Today, I’m adding more games to the list of games that have seen improvements when played on Nintendo Switch 2. Let’s have a look!
- Balatro (Nintendo Switch 2)
- Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Subnautica – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Subnautica: Below Zero – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Subnautica + Subnautica: Below Zero
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Balatro (Nintendo Switch 2)
Genre: Turn-Based Card RPG / Roguelike
Players: 1
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Review:
Balatro is certainly one of those games that’s low on the list of “games I felt really needed a Nintendo Switch 2 release”. Though now that one has been suddenly released, I can see a few ways the game could make good use of the platform. But we’ll get to that in a moment.
First, I should take a moment to mention that this is not a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition release. Rather, it is an entirely separate Nintendo Switch 2 release, and as such, your game save will not carry over from one version to the other. On the bright side, if you own the Nintendo Switch version of the game, this game is discounted to being free, which is nearly as good (and if you still own both a Nintendo Switch and a Nintendo Switch 2, it’s arguably better because you can keep both versions at the same time).
The two big changes being touted for this version are the addition of Mouse Mode support, HD Rumble 2 Support, and 60FPS framerates. Let’s tackle the first two of these first. Balatro does indeed have full support of dynamic Mouse Mode, but in my experience this ended up being a bit buggy. Whenever the mouse was taken even slightly off a surface, I found the cursor position changed, creating odd flickering between multiple spots as they alternate being highlighted at high speed. What’s more, when using Mouse Mode I repeatedly encountered a glitch causing the HD Rumble 2 to continuously vibrate until I used the home button to return to the Nintendo Switch 2 menu and then go back into the game. All of this in a game that has perfectly decent gamepad controls, and I quickly found myself not wanting to touch Mouse Mode anymore.
At the very least, the third feature, improved framerates, makes for a much smoother experience, but I found Balatro’s graphical upgrades extended beyond this – the resolution seemed higher (yes, even in a game with pixel art cards, since their movement isn’t pixel-based), and the game overall seemed to have a brighter color palette, making the game more visibly-pleasing and easier to read.
The loading times are improved too – on the Nintendo Switch, it took me 25 seconds to load to the main menu, and only 6 seconds on Nintendo Switch 2. What’s more, even the file size of the game is reduced – from 179MB on Nintendo Switch to 123MB on Nintendo Switch 2. Both versions of the game are still quite tiny, but Balatro is even tinier on Nintendo Switch 2.
Taken all together, Balatro’s Nintendo Switch 2 release isn’t perfect. The inability to bring over your game saves and the spotty Mouse Mode integration are both disappointing here. However, I think the upgrade to the visuals makes it well worth picking up this version, especially if you already own the Nintendo Switch version of the game, since that means this won’t cost you a dime. And if you have yet to play Balatro and don’t own the original Nintendo Switch, you can be assured that the game is even better now than it was on the original Nintendo Switch.
tl;dr – Balatro is a Turn-Based Card RPG and Roguelike that starts with a standard deck of poker cards that players gradually trade out and upgrade, aiming to keep racking up increasingly high scores to get as far as they can. While this game has a few rough spots, overall this is a brilliant mix of accessibility and exquisitely-crafted gameplay that puts it on par with the likes of Slay the Spire as the best this genre has to offer. This is an absolute must-play for any fans of this genre.
Grade: A-
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Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Genre: Top-Down Action-RPG / Management Sim
Players: 1-4 Co-Op (Local Split-Screen / Local Wireless), 2-8 Co-Op (Online), GameShare Support
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Review:
When it comes to games that I felt really needed a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Stardew Valley was pretty low on my list. Yet we have received exactly that, in the form of a free upgrade for players who own the Nintendo Switch version of the game. In its initial release, this version contained some nasty bugs, but as of now the game has been updated and those bugs are gone, so it seems like a good time to look at what the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game adds!
First, don’t expect any graphics or performance improvements here, because there’s not really anything to improve, since this is a relatively quaint-looking pixel art game. There is an improvement to loading times, however – the Nintendo Switch version of the game takes 18 seconds to load to the title screen and 16 seconds to load a game save, while the Nintendo Switch 2 version only takes 11 seconds and 8 seconds, which is a nice improvement.
No, the real improvements here are to the features, and most of those improvements are to multiplayer. For players looking to play locally, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game now supports 4-player Split-Screen Co-op. For players playing remotely, the Nintendo Switch 2 version increases the player count for online play from 4 to 8. What’s more, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Stardew Valley supports GameShare for up to 4 players. needless to say, if you enjoy playing Stardew Valley in multiplayer, this is a huge improvement over the Nintendo Switch version of the game.
Finally, Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition adds Mouse Mode support, letting players more easily move around their inventory and selecting things using the on-screen cursor.
Overall, these all seem like nice improvements to an already-stellar game. I don’t think every player will use all of these improvements, and if you’re a solo player who doesn’t care for Mouse Mode then there’s not much here for you. But… well, it’s a free update, so it’s hard to complain.
tl;dr – Stardew Valley is a “Farming RPG” much like Harvest Moon, but there’s a huge wealth of stuff to do here, with a charming presentation, a constant stream of new things to change up the experience, and numerous wonderful co-op options on Nintendo Switch 2. If you want a fun, mellow experience, consider this game a must-have.
Grade: A
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Subnautica – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Genre: Open World First-Person Survival Adventure
Players: 1
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Review:
(Note: This game is included in Subnautica + Subnautica: Below Zero, along with Subnautica: Below Zero.)
Subnautica was one of those games that seemed on the edge of being an “impossible port” for Nintendo Switch, that made some shrewd cuts to get the game working on Nintendo Switch and ended up working pretty well given the aging console’s limitations. However, now we’ve gotten a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game in the form of a free upgrade for anyone who owns the Nintendo Switch version, so I was definitely curious how this game would work on a new Nintendo console without the limitations.
Simply put, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game is absolutely gorgeous. The moment you load up the game, the improvements to the framerates are immediately noticeable, and the higher resolution is also easy to see. However, this version also has improved textures, more environmental detail, and improved effects. The overall effect is one of remarkable visual splendor compared to the Nintendo Switch version of the game.
And yes, the load times are improved too – it took 19 seconds to load the game to the main menu on Nintendo Switch, and another 1 minute 20 seconds to load a game save. On Nintendo Switch 2, those times are cut down to 13 seconds and 41 seconds.
Finally, as if the massive graphical improvement wasn’t enough, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game also receives Mouse Mode support, though sadly this isn’t dynamic Mouse Mode – you can either have mouse aiming, or you can aim using the right analog stick, not both, and you have to toggle between them in settings menus. A bit disappointing.
Still, the boost to graphics and performance is immense on Nintendo Switch 2, and with this being a free upgrade, it’s a no-brainer for folks who own the Nintendo Switch release of the game. And if you don’t own that version, the Nintendo Switch 2 release is still well worth a consideration.
tl;dr – Subnautica is a downgraded but competent port of the Open-World First-Person Survival Adventure game that has you exploring a hostile aquatic alien world after your spaceship crashes. The world here is beautiful and enticing (significantly more so on Nintendo Switch 2), but the gameplay is frustrating in numerous ways due to its almost complete refusal to hand-hold the player in any way. Fans of the Survival Adventure genre should definitely give this game a look, but others may find its flaws make it too hard to appreciate.
Grade: B+
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Subnautica: Below Zero – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Genre: Open World First-Person Survival Adventure
Players: 1
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Review:
(Note: This game is included in Subnautica + Subnautica: Below Zero, along with the original Subnautica.)
I still maintain that Subnautica: Below Zero was a more impressive port to Nintendo Switch than the original Subnautica, so when both games were announced to be getting Nintendo Switch 2 Editions (via a free upgrade for players who own the original Nintendo Switch versions of the game), I felt this game had less to improve, but could potentially be more impressive if it received the same treatment as the original. So, how does Subnautica’s sequel compare to the original on Nintendo Switch 2?
Well, first and foremost, this is absolutely a marked improvement over the way Below Zero plays on the original Nintendo Switch. The framerates are much improved, as are the resolution, environmental detail, and effects. That said, the improvement isn’t quite as dramatic as what we saw with the original Subnautica. While the framerates are improved, I did notice spots where they dipped a bit on Nintendo Switch 2. And while the detail here is certainly improved over the Nintendo Switch release… well, again, there was less to improve here. It all still looks great, but the jump didn’t make my jaw drop here in quite the same way the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the original Subnautica did.
The load times are improved too – it took 21 seconds to load the game to the main menu on Nintendo Switch, and another 1 minute 15 seconds to load a game save. On Nintendo Switch 2, those times are cut down to 11 seconds and 1 minute 5 seconds. So once again, not quite as dramatic an improvement.
Finally, as with the original Subnautica, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Below Zero also receives Mouse Mode support, though sadly this isn’t dynamic Mouse Mode – you can either have mouse aiming, or you can aim using the right analog stick, not both, and you have to toggle between them in settings menus. A bit disappointing.
Please don’t take any of this to mean I’m complaining about Subnautica: Below Zero – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. This is a solid upgrade and it’s hard to complain about these improvements when they come at no added cost. But after seeing how incredible the improvements to the original Subnautica were, I will admit being a tad disappointed that this game’s Nintendo Switch 2 Edition wasn’t quite that impressive.
tl;dr – Subnautica: Below Zero is an Open-World First-Person Survival Adventure game that improves on its predecessor with some stunning visuals that make the gameplay somewhat smoother, especially in the earliest parts of the game which is designed to allow for somewhat easier progression. Having said that, this game’s lack of direction given to the player will undoubtedly be daunting to some, and as a result this won’t be a game for everyone. However, if you’re a fan of Survival Adventure games, this is an absolute must-have.
Grade: B+
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Subnautica + Subnautica: Below Zero
Genre: Compilation / Open World First-Person Survival Adventure
Players: 1
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Review:
Technically the Subnautica + Subnautica: Below Zero bundle hasn’t received a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition like the individual games have. But it also doesn’t really need one, since the individual games both received free Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Packs. That means that if you buy this Nintendo Switch bundle, you can upgrade the individual games to Nintendo Switch 2 Editions at no added cost.
The improvements to both games are similar, but different in terms of scale – the original Subnautica had a lot more room to improve, so the improvements to graphics, performance, and loading times are much more impressive than the improvements Below Zero received, but both games look and run beautifully on Nintendo Switch 2. It’s just that the difference is so stark for the original Subnautica that it actually made my jaw drop.
Both games also receive added Mouse Mode support, but this isn’t dynamic Mouse Mode, meaning that it has to be activated in an options menu, and then you can’t use the right analog stick to aim and must use the right Joy-Con as a mouse. It’s still a nice feature to have, but I do wish they had gone a step farther to fully integrate this Mouse Mode support.
Overall though, this is an excellent pair of games that are greatly improved on Nintendo Switch 2, and since this upgrade is free, it’s a no-brainer for Nintendo Switch 2 owners who own the Nintendo Switch versions of these games, whether through this bundle or separately.
tl;dr – Subnautica + Subnautica: Below Zero is a Compilation of two Open-World First-Person Survival Adventure games that made the transition to Nintendo Switch fairly well, but look significantly better on Nintendo Switch 2. Both games feature massive, beautiful aquatic worlds to explore, but also don’t give players much guidance for where to go to progress. On balance, these are excellent games well worth looking into, but they won’t be for everyone.
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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