free upgrade for those who own the Nintendo Switch version of the game.
And frankly, the fact that this is a free upgrade is kinda’ astounding to me, because it’s quite an improvement. For starters, all of the content that was stripped out of the Nintendo Switch version of the game is restored here – this version supports online multiplayer, the base-building content that wasn’t in the Nintendo Switch version, and the new free Beacon update that isn’t available on Nintendo Switch. While it was understandable that the Nintendo Switch version had to have features removed to make it work, the Nintendo Switch 2 version does not seem compromised at all.
And of course the other major change here is that this version improves framerates, resolution, and loading times. It doesn’t suddenly eliminate issues – there are still loading times upon startup, and there’s still noticeable pop-in, but this is a much, much better version of the game.
And at this point… honestly, I have no complaints. This is a great version of an excellent game. If you somehow missed this on other platforms, or if you want to play it on the go, consider No Man’s Sky – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition a must-buy. And if you already own the Nintendo Switch version of the game… what are you waiting for? You already own this, so go ahead and download the update so you can start playing this phenomenal game how it was meant to be played.
tl;dr – No Man’s Sky is a universe-sized Open-World Action-RPG that is epic in scale and scope, and not only does the Nintendo Switch 2 present players with an uncompromised version of the game, but it does so with a free upgrade for anyone who bought the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Unless you’ve had your fill of this game on other platforms, this is an absolute must-buy.
Grade: A+
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Hogwarts Legacy
Genre: Open-World Action-RPG
Players: 1
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Review:
Hogwarts Legacy is a bit of an odd case in that it is not a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game, but there is an upgrade path for players who have a Nintendo Switch version of the game in their list of Nintendo Switch Virtual Game Cards can purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 version for only $10. I can personally vouch that this works for those who have the digital version of the Nintendo Switch game, though I’m not so sure whether this works if you have a physical copy.
Interestingly, those getting the game new will find that the Nintendo Switch 2 version only costs $60, the same price as the Nintendo Switch version. So you’ll definitely want to crunch some numbers to figure out the least expensive way to get this game on Nintendo Switch 2.
There are definitely improvements in this version of the game over the Nintendo Switch version – character models were already excellent in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, but they’re even better here. The resolution and framerate has improved, the pop-in isn’t as bad, there are no longer low-quality animations at a distance, the lighting, shadows, and reflections are better, and you no longer have transition load screens in places like Hogsmeade.
Furthermore, for players who prefer, you can use mouse controls instead of the analog stick in in-game menus, including the cursor in the magic minigame that has you following lines on the screen. Personally I much preferred using the analog stick, but I’m glad this is available for players who would prefer to control the game this way. Furthermore, this game has good support of HD Rumble 2.
Even though there’s a decent number of improvements, what’s here still leaves a lot to be desired. You’ll still find loading times at doors on occasion, hair can still look ugly at times with an odd grainy look to it, and there still aliasing and interlace flicker at times. While most textures are improved, some look really ugly (keep an eye on the tables during your sorting ceremony). There also seem to be a few odd glitches in this version that I hope get fixed in a patch. The main character’s voice can have an odd echoing effect to it that none of the game’s other voices have. Also, in my first playthrough I encountered a glitch that wouldn’t let me speak to other characters until I saved, exited the game, and restarted.
Despite these flaws, I do believe that this is overall an improvement over the Nintendo Switch version of the game, but it’s far from the vast improvement players may hope for. I suppose if you have the Nintendo Switch version this may be worth the $10 to upgrade, but I would warn players to keep expectations low.
tl;dr – Hogwarts Legacy is an Open-World Action-RPG set in the world of Harry Potter but in the 1800s, and as a result the setting is the same but the characters and conflicts are largely unique. Everything about this game’s approach to telling a story within this franchise is a true delight, but the gameplay features some questionable design choices, and while the Nintendo Switch 2 version is overall superior to the Nintendo Switch version, it still has quite a few flaws. This is still a very playable game, and it’s well worth playing to explore this game’s magnificent setting and story. But there’s no question that this is a highly-compromised experience in numerous ways.
Grade: B
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I hope you enjoyed this latest batch of Nintendo Switch 2 Difference Mini-Reviews, and found them to be helpful! Want to see all Nintendo Switch 2 Difference comparisons? Check out this page for links to every article where I’ve included these comparisons!
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