You’ve probably already played the Switch 2’s best game, but it's still worth revisiting
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is actually the Switch 2's system-seller, not Mario Kart World
I really enjoyed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom when it first released a little over two years ago. I played it for a solid 50 hours or so, but the majority of my time was spent completing side quests and building wild contraptions that usually quickly fell apart. As is often the case, a new game or tech product likely dropped, pulling me away from what remains one of the best video games ever released. I figured I’d go back to it at some point when the inevitable Switch 2 upgrade appeared in a few months. Unfortunately, the wait for Nintendo’s new console turned out to be a little longer than expected.
Fast-forward to 2025 and the actual release of the Switch 2, and I’m back exploring the dark Depths (which are easier to navigate thanks to the addition of HDR), helping that weird guy make signs stand up, and finally, working through Tears of the Kingdom’s main story. Unlike the original version of Breath of the Wild’s successor, which ran somewhat disappointingly on the original Switch (sometimes dropping below 30fps), the Switch 2 Upgrade Edition plays at 4K/60fps when docked and 1080p/60fps in handheld mode.
It feels like the way the game was meant to be played. There might be a bit of unsightly aliasing, but the game plays remarkably smoothly and feels decidedly current-gen — it’s an impressive technical achievement by Nintendo. In fact, Tears of the Kingdom runs so well that I’d argue it’s worth revisiting, even if you feel like you got your fill of the game on the original Switch. There are likely at least a few missions left for you to complete in the game.
Part of me wonders if there’s an alternate timeline where pandemic-fueled part shortages didn’t happen and the Switch 2 was released a few years ago with Tears of the Kingdom as a launch title. Imagine how much more impactful the Switch 2’s release would feel with a Zelda title attached to it like with the original Switch?
With all of this in mind, if you picked up a Switch 2 and are already getting tired of Mario Kart World (I really like the game, but the open world is undeniably disappointing right now — more content is definitely coming soon), give Tears of the Kingdom another shot. There’s just so much to the title, whether you want to just aimlessly explore its intricate world, or focus on the core story like me. I’ve had a lot of fun over the past few days hunting down the various Tears strewn across Hyrule with the help of a screenshot of an in-game map.
Since I’m currently on parental leave and bouncing between frequent naps and brief gaming sessions while taking care of a newborn, Tears of the Kingdom’s pick-up-and-play nature has fit perfectly in my life. I can jump in, complete a Shrine or a short side quest, and then flip the Switch 2 into sleep mode while I feed my son or help my partner with something.
When he’s fast asleep again, I can pick up where I left off, whether the Switch 2 is in portable or docked mode. I’m hoping to get into the same rhythm with other games in the coming weeks. I tried a similar system a few days ago with Death Stranding 2, but I wasn’t able to make it work since I need to play the game on the PS5 in my living room, locking me to one location in my home (I tried streaming to my ROG Ally X through PXPlay and while it works sometimes, the input delay became frustrating in some areas of my house).
I got my hands on the upgrade pack that also includes Breath of the Wild’s enhanced Switch 2 release through a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription ($49.99 USD/$63.99 CAD), but you can also upgrade for $10 USD/$14.99 CAD. Buying the game outright is a bit wild at $79 USD/$114 CAD.
This is sadly Nintendo’s classic strategy of never lowering the price of older games, and in the case of Canada, increasing the cost considerably. If you already own the Switch version of Tears of the Kingdom, my recommendation is to shell out the cash for a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription since it also gives you access to a decent collection of retro N64 games (at some point, I’m probably going to play through Super Mario 64 again).
Now, excuse me while I get back to figuring out Tears of the Kingdom’s Lightning Temple in between diaper changes, a dungeon so perplexing with its light puzzles that it reminds me of Ocarina of Time’s Water Temple.
The two upgrade packs really do breathe new life into both games. They look fantastic. I was initially disappointed by the Mario Odyssey HD upgrade pack and a little perplexed at how bad it looked. Then my 7-year-old told me he'd purposefully chosen the pixelated Mario outfit.