"Oh no, not again..." I say as I boot up Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, "Am I about to play through this game for a third time?"
I didn't really need much to entice me back into the world of Hallownest, but after downloading the free upgrade within hours of it releasing, I somehow lost three hours of my life going through Godhome, dabbling in some Pantheons, and getting my backside handed to me by Pure Vessel and Absolute Radiance.
This is the first time I've picked up Team Cherry's game since I beat the sequel, Silksong, and I was surprised at how quickly I slipped back into The Knight's very-different skillset. His steadier movement and smaller build is more deliberate and requires a different mindset than Hornet does, but it turns out, I haven't lost those skills I developed way back when I first played Hollow Knight.
That meant I could focus on everything this Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is bringing to the table and while it isn't a huge upgrade, you can't complain — this is free, after all (if you already own the Switch 1 game, at least. But the full game is also very cheap).
The upgrade focuses entirely on the look and performance of the Metroidvania: now, on Switch 2, you can play Hollow Knight at 4K resolution (docked) and 120fps, if your TV supports it. Handheld, the resolution has been bumped to 1080p, and that 120fps is also an option. You can toggle the frame rate in the in-game options.
To most, 120fps isn't going to be noticeable, but like when I played Silksong on Switch 2, I felt a difference in my gameplay almost immediately. I was missing enemy swipes by mere pixels and perfectly timing pogos and nail slashes at the perfect distance more frequently. The Knight felt snappier, despite being a lot slower than Hornet.
That feeling was universal across both docked and handheld for me; whether I was exploring the glowing confines of Crystal Peak or soaking up the rain in City of Tears or expertly dodging attacks from the Sisters of Battle, it reminded me of what a joy Hollow Knight is to play, even in the wake of its improved sequel.
But part of that might also come from a lack of input delay, something which fans complained about in the original Switch release. I shared some brief thoughts in our original review, but it's something I genuinely never noticed until I started playing on Switch 2, and tackled the same few bosses on both consoles. I was noticeably better and more-reactive on the newer console; even when I was dying, I was consistently closer to beating the boss each time on Switch 2.
The star of the upgrade, however, is the improved visuals. Beyond simply bumping the resolution, which makes the game look much-more crisp, Team Cherry has also added "additional effects", which is a modest way of saying improved the lighting, the level of colour (particularly the shades of black and grey), and highlighted more details in the backdrops.
Now Crystal Peak's gems glimmer with an even more vibrant purple, contrasting even stronger with the dim lamps and the darker areas of the map. Greenpath's lush, verdant foliage feels more alive with deeper greens and shinier thorns. Even the Crossroads' dim, grey hallways appear more detailed, and when it's eventually overrun with infection, the orange puss glow feels like it's bursting out of the screen.
Hollow Knight was already a pretty game, but now it's much more in-line with the colour and lighting of Silksong. There are so many little things in the upgrade that give Hallownest a new glow to it; it actually has me itching to replay the whole thing again, perhaps even for a Steel Soul run.
The thing is, for most — especially on a first-time playthrough — you're probably not going to notice much of a difference, because many of the upgrades are small. The game was already 60fps on Switch, just with a blurrier resolution in handheld, and the jump to 120fps isn't as easy to notice as it is from 30 to 60. And the input delay is only really noticeable if you've played the game on other platforms or if you're a speedrunner.
So yes, Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition might not be a transformative upgrade, but it is free, and if you're paying attention, you'll notice and love all of the little tweaks and improvements. Honestly, the handheld visuals alone make this more than enough for me to recommend Switch 2 as the place to play the game now. Perhaps this is the platform where I will finally make the time to conquer the Pantheon of Hallownest...
If you've returned to Hallownest following the Switch 2 Edition's release, or are considering grabbing the game for the first time on Nintendo's newest console, vote in the polls below and share your thoughts on the upgrade.
Does it look or feel different on Switch 2 to you? Are you jonesing for a replay as well? Or will this be the time you finally dip your toes into the game? Vote away!