One of the Best Games of 2024 (And All Time) Has Officially Been Released for Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 is now home to one of the best games of all time, as Balatro has shadowdropped on the platform. The Switch 2 version of Balatro is now available as a free upgrade for users who already have the original Nintendo Switch port, and the updated game has a few new features for players to enjoy.

Originally released on February 20, 2024, Balatro is a roguelike, deck-building card game that has been praised for its addictive gameplay and wacky poker card combinations. Throughout each run, Balatro players can add various Joker cards to help them accumulate more points, which can come in handy at higher levels. Balatro players can also enter some custom seeds to try out after getting the hang of the game. Following its launch, Balatro crossed over with other games, such as The Witcher 3, Shovel Knight, and Vampire Survivors, via card skins that were included in free updates. Balatro also garnered several accolades throughout 2024, including a nomination for the coveted Game of the Year honors at The Game Awards.

Best Balatro Seeds To Try

Looking for a unique experience in Balatro? Give one of these seeds a try.

Balatro Has Arrived On Switch 2

Now, Switch 2 users can experience one of the most fun roguelike titles via a new port. LocalThunk and Playstack launched Balatro for Switch 2 on the Nintendo eShop, with a discounted starting price of $11.99 for the first week. Players who already have Balatro for the original Switch can claim the Switch 2 version at no additional cost. Balatro on Switch 2 has some new features for players to pick from, including gameplay at 60 frames per second (FPS), HD Rumble 2 support, and Mouse Mode controls with the Joy-Con 2 controllers that can be used to quickly select cards. By comparison, the original Switch version of Balatro was locked to 30 FPS. However, Balatro‘s Switch 2 reportedly has a big caveat for players to consider. As of this writing, any progress made on Balatro‘s Switch version will not carry over to the Switch 2 port. It remains to be seen if there will be any workarounds for this.

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The Switch 2 version of Balatro requires 123 MB of storage space, a slight decrease from the 179 MB required for the original Switch port. The launch of Balatro on Nintendo’s latest console came after developer LocalThunk posted an update on the game’s continuing development. To mark the game’s second anniversary, LocalThunk simply stated that they were still working on the highly-anticipated Balatro version 1.1 update. Although no timetable for Balatro version 1.1 was stated, LocalThunk previously posted that it will be released “when it’s done” and did not elaborate further.

Switch 2 Users Have Plenty of New Games To Check Out

The arrival of Balatro on the Switch 2 came amid a busy week for Nintendo. This Friday, February 27, will see the launch of Resident Evil Requiem on all current-gen platforms, including the Switch 2. As the latest entry in Capcom’s popular survival horror franchise, Resident Evil Requiem will tell the stories of Grace Ashcroft and fan-favorite character Leon S. Kennedy. Along with the launch of Resident Evil Requiem on Switch 2, February 27 is also when The Pokemon Company will observe the 30th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise. A Pokemon Presents broadcast will air at 9:00 AM Eastern that morning, and last approximately 25 minutes.

Along with a busy slate at the end of February, the Switch 2 will have seven more games going live throughout March. With titles like Pokemon Pokopia, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park on the horizon, players will have no shortage of Switch 2 titles to add to their collections. Time will tell how successful Balatro‘s Switch 2 port will be.