Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 Arrive on Switch 2: Three Horror Remakes for Halloween

Horror fans can now spend much of October exploring some extremely unwelcoming corridors. Capcom has released three Resident Evil titles for Nintendo Switch 2.

These are not entirely new installments, but Switch 2 versions of three remakes previously released on other platforms.

Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition are sold individually through Nintendo eShop. All three were announced during the September 9 Nintendo Direct before Capcom confirmed additional launch details.

Their arrival is significant for the Switch 2 library. The games represent three important stages in Resident Evil's history and were all rebuilt using Capcom's RE Engine.

Resident Evil 2: Back to Raccoon City's Nightmare

The first release is Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, based on the remake originally launched in January 2019.

Its story follows Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as a devastating biological outbreak overwhelms Raccoon City.

Leon arrives to begin his career as a police officer, while Claire is searching for her brother Chris. Both soon discover a city infested with the undead.

The Raccoon City Police Department becomes one of the game's central locations, combining exploration, puzzles, limited ammunition and dangerous encounters.

The Deluxe Edition includes the complete base game and previously released additional content.

Nintendo lists costumes for Leon and Claire, extra Samurai Edge weapons and an option to use music inspired by the original release.

These extras do not create a new story. The package remains the familiar Resident Evil 2 remake with additional content.

Resident Evil 3: Jill Valentine Cannot Escape Nemesis

Resident Evil 3, originally released in April 2020, takes a somewhat different approach.

Jill Valentine, a surviving member of the S.T.A.R.S. special forces team, attempts to escape Raccoon City during the disaster.

Standing in her way is Nemesis, a terrifying biological weapon determined to eliminate her.

Compared with Resident Evil 2, the remake emphasizes a faster pace, large-scale action and repeated pursuit sequences.

Capcom confirms additional cosmetic content, including costumes inspired by the original game.

However, Resident Evil Resistance, the asymmetrical multiplayer experience associated with some previous versions, is not included in the Switch 2 release.

Players should therefore approach this edition primarily as a single-player campaign.

Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition: Leon Returns for Another Rescue Mission

The third game is the newest remake in the lineup. Resident Evil 4 originally launched in March 2023.

Six years after the Raccoon City disaster, Leon S. Kennedy has become a US government agent.

He is sent to rescue Ashley Graham, the president's daughter, who has been kidnapped and taken to a remote European region.

The mission quickly becomes a nightmare. Villagers infected by Las Plagas parasites are controlled by a dangerous religious organization.

Resident Evil 4 emphasizes more dynamic combat, weapon customization and a mixture of horror and spectacular action.

The Gold Edition combines the main campaign with additional content, including Separate Ways.

That expansion follows Ada Wong and presents another perspective on events occurring alongside Leon's mission.

For Switch 2 players discovering the game for the first time, the package includes more content than the original base release.

Three Different Approaches to Horror

Although these remakes share modern visual technology, they offer distinct experiences.

Resident Evil 2 emphasizes traditional survival horror, resource management, puzzles and environments that reward careful exploration.

Resident Evil 3 increases the pace with frequent pursuit sequences and action-heavy encounters.

Resident Evil 4 develops combat and equipment systems more extensively while retaining moments of tension.

Together, they demonstrate how Capcom has adapted its survival horror formula over time.

Switch 2 Editions Differ From the Older Cloud Versions

Nintendo players may remember that Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 previously appeared on the original Switch through cloud streaming.

Capcom's latest releases are versions developed for Nintendo Switch 2 rather than those older remotely executed editions.

This reduces dependence on remote game-streaming infrastructure during normal play.

However, it does not automatically establish identical performance with the PlayStation, Xbox or PC editions.

Resolution, frame-rate stability and graphical compromises require version-specific analysis.

Nintendo's Resident Evil 2 listing confirms support for handheld, tabletop and television modes.

Physical Editions Will Arrive in 2027

The three remakes launch digitally on October 16.

Players who prefer boxed releases will have to wait longer. Capcom has scheduled physical editions for January 29, 2027.

The publisher has also announced launch discounts in selected regions.

Their prices and expiration dates vary by storefront, so buyers should check their own regional eShop rather than assuming that offers available in Japan also apply elsewhere.

Another Step for Resident Evil on Nintendo

The three new releases expand a Switch 2 library that already includes recent Capcom titles such as Resident Evil Requiem, Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village.

The additions make it easier for players to explore several major chapters of the franchise on a single Nintendo console.

For newcomers, Resident Evil 2 provides an introduction to Raccoon City's catastrophe. Resident Evil 3 explores another side of that disaster, while Resident Evil 4 takes Leon into a different story years later.

Longtime fans may be more interested in the opportunity to revisit these remakes on portable hardware.

Capcom is not introducing three new stories, but it is bringing three important parts of Resident Evil's modern history to Switch 2. With Halloween approaching, the timing could hardly be more appropriate.