Resident Evil has been a core franchise for Capcom for so long that it's sometimes easy to forget that there are newer players who have never played the older games. While it's possible to track down the games on various platforms, it's difficult to top the convenience of having them on your preferred console. On Oct. 16, 2026, Nintendo Switch 2 players will see Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4 coming to their console of choice. This means dedicated fans will be able to play through the entire mainline series on a Switch 2.
These aren't the OG versions of the games. They are the updated REmakes that were released for other consoles a few years back.
Resident Evil 2 is the Deluxe Edition, which includes some additional costumes, weapons, and an alternate soundtrack. Resident Evil 2 was previously only available as a streaming title on the Nintendo Switch.
Resident Evil 3 features the main game and additional costumes. Resident Evil 3 was previously only available as a streaming title on the Nintendo Switch.
Resident Evil 4 is the Gold Edition, which includes Ada's Separate Ways scenario, The Mercenaries, additional costumes, weapons, items, and an alternate soundtrack. Resident Evil 4 is available on the Nintendo Switch (and playable on the Switch 2 via backward compatibility), but that version of the game is a port of the original release, not the REmake release.
I spent about 15 minutes playing Resident Evil 3 and the same amount of time playing Resident Evil 4. Both games were played on a Switch 2 dev kit in handheld mode, and both left a good first impression.
No upgrades are specific to the Switch 2 — these are straight ports, so don't expect motion controls — but both games controlled well. Running through the opening sequence of Resident Evil 4 on the Switch 2 reminded me of playing it on the PlayStation 5, just on a smaller screen. I didn't notice any hiccups or frame rate issues, and the nighttime hues looked great on the Switch 2 screen.
Resident Evil 3 also fared well in the control department; however, I did have an issue with the display. The game defaulted to HDR mode enabled, which should have been great in a game with rampant shadows, but the result made everything more difficult to see. I ended up having to disable HDR to play in handheld mode. Once I did that, it was 100% the Resident Evil 3 we all know and love, complete with Nemesis doing his thing.
While I didn't get a chance to play the Switch 2 version of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil speedrunner MayorMunoz was playing the game in the same demo room. He completed the Switch 2 port in just over an hour (possibly the first person outside of Capcom to do so) and seemed happy with it. Shout-out to MayorMunoz for the helpful tips on how the game's adaptive difficulty works. You can find his content on YouTube under @MayorMunoz.
If you already have Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, or Resident Evil 4 for another console, there's probably not too much of a reason for you to pick them up on Switch 2 unless you are grabbing a favorite to play on the go. The content is the same as the prior releases.
If you're new to the series or haven't played any of the games since their original releases on the PSOne and GameCube, the Switch 2 ports should be a fantastic way to experience them. Check back next month for our full review and final verdict on each title.