Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has earned its reputation for being a legendary RPG full of depth and player agency, and a game that has been ported to almost every system imaginable since launch. It’s been a tradition of mine to revisit the world of Tamriel every few years or so with a new build and idea in mind for how I’ll approach the game’s story and hundreds of hours of content. This game defies repetition in my mind, no matter how many times I’ve explored Skyrim’s vistas, ruins and caverns. Once more, I’m thrusted back into this familiar world in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch 2. Despite Skyrim being a 14-year-old game at this point, there’s still so much to unpack here, both good and bad.
It’s been eight years since Skyrim came to Nintendo Switch in 2017, marking the franchise’s debut on Nintendo platforms. Skyrim hits different on a portable platform, but at that time, I still knew that Skyrim was somewhat limited on the platform from what it would eventually become now. After all, Skyrim Special Edition was limited to just 720p in handheld mode on Switch—a fraction of the 4K resolution that Switch 2 is capable of outputting. That begs the question, is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition worth it on Switch 2? Personally, yes because I love Skyrim, but I know there are some issues with this release that need to be ironed out.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 Brings Some Improvements, with a Catch
To preface this, I actually waited for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition to come to Switch 2 before making a purchase, since I mostly spent time with the original PC and Switch versions of Skyrim. Thus far, I’m having a great time with the Switch 2 version, despite some of its drawbacks. Firstly, Skyrim Anniversary Edition brings big graphic and technical improvements, including faster load times, volumetric lighting, reworked foliage, further LOD (level-of-detail) draw-out distance, improved screen space reflections, bloom and depth-of-field effects, and an internal resolution increase. This is in addition to the returning Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn DLCs, along with a large curated selection of Creation Club content being sprinkled into the base game.
From the moment I arrived in Whiterun, I began to get a lot of the new Creation Club quests, and they fit in really nicely with standard progression. When stacked on top of an RPG with hundreds of hours worth of content, a single playthrough of Skyrim Anniversary Edition can feel vastly different compared to past runs. There’s a slew of new materials, weapons and gear, and consumables associated with Skyrim Anniversary Edition, and the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Champion’s Tunic from The Legend of Zelda series are also back.
On Switch 2, the internal resolution is being upscaled via DLSS for a clean 4K output in docked mode, albeit at a slightly lower 1440p resolution. In handheld mode, Skyrim Anniversary Edition is running at 1080p with sharp image quality. When it comes to frame rate, the Switch 2 version is quite a strange one, for better or worse preference-wise. Following one of the Switch 2 version’s post-launch patches, the game runs between 30 to 45 FPS or so in the vast open world, and the frame rate can go up to 60 FPS inside dungeons.
On paper, this variable frame rate sounds very inconsistent and jarring, but in practice, the game doesn’t feel bad to play. On handheld mode, the experience is really smooth, and I enjoy having a high-fidelity version of Skyrim with all these improvements and content additions in the palm of my hands. However, I definitely wanted Bethesda to go the extra mile to get Skyrim Anniversary Edition running at a locked 60 FPS, especially when newer games can reach this target and beyond at 120 FPS. It’s clearly possible, based on the recent update, and I’d hope that Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is a better showing at launch.
Rounding out the feature set of the Switch 2 version are mouse controls, motion controls, and amiibo support. amiibo support and motion controls exactly the same as it did on the Switch 1 version, although I definitely prefer motion controls on the Switch 2 version compared to Switch 1, thanks to the improved accuracy of the Joy-Con 2 controllers. Mouse controls are entirely new and offer a PC-like experience. Personally, I prefer playing with the Switch 2 Pro Controller for the sake of immersion, but I think mouse controls work decently well here.
A Strange Upgrade Path
The strangeness of this Skyrim port doesn’t end with performance. For context, the upgrade path for Skyrim Anniversary Edition is straightforward for owners of the digital game. If you already own Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Switch 1, you’ll be entitled for a free copy of the Switch 2 version to download immediately. If you have the base version of Skyrim, you can upgrade to the Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 for $19.99, simple enough.
Now, if you have the physical edition of Skyrim or Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Switch, you have a really weird path to follow. Firstly, you will need to open the Virtual Game Cards menu and unload Skyrim Anniversary Edition, remove the game card from the system and delete software, re-insert the game card into Switch 2 and launch the game after downloading the latest update, and finally use an in-game prompt to purchase the upgrade and/or download the Switch 2 version.
Since it’s counted as a separate game, you can play the Switch 2 version without needing to insert the game cartridge, but it’s seriously obtuse to get to this point. Regardless, this strange decision does allow players to share a physical copy of Skyrim and allow them to upgrade without having to buy the game outright, so I suppose that’s a plus.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition Deserves More Polish, But it Still Offers Good Value
Overall, the Switch 2 version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition is a big improvement over the original Switch version of Skyrim, but it’s not a perfect one in the performance department. Despite that, Skyrim Anniversary Edition looks really great on Switch 2 with visuals matching that of the PS5 version, and for the most part, it feels good to play as well. This is Skyrim, and it still is Skyrim despite all the new content and changes.
This game is vast, and anyone wanting to finally delve into Skyrim or revisit it has an excuse to do it now (again). The $59.99 base price isn’t justified when there’s no locked 60 FPS support, though. I definitely recommend waiting for a sale on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Switch 2. I’ve seen the price go down to $19.99 during sales, which is the same price that the Anniversary Upgrade goes for. At $19.99, you’re getting incredible value from one of the best RPGs ever crafted.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available now for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Disclaimer: a copy of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 was purchased for this review.
