Mini Review: DRAGON QUEST XI S Definitive Edition on Switch 2 - Square Enix Should Offer Upgrade Paths

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age arrives on Switch 2 with a strange weight of history behind it. The game was the first title ever announced for the original Switch, back when the console was known only by its mysterious codename, the "NX." Now, years later, Square Enix has brought it to the successor hardware — and the result is proving underwhelming for a port with this much pedigree.

How We Got Here

When the Switch version launched in 2019, Dragon Quest XI established itself almost immediately as one of the finest RPGs on the system. It served as early proof of just how good games on the hybrid device could be, and it gave fans confidence in what to expect from the platform going forward.

Given that track record, Square Enix porting the game to the next generation seemed like an easy win. A bigger, faster console carrying over one of its defining RPGs — on paper, it made perfect sense.

The Current Problem

The core game remains untouchable. Dragon Quest XI stands as one of the greatest modern examples of a "classic" JRPG, a status it held at launch and still holds today. Anyone who has never played it — whether a newcomer or a longtime RPG fan — is in for a genuinely fantastic time.

The disappointment lies specifically in the Switch 2 version itself. Beyond the fact that it "looks a little nicer," the port doesn't appear to offer much justification for the upgrade, and the overall outcome feels anticlimactic for a game with this history on Nintendo hardware. For players hoping the new console would be the definitive way to experience Erdrea, the reality has landed closer to a shrug than a celebration.

What This Means for Players

If you've never played Dragon Quest XI, that verdict shouldn't scare you off — the game underneath the port is still excellent and well worth your time. But if you already own it on Switch and were counting on the Switch 2 edition to be a meaningful leap, it may be worth tempering expectations or waiting to see whether Square Enix delivers further improvements down the line.

Where this leaves the Switch 2's broader library is the open question: ports of beloved titles will need to bring more than a cosmetic polish to earn a second purchase.

Source: Nintendo Life