Today, I’m adding another game to the list of games that have seen improvements when played on Nintendo Switch 2. Let’s have a look!

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered

Genre: Open-World Action-RPG

Players: 1

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Review:

The Witcher 3’s release on Nintendo Switch was much like that of No Man’s Sky, in that it’s amazing that it even exists, but the game itself is severely compromised to work on Nintendo’s underpowered hardware. So perhaps it is fitting that the game’s release on Nintendo Switch 2 is similarly much like No Man’s Sky, in that not only is this an astounding port that rights the wrongs done to the game to get it to fit on Nintendo Switch, but that it does so with grace and surprising generosity, being a free update for players who own the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

To be clear, this is not a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition release, so your save will not automatically transfer over. However, if you have your game save from the Nintendo Switch version of the game, the Remastered release will read it and let you pick up right where you left off… but that transition only works one way – saves from the Nintendo Switch 2 release won’t transfer to the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

I should also note that unlike many Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades, you can get the free upgrade for this game whether you have the digital or physical release of the game, meaning an unscrupulous sort could even borrow the Nintendo Switch version of the game from a friend or library to get the Nintendo Switch 2 version for free. Like I said, this release is absurdly generous.

In addition, this version adds in a bunch of extra content and minor upgrades throughout the game like new witcher signs, rebalanced enemies, updated UI, updated skill trees, updated tutorial… basically revamping the game while keeping the core gameplay largely intact. The list is extensive and I won’t go over all of it here. Suffice it to say, this is absolutely not a mere upres of the prior versions of the game.

But what do you get in this version compared to the Nintendo Switch release? Well, for starters, this version of the game includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions, and will be compatible with the announced Songs of the Past expansion once it’s released. The Nintendo Switch 2 version also now has mod support too, no less!

In addition, this game makes full use of different control options available on Nintendo Switch, with players able to pick and choose which controls to use. It brings back the touchscreen controls of the Nintendo Switch game, but adds to that optional gyroscopic aiming, optional gyroscopic gesture controls for quick use of witcher signs or consumable items, and optional dynamic Mouse Mode controls.

Also, I have to mention that this game makes excellent use of HD Rumble 2, for some nice subtle feedback when walking or riding, and a more visceral feel in combat.

Okay, but I’m sure what you really want to know is how the graphics and performance measure up. Well, there you’ll be pleased to know that where the Nintendo Switch version was like playing the game with the screen smeared with Vaseline, here you have a higher resolution and much more environmental detail, and this is absolutely one of those “night and day” differences. Playing this game on Nintendo Switch 2 after playing the Nintendo Switch version is almost like playing a whole new game.

As far as the actual specs, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Witcher 3 runs between 30FPS and 40FPS framerates, with a 1080p resolution in docked mode and 720p resolution in handheld mode – still not on par with other modern platforms, but much closer to them and far more playable than what we got on the original Nintendo Switch.

The one area here that isn’t an across-the-board improvement is the loading times – the Nintendo Switch version of the game took 43 seconds to load to the title screen and an additional 28 seconds to load a game save, while the Nintendo Switch 2 version took 53 seconds and 22 seconds, meaning on balance when you fire up the game on Nintendo Switch 2 it will take you a whole 4 seconds longer to get started. Trust me, that four seconds is absolutely worth it.

I’ve said before, I prefer Skyrim to The Witcher 3, and that remains true. But where previously I could say that the former is far more playable if you’re playing it on a Nintendo platform, that is no longer the case. The Witcher 3 – Remastered is not only a great redemption for the game on Nintendo platforms, but one of the best upgrades for any game going from Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2. And to get that upgrade for free… wow. Just wow. Earlier, I compared this game to No Man’s Sky when talking about the quality and generosity of this upgrade, but it may very well surpass that game as the best Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade. If you enjoy Open-World Action-RPGs, this game is not to be missed, and I think we all owe the folks at CD Projekt Red thanks for making it so very easy to get our hands on it.

tl;dr – The Witcher III is an Open-World Action-RPG that has players exploring a massive fantasy world filled with deep, engrossing, extremely well-told story conveyed by fantastic characters. This new release on Nintendo Switch 2 is a massive upgrade over the Nintendo Switch version, not only bringing the graphics and performance up to something that’s actually decent by today’s standards, but adding in a ton of new content and features, plus making use of many of the Nintendo Switch 2’s unique capabilities… all in an upgrade that’s free if you own the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Do not miss this.

Grade: A

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I hope you enjoyed this latest Nintendo Switch 2 Difference Mini-Review, and found it 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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