Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition might just be one of the most awkwardly named releases Nintendo has ever put out, but it also happens to be one of its most defiant RPGs. The game finally gets a native Switch 2 release but the real question is whether this version truly delivers on what Xenoblade X always promised.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
If you want a deeper dive into Xenoblade Chronicles X itself, you can always check our original Wii U review, where we go into the core systems and overall feel of the game. Long story short: Chronicles X is often held up as one of the strongest entries in the franchise thanks to its massive open world and ambitious RPG design. It’s the kind of game that keeps unfolding the longer you play, and its story still stands tall within the genre.
Nintendo later brought the game back as a Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch, adding extra content and smoothing out parts of the experience, and we covered that version too.
So this marks our third time reviewing Xenoblade Chronicles X, which means I’m not going to rehash everything again. Instead, I’ll focus on what actually matters here: what this new Nintendo Switch 2 Edition brings to the table, and whether it finally feels like the version this game always deserved.
Performance upgrade
Unlike some other Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, this one doesn’t come with bonus content. No new areas, no extra characters, no surprise side quests. What you’re paying for here is purely performance. If you’re buying the game fresh, you’ll notice it’s priced a bit higher than the regular Switch version. If you already own that edition, you can upgrade for a small fee. It’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at that, especially since performance bumps have been free for other titles like Donkey Kong Country Returns HD; but that’s the reality this time.
So what do you actually get for your money? A framerate target of 60fps and 4K upscaling in docked mode. On paper, that sounds straightforward enough. The real question is whether it’s noticeable and worth the small extra fee.
Smooth as butter
Let’s start with the frame rate, because that’s easily the biggest upgrade here. Nintendo claims the game now targets a smooth 60fps most of the time, and in my experience, that’s pretty accurate. And honestly, seeing Xenoblade Chronicles X run at 60fps is kind of surreal. This is such a vast, detailed world that the jump in smoothness immediately changes how the game feels. Traversal is noticeably cleaner, camera movement feels lighter, and even simple things like sprinting across Mira or weaving through enemy encounters suddenly feel more responsive. It genuinely feels like a different game at times.
During my playtime, I barely ran into frame drops, and when I did, it was usually in heavily crowded areas with lots of enemies and effects on screen. Even then, nothing dramatic enough to pull me out of the experience. The performance boost does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and if this is a preview of what future Switch 2 upgrades might look like, that’s honestly pretty exciting.
The 4K upscaling issue
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. You’ve probably seen the screenshots and clips floating around online showing some pretty questionable visuals in this Switch 2 Edition. I didn’t run into anything that extreme myself, but the 4K upscaling definitely comes with a few strange quirks.
It’s clear this isn’t a native 4K presentation but an upscaling solution layered on top of the existing assets, which makes sense given the nature of these Switch 2 upgrades. The problem is that this upscaling doesn’t always know what to do with the image, especially outside of docked play. On my OLED TV in docked mode, the game honestly looks great. It’s easily one of the better-looking titles on the system right now. Environments feel sharper, colors pop, and aside from the occasional pop-in, I didn’t have any real complaints. In that setup, the upscaling does a solid job of making Mira feel even more impressive than it already was.
Handheld is where things get messy. Most of the time, it still looks fine, but more often than I’d like, I ran into odd visual artifacts: flickering elements, muddy textures, and moments where the upscaling filter clearly struggles to interpret what should be sharp and what shouldn’t. The result is a softer image and a draw distance that sometimes feels worse than expected. Early on, I genuinely thought people online were exaggerating, but the deeper I got into the game, the more frequently these issues started popping up.
Considering this Switch 2 Edition is purely about performance and visuals, it’s a bit disappointing that handheld gameplay didn’t get the same level of polish as docked mode. I wouldn’t be surprised if a future patch smooths this out, but right now, if handheld gaming is your main way of playing, you might honestly be better off sticking with the original Switch version for the time being.
Conclusion
Xenoblade Chronicles X is still a fantastic RPG, and the jump to 60fps on Switch 2 genuinely makes a huge difference. Sadly, the strange upscaling in handheld holds this version back from feeling truly definitive. Docked looks great, portable less so. With a patch, this could easily be fixed, but right now it feels like an upgrade with rough edges, and that’s a shame for a game this iconic.
