Tears of the Kingdom Switch 1 vs Switch 2: Is it worth the paid upgrade?

Despite being an older game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the big launch games for the Nintendo Switch 2. That's for one major reason: it's received a paid Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade, which brings graphics and performance improvements, on top of some gameplay additions. That means that one of the best games in the Zelda series now runs at 60 FPS and a higher resolution, improving performance over the Switch 1 version, which ran at 30 FPS and a lower resolution. There are also gameplay additions, including a second screen experience called Zelda Notes, a function in the Nintendo Switch App for smartphones.

While we are going to break down what exactly the improvements are and what you are getting for the $10 paid upgrade, which is also included with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, but to be clear upfront, the game obviously runs better. Double the frame rate and better resolution means it runs better, but whether it's worth the price tag when other Switch 2 upgrades, like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, are free, is a bit more complicated.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom price and availability

The upgrade is $10, if you already own the game.

Because Nintendo Switch games rarely go on sale, the Switch version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is still $70 for a new copy, while a new copy of the Switch 2 version costs $80, but includes the paid $10 upgrade. Assuming you don't already own the game, this means the cheapest route here is to find a used copy for cheaper. If you already own it, it's $10 to upgrade, or it's included with the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, although if your subscription ends, you lose access.

How does Tears of the Kingdom run?

It runs at a higher frame rate and resolution on the Switch 2

As previously mentioned, the new upgrade runs at a higher resolution, 1440p, upscaled to 4K while docked, and 1080p undocked (via Famiboards) at 60 FPS. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ran at 900p docked and 720p undocked, at 30 FPS. If you're wondering about playing Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 2 without the paid update, it runs at the same specs as it did on the original Switch, but it loads faster, and the frame rate is more stable (via Reddit).

In practice, I didn't necessarily feel like, from a resolution standpoint, that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looked significantly better on Switch 2. It does look great, but perhaps the roughly two years since that game was released means that it looks the way I remember it. The frame rate, however, felt transformative. Combat, in particular, feels so much smoother with the stable 60 FPS, and I liked the combat so much more this time around. I loved Tears of the Kingdom at launch, but combat always felt stiff with the 30 FPS, and while some of the stiffness is still there in the movement, it feels so much better.

What are the rest of the paid upgrade features?

You're going to need the Nintendo Switch App to get the most out of the upgrade

Since Nintendo is charging for this upgrade and not just putting out a free update, this does include some additional goodies. That includes HDR support and the Zelda Notes feature on the Nintendo App. This includes a number of features, including a navigation feature which can lead you to undiscovered Korok Seeds and Shrines, achievements and stats, and a Daily Bonus, which provides a different buff each day. There are also Item Sharing and Autobuild Sharing, where you can share items you don't want or Autobuild blueprints. Uploading them will create a QR code that you can send to friends or post online, allowing people to share items, and more importantly, their massive builds.

I could only check out the item sharing and Autobuild briefly since there weren't too many QR codes posted online on launch day, but that should get fixed as time goes on. The one Autobuild I got worked perfectly, and let me use a hover bike that I could never master. The GPS system is phenomenal for clearing up missing Shrines and Korok Seeds. Since I didn't feel that precious about it two years after launch, I turned it on, and it directed me to nearby activities to do. It's a great system that lets me quickly find something to do after being a bit confused about where I was when I booted up my old save.

Is it worth the upgrade to play Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 2?

It would be a bit silly to play it without the upgrade

It's hard to come up with a firm answer here for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom paid Switch 2 upgrade. If you have a Switch 2 and want to play Tears of the Kingdom on it, without the paid upgrade, it's the same game, so it feels almost necessary to get the upgrade. It's a bummer that it's paid. I spent time with both the Switch 2 version of Tears of the Kingdom and Pokémon Scarlet, and the Pokémon Scarlet improvements are similar when it comes to performance. While Pokémon Scarlet needs those improvements more, it doesn't feel like there is enough to justify the price tag here, but again, if you want to play Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 2, it would be silly not to get the upgrade. It does run better, and I had a fantastic time running around in a higher resolution, 60 FPS Tears of the Kingdom. I think it improves upon one of the greatest games ever made, but I understand not being happy about Nintendo nickel-and-diming people.