When it comes to Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades of games, the results have truly been all over the map. Some are free, some are set at different prices. Many simply upgrade the performance of the game in question, while others take the opportunity to add some new goodies. While most of them are definite upgrades over the original Switch versions of the games in question, others somehow end up doing less while trying to do more. It can be frustrating because some Switch games stand to benefit greatly from the improved specs of the Switch 2. Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade games are a good example as they often pushed up against the Switch’s limitations, especially in handheld mode.
Earlier this year, we saw the first of the Nintendo Switch’s Xenoblade releases get the Switch 2 Edition treatment. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Switch 2 Edition was a modestly-priced add-on that promised nothing more than graphical and performance improvements. Indeed, it did improve some aspects of the game’s visual performance, with a higher framerate, faster loading, and a higher resolution. Unfortunately, all of that came at a cost. The upscaling applied to the game’s textures behaved in a very strange way that made things look very weird, particularly when playing in its handheld form. It was so distracting that many who bought the “upgrade” ended up uninstalling it and went back to playing the original Switch version on their Switch 2 consoles. To date, this issue has not been fixed.
That’s an important setup for talking about today’s subject, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition – Switch 2 Edition. Part of an announcement that all of the remaining Xenoblade Switch games would be receiving Switch 2 Edition updates in the coming months, this is a somewhat more expensive DLC that throws some new features and items in to sweeten the pot. The tech promises are on paper similar to what was seen in the Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. In docked mode, it purports to run at a 4K resolution and up to 60 frames per second. In handheld mode, the numbers are 1080p and up to 60 frames per second. Shorter load times are also on the table. A number of other graphical improvements have been made as well, such as increased foliage density.
All of these things technically bear out, but that “up to” in “up to 60 frames per second” is once again doing some heavy lifting. The framerate is most certainly improved, but it’s far from consistent. The image has a fairly soft look to it at times, too, so I’m not sure what’s going on with the resolution. The upscaling issue from Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Switch 2 Edition is back like the bad penny it is, though at least for me, it was a lot more tolerable. Perhaps because of that softer image? I’m not sure, but I didn’t find the issue nearly as distracting this time. That’s some good news.
Instead, we have another hard-to-ignore problem with the visuals. Namely, due to the way the vsync is working here, the framerate has a tendency to swing hard from 60 to 30 and back again. The UI at least seems to be stuck at 30 frames per second, making the game feel more sluggish than it should. The game isn’t unplayable by any means, but the way the framerate suddenly jerks can make basic things like camera movement and area transitions feel really bad. I’m no technical wizard, but surely there must be better ways of handling these updates that don’t involve so many compromises. With that said, from a purely technical standpoint, I’d still take this version over the original Switch game, even running in Boosted Mode. Depending on your own sensibilities, you might go one way or the other on that matter.
Fortunately, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition – Switch 2 Edition doesn’t have to get by on just the technical matters. There are some new goodies in here beyond that mixed attempt, and I’m a lot happier with these additions. First of all, every single Heart-to-Heart scene is now fully voiced by the original actors in English and Japanese. Wow! This is something that will be done for subsequent Xenoblade Switch 2 Editions, and that’s cool to see. Our Reyn meme folders shall overflow, friends. There are also some new items and gear in the game, and you’ll get them by participating in the newly-added Nopon Grand Prix.
What’s all that about, then? Well, it’s a racing mini-game tied to a big new feature. The Ether Jet is a hoverbike you can acquire by completing a relatively simple mission found in the Refugee Camp on Bionis’ Leg. Once you have the Ether Jet, you can press ZL and ZR at any time to mount it. This lets you travel around the world at a much faster pace, though you’ll need to be careful since you’ll attract a lot more monster attention. You can even use it in the Future Connected story after you’ve unlocked it in the main game. With the Ether Jet, you can join in on the Nopon Grand Prix races, which award you with the aforementioned new goods and also serve as a much better source for grinding Noponstone. All of this makes for a much smoother run through the game, whether it’s your first time or fiftieth.
Naturally, the game itself is as good as it has ever been. You can check out our review of the Switch version of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition if you want more details, but if you are somehow coming to this game for the first time via this Switch 2 Edition, you’re in for a real treat of an RPG. Similarly, if this is your first time with the Definitive Edition, you’re likely going to be impressed with all of the improvements over the original, along with the Future Connected campaign. That’s the one thing in all of this that needs no qualifier. Xenoblade Chronicles is a terrific RPG whose world still conveys a fair amount of awe despite being built around the specs of 20-year-old hardware.
The Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is, without a doubt, an improvement over what we saw with Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition’s Switch 2 Edition. That doesn’t mean it’s all the way out of the woods, however. A soft image and some weirdness with the framerates of various elements hurt what is otherwise a really great-looking visual update. With the new Ether Jet bike, Nopon Grand Prix races, and voiced Heart-to-Heart scenes thrown in the mix, it’s a lot easier to recommend this than the Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X. I’m hoping we see some updates at some point to fix certain things, but I doubt as many people will be scrambling to uninstall this Xenoblade Switch 2 Edition as we saw with the previous one.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch 2
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