CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Remastered has some pros and cons on other platforms, but jumping from the Nintendo Switch to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game is nothing but pros.

An entirely new build of the game, The Witcher 3: Remastered on Nintendo Switch 2 is still a free upgrade for those who bought the game on the older platform, even if that game was bought digitally. It’s a major upgrade, a transformative one, and it’s one of the best free remasters a game has ever received, provided you have the new handheld.

Alongside the suite of rendering improvements, The Witcher 3: Remastered has overhauled the original game’s UI, changed how skill trees work to make them less cumbersome, improved character movement, tweaked combat to be more responsive, and more. However, the game also has Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive features to support the new handheld.

With the new remaster, players will be able to make use of four playstyles: handheld, pro controller, the motion controlled-enabled Dual Grip, and Mouse Mode. That’s right, there’s four playstyles, and CDPR has made sure to support all of the Nintendo Switch 2’s exclusive features.

Let’s start with handheld mode. In this mode, similar to Diablo 4’s recent port to the system, the touch screen is fully usable. As you play, you’ll be able to play Gwent entirely with the touch screen, just like the mobile game. Additionally, you can pick dialogue options, equip your gear, move around the world map, and even control photo mode with a touch of your finger.

Then there’s mouse mode. While I can’t imagine most people using this for The Witcher 3, you’re able to choose from a number of different control schemes that support the mouse. With the mouse enabled, you can cast signs, aim your crossbow, throw bombs, and more. (Just getting even more annoyed that Diablo 4 doesn’t support the mouse mode on Switch 2.)

Finally, gyro support—which may be present on PS5, I did not check—is fully supported as well across handheld, pro controller and dual grip modes. You can toggle this to be always on, which moves the camera as your controller moves, or to only engage when you’re using ranged weapons, which is my personal way to play. CDPR has even included a brand-new motion controls tutorial to help you get to grips with the new controls.

The Witcher 3: Remastered on Nintendo Switch 2 also supports HD Rumble with far more variance and attention to detail than its prior incarnation on Nintendo handhelds. It’s a noticeable improvement with scene-specific tweaks, and fans of the rumble tech will be very pleased here. Of course, the game also supports VRR to offer 40fps playback, although there’s also a snazzier-looking 30fps mode as well.

Just like Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Remastered is a fantastic port on Nintendo Switch 2, and it’s significantly more stable than the aforementioned first-person RPG. If you’re a fan of RPGs, this is a killer port that actually makes use of the features of the handheld in every perceivable way. Kudos, CDPR. 

Now, who’s ready for that new expansion in 2027? That’s right. I am.