The moment I got my hands on the Nintendo Switch 2, I knew I had to revisit Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. I was curious to see whether the supposed upgrade truly made a difference.

It’s been a while since I ranted about a game, but sweating in this hot apartment feels like the perfect moment to share my thoughts on Gen 9 Pokémon on the new Switch.

I dove in with both excitement and doubt—and in the end, that cautious feeling turned out to be completely justified.

A single copy of Scarlet or Violet still sets you back $59.99, and if you're aiming for the full experience with the Area Zero DLC, you're dropping another $34.99.

Sure, the upgrade for Switch 2 is free, but you’re still close to $100 deep for the "complete" game. That doesn’t even include buying the other version if you want to fully complete your Pokédex.

So, does the Switch 2 upgrade justify the price? Performance-wise, yes. The game runs noticeably smoother.

Previously laggy areas—especially during gym trials—are now stable. Visual effects like city rain look more polished, and overall, it seems like the game got a layer of attention it sorely needed.

But is that enough? For me, not really. And I say this as a lifelong Pokémon fan. I’ve been hooked since the franchise began trading Pokémon tazos as a kid,

watching the anime every Saturday morning, and collecting everything from plushies to over 600 cards.

I even have Pokémon inked on my skin. So, my disappointment comes from a place of love and long-term investment.