Square Enix is preparing to release the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I～III] for Nintendo Switch 2, which will launch in October and for the first time allow Nintendo console owners to play all main games in the series natively without using cloud technologies. Ahead of the launch, developers have already released a demo of Kingdom Hearts 3.
The first technical tests conducted by ElAnalistaDeBits showed that the port runs stably, but the game's performance on Nintendo Switch 2 raises questions. Despite the console's more modern architecture and increased RAM compared to PlayStation 4, the new console noticeably lags behind Sony's solutions in frame rate.
On Nintendo Switch 2, the game uses dynamic resolution: up to 1080p in handheld mode and up to 1224p when connected to a TV. The overall image quality is comparable to the PlayStation 4 version running on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility. The main differences are slightly lower resolution and altered reflections in handheld mode.
The difference in performance is much more noticeable. While the PlayStation 5 version via backward compatibility consistently maintains 60 frames per second, Nintendo Switch 2 often drops to around 30 fps.
According to analysts, the main reason is the lack of NVIDIA DLSS technology support. Kingdom Hearts 3 is built on an outdated version of Unreal Engine 4 and renders images exclusively in native resolution. For Nintendo Switch 2, this becomes a serious limitation, as hardware-based DLSS upscaling helps the console achieve impressive results in projects like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
The release of Kingdom Hearts Collection [I～III] on Nintendo Switch 2 will take place in October. The release of Kingdom Hearts 4 does not yet have an official date, but some analysts suggest that the new installment in the series may not appear until 2027.