03-08-2025
Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake won't have an upgrade or cross save on Switch 2, making the JRPG's game-key card your only physical option
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Square Enix has confirmed that there won't be an option to upgrade Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake on Nintendo Switch to a Switch 2 edition.
Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake was recently confirmed to be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 alongside the announcement of its October release date alongside the PC, Xbox, PS5, and Switch, which Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake released on last year. While the remake of Dragon Quest 3 was only 7.7GB, Square Enix confirmed that the 1 & 2 remake will be on a game-key card, but there's even worse news for Switch 2 players who want a physical copy.
In a FAQ on the Dragon Quest website Square Enix confirms that the Switch 2 and Switch versions of Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake won't be cross-compatible. If you wanted to buy a physical Switch copy of the game to play on your Switch 2, you can play it, but "it will perform as it would on a Nintendo Switch," so if you wanted to play it with the Switch 2 performance improvements you're out of luck.
Square says that there won't be an upgrade path available for Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake from Switch to Switch 2, meaning you'll need to buy the Switch 2 version if you want to play that version. Not only that, but there won't be cross-save between both versions either. This, mixed with the fact there's no actual physical release of Dragon Quest 1 & 2 on Switch 2, instead being a game-key card, makes it a complete bummer for Switch 2 owners.
Our GamesRadar+ preview of the remake said "these lovingly made refreshes are shaping up to be a wonderfully accessible way to experience a crucial piece of gaming history," so it sounds like a worthy remake, it's just a shame there's no good way to get a Switch 2 version physically.
Chrono Trigger and Xenogears writer "actually hated" video games before discovering Dragon Quest: "That concept really stunned me."
