Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will be available on Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch 2, as well as on the Xbox this winter. The first remake game of the Final Fantasy VII trilogy will soon find its new home on the hybrid Nintendo console, and based on our time with it at PAX West, it looks and plays surprisingly well.

Originally launched on the PlayStation 4, Final Fantasy VII Remake received an upgrade with new content and visuals for the PlayStation 5 and PC, now labeled as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. This enhanced version will soon be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox consoles.

A Surprise Adventure for the Handheld

During PAX West, we had the opportunity to revisit Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on the Nintendo Switch 2. We demoed the game for about thirty minutes in handheld mode and another set of the same time docked, playing the scenario with Cloud and Barrett fighting the first boss, the Scorpion Sentinel, and escaping the reactor before the demo time expired. It brought memories on how fun the remake was in the early story when it came out in 2020.

Square has confirmed that the game runs at 30 frames per second (fps), and we could hardly notice any difference between handheld and docked mode. There were no noticeable frame drops, and visually, the game looked smooth whether in the heat of battle or navigating through a destructible reactor. Some visual details appeared to show some compression upon close inspection, but overall, Square Enix managed to pull it off based on the demo we played. Given the game’s smooth performance on the Switch 2, it seems Square Enix has the expertise to ensure seamless gameplay on Nintendo’s latest console. Maybe the experience of putting the game on the PlayStation 4 back in 2020 helped with the port to the Nintendo Switch 2.

While differences may be noticeable when comparing the Switch 2 version to the PlayStation 5 version, on its own, many players may not even notice or mind. The game’s smooth performance on the Switch 2 in handheld mode makes us eager to revisit the beginning of Final Fantasy VII. Adjusting to the button layout took some time, as the original cancel and confirm buttons are opposite to those on the PlayStation controller, but once you get used to it, you’ll be just fine.

What Comes Next?

It’s too early to speculate, but it will be interesting to see if the next installment of the Final Fantasy VII remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, will also come to the Switch 2 and how it will compare to the PlayStation 5 and PC versions. The success of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on the Switch 2 will likely influence Square Enix’s decision to bring more games to the console.