Nintendo Clarifies: Switch 2 Edition Games Include Game and Upgrade on Cart

Nintendo has officially clarified that games labeled as Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will come with both the original game and the upgrade included directly on the cartridge. This statement comes after initial confusion sparked by reports suggesting otherwise, based on comments from customer service representatives. However, Nintendo emphasized to Vooks that while most Switch 2 Edition games will feature the game and its upgrade on a single card, some publishers might opt to release these editions as download codes in physical packaging without an actual game card.

Nintendo's official statement reads: "Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e., they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code). Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card."

Priced at $79.99, the Switch 2 Edition games on offer include titles such as Kirby and The Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World, Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. These enhanced editions bring various improvements over their original Nintendo Switch counterparts. For instance, games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom now support the Zelda Notes service within the Nintendo Switch App, offering game help and introducing achievements specifically for the Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

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Nintendo also announced that some new Switch 2 game cards will not contain the actual game data but will instead provide a key for downloading the game. These game-key cards are physical cards that, when inserted into your Switch 2, prompt a download of the game. The packaging for these game-key cards will be clearly labeled on the lower front of the box, ensuring consumers are aware of what they are purchasing.

Examples of games using this game-key card format include Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster. Conversely, games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not use this format. Notably, Cyberpunk 2077, with its hefty 64 GB size on the Nintendo Switch 2, comes on a physical cartridge.