Today, I’m adding three more games to the list of games that have seen improvements when played on Nintendo Switch 2. Let’s have a look!
Bugsnax
Genre: First-Person Puzzle / Misc.
Players: 1
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Review:
I’ve got to be honest, I wasn’t expecting a lot from Bugsnax, because Bugsnax isn’t an especially graphically-impressive game to begin with. Its simple character models, relatively low-resolution visuals, and aliasing weren’t going to be improved by the Nintendo Switch 2, and they’re not. But I was surprised at just how much a few other things were.
First, there’s the loading times, which see some of the most dramatic improvements I’ve seen in any Nintendo Switch game on Nintendo Switch 2 so far. Loading the game to the title screen dropped from 29 seconds to 11, and loading into a game from the title screen went from 31 to 15. Needless to say, this is a wonderful improvement that should definitely save players some time.
However, the big surprise here is the improvements to the framerates. I didn’t feel like Bugsnax on Nintendo Switch had framerate issues, it just had a fairly stable low framerate, something that’s fine for this sort of game and that I didn’t expect to see improved on Nintendo Switch 2. However, it was, and the difference was instantly noticeable, now much smoother. I don’t have the testing equipment to give you numbers, but I can say that this is a huge improvement.
Does any of this affect my grade for the game? Well, not especially. Like I said, I don’t feel like this is a game that was hindered by its graphics and performance, nor is its gameplay strongly dependent on high framerates. So this is still much the same experience. But make no mistake, the Nintendo Switch 2 is absolutely a better way to play this game than on the original Nintendo Switch… though of course, still not on par with other platforms like the PlayStation 5.
tl;dr – Bugsnax is an odd game with various elements I feel I can best describe as a First-Person Puzzle game about an island of muppet-like “grumpus” people who have become enamored with the titular “bugsnax”, critters that look like food and are purportedly delicious. This game is limited by its lack of stuff to do outside its core game structure, as well as issues with accomplishing the goals you’re given. However, it largely makes up for this with its adorable presentation and excellent story. The result is a game that feels like it could have been something much better, but is still worth playing for the stuff it gets right.
Grade: B-
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Cooking Mama: Cookstar
Genre: Arcade
Players: 1-2 Competitive / Co-Op (Local)
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Review:
As I’ve been playing through Nintendo Switch games on Nintendo Switch, I’ve looked at games that have received official updates on Nintendo Switch 2, “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” games, some of the more significant and popular games on the original Nintendo Switch, games that seem like they might have the most potential for improvement, and games with interesting or unique features. I suppose you can consider Cooking Mama: Cookstar to be one of the latter – this is one of the Nintendo Switch’s more infamous disasters, and a game that was removed from storefronts almost immediately after it was released. Would such a game even be playable on Nintendo Switch 2?
Well, let’s get that out of the way right now. Yes, Cooking Mama: Cookstar plays just fine on Nintendo Switch 2. No, it doesn’t seem like it makes the system heat up any more than usual. And it certainly didn’t cause my Nintendo Switch 2 to explode. With all of that out of the way, the question then becomes, is the game improved at all?
Ehh.
I honestly didn’t notice much difference. On the one hand, I felt that the color seemed off on the lettuce in-game while I was preparing a hamburger, though everything else looked fine. On the other hand, the game’s gyroscopic motion controls were perhaps a bit more responsive. But in the end, this felt like much the same experience overall.
Which is to say, much like the Nintendo Switch experience playing this game, Cooking Mama Cookstar on Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t a Kitchen Nightmare, but neither would I say that this game “Nailed It!” in the Cutthroat Kitchen of cooking games on Nintendo Switch. Cooking Mama Cookstar may have been Chopped from the market when the franchise owners decided it broke My Kitchen Rules, but even though there’s no chance it’ll be The Next Iron Chef, it isn’t one of The Worst Cooks in America. Still, if you’re craving Good Eats on Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2, I think you’re better off looking for other Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
tl;dr – Cooking Mama Cookstar is an Arcade-style game that has been surrounded by rumors and controversy, with the game pulled from the eShop shortly after its release. However, the reality of the situation is that this game is neither a hidden masterpiece nor an epic disaster. It’s just a mediocre game that neither meets its series’ potential nor is it an interesting enough train wreck to make for a fun spectacle. It is merely a mediocre but playable game with slow pacing, lackluster controls, and simple, boring gameplay.
Grade: C-
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Pizza Possum
Genre: Stealth
Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local Split-Screen)
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Review:
Pizza Possum is not the sort of game you would expect to receive much improvement on Nintendo Switch 2, and you would be right. Its visuals are still very low-resolution, and the framerate is fine but no better on Nintendo Switch 2.
I did see one improvement, however – the loading time to get to the title screen shortened from 16 seconds to 12. Pretty minor in the grand scheme of things? Sure. But not every game can get a Pokemon Scarlet and Violet-sized improvement on Nintendo Switch 2.
In the end, Pizza Possum is still an adorable Stealth game that I absolutely recommend, and while it’s not much-improved on Nintendo Switch 2, it’s still well worth playing, regardless of what platform you play it on.
tl;dr – Pizza Possum is a family-friendly Stealth game where players take the role of a hungry possum trying to gobble up all food in sight without being nabbed by the cops. The core mechanics here are simple but work well, with some inspired mechanics that put a new spin on the Stealth genre, and an absolutely adorable presentation. I do wish this game built on the core gameplay to give it longer legs, but the short length is easily excused by the low $7 price. Overall, this is an outstanding game well worth checking out for casual gamers and Stealth die-hards alike.
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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