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

Nintendo has officially clarified that the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include both the original game and its upgrade on the same cartridge. This statement was made to Vooks to dispel any confusion stemming from earlier reports based on customer service comments suggesting otherwise. Nintendo emphasized that while most Switch 2 Edition games will be on a single game card, some publishers might opt for releasing these games as download codes in physical packaging without a game card.

Nintendo's statement to Vooks 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.”

The $79.99 Switch 2 Edition games 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 editions enhance the original games with various improvements, including the addition of the Zelda Notes service in the Nintendo Switch App for games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, as well as achievements exclusive to the Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

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Nintendo has also confirmed that some Switch 2 game cards will not contain actual game data but will instead serve as keys for game downloads. These game-key cards, when inserted into the Switch 2, will prompt a download of the game. The packaging of these game-key cards will clearly indicate this on the lower front of the box, ensuring consumers are aware of what they are purchasing.

Notable titles utilizing this game-key card system include Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster, while others like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not use this system. Larger games, such as the Cyberpunk 2077 which occupies 64 GB on the Nintendo Switch 2, will come fully on a cartridge.