Switch 2 Gamers Can Now Play One of the Best Games Ever Made

One of gaming’s most beloved platformers, Braid: Anniversary Edition, has just shadow dropped its Nintendo Switch 2 edition. This new version of the game allows even a classic indie title like Braid to take advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2’s hardware capabilities. Braid: Anniversary Edition is an updated version of the original game, originally released in 2008, that features enhanced visuals, brand-new levels, remixed music, and extensive developer commentary from the game’s creator, acclaimed industry veteran Johnathan Blow.

Braid is the breakout success story of Johnathan Blow’s career, garnering massive critical acclaim during its initial release. The time-based puzzle platformer is widely credited as a foundational title in the indie game scene. It undoubtedly set the stage for a wave of independently developed video games, helping to solidify Xbox Live Arcade as a treasure trove of smaller titles with unique gameplay mechanics. The Anniversary Edition of Braid originally launched in May 2024 for PC and modern consoles, aiming to introduce a new audience to the timeless classic.

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Braid Anniversary Edition Shadow Drops Its Nintendo Switch 2 Version

The enhanced Anniversary Edition of indie classic Braid has received another upgrade for players on Nintendo’s newest console, as the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of the iconic title has just been shadow dropped. First noted by Nintendo Everything, the Switch 2 edition of the game is now available on the Japanese version of Nintendo’s eShop, with releases in other territories expected to follow in the coming days. This latest edition of the game features further improvements to frame rate, improved graphical fidelity, including 4k support, and even more developer commentary.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

Braid is a charming but challenging puzzle platformer with a unique, time-based gameplay twist. As Tim, the game’s protagonist, players will attempt to cross each level’s hazardous landscape, defeating enemies and collecting puzzle pieces in order to solve the mystery of the game’s narrative. The key to reaching the end of each level is properly utilizing Tim’s ability to rewind time, allowing players to reset difficult sections or even reverse mistakes that result in Tim’s demise. Each of the game’s six worlds features a different puzzle built around this time manipulation, including objects that are unaffected by the reversal of time and levels where the time-shifting ability is directly tied to Tim’s movements.

Tim is on a self-proclaimed quest to rescue a princess in distress, though the details of this journey and her level of danger are kept vague from players as they work to unravel the pieces of Tim’s life. An early message in the game’s story specifies that the princess has been captured by a horrible monster, and the specifics of the situation are slowly revealed with the acquisition of puzzle pieces while progressing through the game. The slowly expanding narrative, along with the game’s brilliant puzzle-based gameplay, has firmly solidified Braid as one of the greatest platformers ever made.

Despite disappointing initial sales for Braid: Anniversary Edition, the game will have another chance to capture a modern audience on Nintendo’s popular new console. A truly timeless title, Braid served as a shining example of what the independent side of the video game industry could be. Its existence allowed for smaller, more niche titles to etch their space out in the marketplace, coexisting with the big-budget, widely promoted games that were dominating the industry in its time. In an era where indie titles are regularly considered contenders for Game of the Year, Braid‘s importance cannot be overstated. Nintendo fans who haven’t experienced the title owe it to themselves to give it a try.