Jokes aside, you’d have to be a pretty big dork to think that the world isn’t wide enough for both handheld PCs and traditional consoles like the Nintendo Switch 2 (even if the latter is hogging a new FromSoft game). Partly because they are, to an extent, ingrained in each other, via the classic hardware marketplace of borrowed ideas: there’s probably no Steam Deck without the original Switch, and I’d bet my own mousing hand that the Switch 2’s optical sensor-packing Joy Cons are inspired by the Lenovo Legion Go.
No doubt the manufacturers behind portable PCs watched the Switch 2’s Nintendo Direct showcase and began furiously scribbling notes on what they could crib, be it the magnetic clip-on peripherals, the fan-equipped dock, or whatever internal wizardry that seemingly lets it run Final Fantasy VII Rebirth at 1080p. Fine by me. Just please don’t, whatever you do, follow Nintendo’s lead of trying to plaster over games with the gurning, disembodied heads of our friends and families.
Amid the furore caused by Nintendo’s decision to charge $79.99 for Switch 2 exclusive Mario Kart World, it has emerged that some of the Switch 2 Edition games announced during the Nintendo Direct also cost $79.99.
A Switch 2 Edition of a game goes beyond backwards compatibility. For example, Super Mario Party Jamboree’s Switch 2 Edition comes with a new suite of content called Jamboree TV that takes advantage of the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, Switch 2 microphone, and the Switch 2 USB-C camera that will be sold separately. Along with upgraded resolution up to 1440p in TV mode and better frame rate, there are new minigames and online functions as well.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s Switch 2 Edition, meanwhile, supports mouse controls with Joy-Con 2, and multiple display modes such as Quality Mode, which runs at 60fps in 4K when docked, or 1080p at 60fps on handheld; and Performance Mode, which runs a 120fps in 1080p when docked, or 120fps in 720p in handheld mode. All modes support HDR.
The Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s Star-Crossed World gets new story content, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom gain additional support for the Zelda Notes service in the Nintendo Switch App that provides game help. Some games, like Pokemon Legends: Z-A, only feature performance and resolution bumps as part of the Switch 2 Edition label.
Now, via listings at U.S. retailer Walmart, we know how much fans can expect to pay for some of these Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles.
Kirby and The Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World – $79.99
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – $69.99
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV – $79.99
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – $79.99
Perhaps softening the blow somewhat is the upgrade Nintendo will offer to existing owners of these games on Nintendo Switch. However, Nintendo has yet to reveal how much an upgrade pack costs. We do know some upgrade packs, like the upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, will be included in a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. This is the same membership that gives Switch owners access to online features and the classic library.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The most influential game of all time is Yu Suzuki’s 1999 proto open world Gashapon ’em up Shenmue, according to a public poll held by BAFTA. To claim that top spot in the top five, it beat out Doom, Super Mario Bros, Half-Life, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Minecraft hovered around the winners table laughing loudly at everyone’s jokes at number six. At number 11, Tetris had to sit on a bin because all the chairs had been taken. Dark Souls paced up and down the corridor complaining that everyone had nicked its outfit idea in 18th place, tailed in 19th by Grand Theft Auto 3. Full results below in descending order.
Nintendo hasn’t officially revealed the local pricing for Switch 2 game upgrade packs (yet), but it seems the company’s Japanese website might have already given fans a rough idea about what it might cost to enjoy certain past-generation games with various enhancements on the new system.
According to Nintendo’s Japan website, players who already own a game and want to upgrade it can expect to pay between 1,000 to 2,000 yen, which is estimated to equate to about “$10 to $15” (or the regional equivalent).
Nintendo’s Switch 2 Direct highlighted all sorts of new and existing titles but one of the more interesting discoveries in the American broadcast was artwork for what appears to Yoshi’s Woolly World (officially known as Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World on the 3DS) in the “compatible Nintendo Switch titles”.
If you’re considering the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle, you might need to make a decision sooner rather than later.
While this new offering might seem like it’s just a standard offering, it seems it will actually be a “limited time” deal. Yes, according to Nintendo deal will actually be a “limited time production” through to Fall 2025 (at least in the US) and available “while supplies last”.
Kirby has been a steadfast Nintendo mascot for 33 years, ever since the character debuted in 1992’s Kirby’s Dream Land for Game Boy. In addition to being a Smash Bros. staple, Kirby and his ever-evolving powers of inhalation have starred in over two dozen games, culminating in the series’ best-selling game to date, Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
As we near the end of Nintendo’s current console generation, we’ve compiled a list of every Kirby game on the Switch as well as new Kirby games coming to the Switch 2.
How Many Kirby Games Are on Switch?
Six Kirby games have been released on Nintendo Switch, while 11 more retro Kirby games are playable with Nintendo Switch Online. The franchise debuted on Switch in 2018 with Kirby Star Allies; its latest release, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, arrived in 2023. A new Kirby game, Kirby Air Riders, will be releasing for the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025.
Every Kirby Game on Switch (in Release Order)
Kirby Star Allies (2018)
Kirby’s Switch debut came in 2018 with Kirby Star Allies. The action-platformer is played with a party of four (multiplayer or local AI) and sees Kirby combine abilities with allies to solve puzzles and enhance combat.
Super Kirby Clash (2019)
Series developer HAL Laboratories and Nintendo brought the pink puff back the following year for the free-to-play Super Kirby Clash. Like Star Allies, Clash is played with a team of four that can be controlled by other human players or AI. Unlike Star Allies, this is not a platformer but rather a standalone boss rush mode; it features a hub world for changing equipment and selecting quests, though the heart of the game is the series of boss fights that serve as those quests.
Kirby Fighters 2 (2020)
A sequel to the 3DS game Kirby Fighters Deluxe (an expanded version of the subgame Kirby Fighters found in Kirby: Triple Deluxe), Kirby Fighters 2 is exactly what it sounds like: a fighting game starring Kirby. It supports up to four players and features Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee, Gooey, and Magolor as playable characters.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022)
The series’ standout game on Switch, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a post-apocalyptic adventure in which Kirby gets sucked into a wormhole that appears above Dream Land. The Forgotten Land is the series’ first fully 3D platformer, complete with puzzles and Kirby’s signature ability-based combat. It’s the series’ best-selling game to date, selling more than 7.5 million copies by the end of March 2024. There’s even a Switch 2 version of this game currently listed to be available for preorder.
Kirby’s Dream Buffet (2022)
Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a dessert-themed multiplayer game released in 2022. It features three four-player game modes: race, minigame, and battle royale. The modes can be played separately or together as part of Dream Buffet’s Gourmet Grand Prix.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe (2023)
The series’ latest game, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a remake of the 2011 Wii game Kirby’s Return to Dream Land. The action-platformer came to Switch with improved visuals, a new easy mode (Helper Magolor), three new abilities (Sand, Mecha, and Festival), and an all-new two-hour adventure called Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler.
Return to Dream Land Deluxe supports local co-op for up to four players, with each player taking control of either Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, or Bandana Waddle Dee.
Kirby Games Available with Nintendo Switch Online
There are 11 Kirby games available with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Those with a regular subscription can play nine Kirby games from NES, SNES, and Game Boy, while those with the more expensive Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription get access to two additional games: Kirby & The Amazing Mirror (GBA) and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64).
Here’s the list of Kirby games playable with Nintendo Switch Online, ordered by initial release date:
A new GameCube library will also be available in the NSO + Expansion Pack membership on Switch 2, which may include Kirby Air Ride.
What’s Next for Kirby on the Switch 2?
The era of Kirby on Switch may be coming to a close, but the character’s journey on the Switch 2 has just begun. Kirby Air Riders was officially announced during the April 2025 Nintendo Direct as a follow-up to the 2003 Kirby Air Ride racing game on GameCube. Masahiro Sakurai, creator of both the Kirby series and Super Smash Bros., returns as director of the new game.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is also on the list of games that will be getting Switch 2 upgrades. The upgrade will take advantage of the Switch 2’s improved specs and includes a new story expansion. Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World will be released on August 28 with a discounted upgrade option for those who owned the original game on Switch.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
As if today’s Switch 2 Direct wasn’t enough of an info dump, Nintendo has also published a series of Ask the Developer interviews, so we can get even more details on the upcoming console.
In Chapter 4 of the discussion with Kouichi Kawamoto, Takuhiro Dohta and Tetsuya Sasaki, the chat moves onto the sworded issue of the eShop — something we’re all hoping will see a much-needed spruce up — and, specifically, the improvements that have been implemented on Switch 2.
I’m not sure I’ve seen people swing back and forth on a game so rapidly like they have with Helldivers 2. It’s had a few hiccoughs here and there, which has made for some tough times for developer Arrowhead, at least in terms of battling the accursed “mixed” rating on Steam (and lower). In a recent interview with The Game Business, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani quite accurately noted that it’s been “one heck of a roller coaster year” for Helldivers 2, and also went on to speak about what it was like clawing its way back from low ratings – all the while having to explain to Sony about summer holidays in Sweden.
I’m not sure I’ve seen people swing back and forth on a game so rapidly like they have with Helldivers 2. It’s had a few hiccoughs here and there, which has made for some tough times for developer Arrowhead, at least in terms of battling the accursed “mixed” rating on Steam (and lower). In a recent interview with The Game Business, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani quite accurately noted that it’s been “one heck of a roller coaster year” for Helldivers 2, and also went on to speak about what it was like clawing its way back from low ratings – all the while having to explain to Sony about summer holidays in Sweden.
