Kena: Bridge of Spirits is one of my favorite hidden gems from the past few years. As an indie title, it performed exceptionally well on PlayStation 5, and it’s a game I still look back on fondly. Playing it on Nintendo Switch 2 years later feels like a natural next step, as it seems like a perfect fit for the platform. An action platformer with charming characters feels right at home on Nintendo’s hybrid console, but how well does this port actually perform? Time to jump in.
Kena?
The story of Kena: Bridge of Spirits isn’t groundbreaking, but it offers more than enough motivation to keep going. As a young spirit guide named Kena, you travel to a deserted village where spirits are being held back by corruption. Your task is to guide them safely to the afterlife, but that won’t come without a fight. The corrupted spirits are hostile, and not every encounter is easy to overcome.
Luckily, Kena is assisted by the adorable creatures known as the Rot. Together with these fluffy companions, she takes on the corrupted spirits and helps guide the trapped ones toward peace. While the story starts off as fairly straightforward, there’s more depth to it than you might expect. To progress, Kena needs to confront spirits that are consumed by their own emotions. Trapped in that state, they lose control and twist the world around them into lifeless areas where nothing can grow, and anyone who gets too close risks being captured. Visually, this contrast is one of the game’s strongest aspects. The world of Kena is beautiful, but seeing it slowly taken over by that dark, corrupted energy is just as impactful. At its core the Nintendo Switch 2 version still tells the same story as the original game so if you want to learn more about how the original played and performed, you can check out my initial review:
Switch 2
While the main game hasn’t changed, this Switch 2 version does come with all previous updates, patches, and the Anniversary update. This includes New Game+, extra outfits, Spirit Guide Trials, a photo mode, and more. For returning players who might have missed this free DLC back in the day, it’s a good excuse to jump back in on Switch 2. The Spirit Guide Trials in particular, where you take on a series of challenges to unlock rewards and outfits, are a great addition to the base game.
On Switch 2, everything is included from the start, making this feel like the complete edition. But how well does it perform? When you compare the game directly to the PlayStation 5 version, you’ll notice the graphical drop, but it’s nothing to worry about. Vegetation density is slightly lower, and some smaller details are missing, but the game still oozes charm in both handheld and docked mode.
Kena has always been a gorgeous game, combining lush environments with darker elements and cutscenes that could have come straight out of a Pixar movie. On Switch 2, it still leaves a strong impression. I started my playthrough in handheld mode and was pleasantly surprised by how well it looked and played. It takes a small hit, but it’s still the same fun experience I remember from a few years ago. Being able to take it with me wherever I go is easily the biggest strength of this version.
Small hiccups, but nothing to worry about
When you purely look at the numbers, the game targets 30 frames per second, which it manages quite well overall. During more crowded or combat-heavy segments, I did notice a few small drops, but they were over before they became bothersome. You can best compare this version to the PlayStation 4 release, as its performance is much closer to that than to the PlayStation 5 version. In handheld mode, things can become a bit blurry, and you might notice some ghosting here and there, but none of it really bothered me.
The gameplay and overall style still hold up well, and this feels like one of those games that’s made for portable play and shorter sessions, which is where it truly shines on Switch 2. Docked mode offers sharper environments and a bit more detail, but the occasional frame rate drops are still present. It’s a solid port that does what it promises and is a nice addition to the Switch 2 library.
Conclusion:
Kena: Bridge of Spirits feels right at home on Nintendo Switch 2 and still offers an adventure that’s well worth experiencing. While there are some minor technical hiccups and a noticeable visual downgrade compared to PlayStation 5, none of it takes away from the charm, atmosphere, and satisfying gameplay.
