Nintendo Drops Another Free Switch 2 Upgrade, Days After Animal Crossing: New Horizons Update

Nintendo Switch 2 owners are already getting another free upgrade, not long after Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 3.0 Update dropped.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons received two updates last week, one of which was free adding new content and some groundbreaking quality-of-life improvements, and the other being a paid upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game.

This next Switch 2 update though will be 100% free, and it’s for last year’s remaster of Donkey Kong Country Returns.

I’ve got fond memories of playing Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Nintendo Wii so I was excited to review the HD remaster when it launched on Nintendo Switch in 2025. It made some admirable changes and additions to the game making it in my opinion the definitive version.

The Nintendo Switch 2 version will be even more definitive though!

Not only will it run quicker, look better, and support GameShare, it’ll also add a new mode and playable character.

Nintendo

What's In the New Donkey Kong Update?

Dixie Kong joins the fray as an alternative to Diddy Kong. She is not just a cosmetic change either - she’ll enable DK to ascend higher than Diddy’s jetpack previously could, a bit like how Luigi always gets a slightly more powerful jump in the Super Mario games.

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Joining Dixie is a new time trial mode called Turbo Attack, which is perfect for those who’ve 100% completed the game in the past and fancy a new challenge the next time they play. While they’re not agonisingly difficult, I’ve always found the Donkey Kong Country games to be quite tough platformers at times, so a new mode like this should prove to be a great addition to the game. Hopefully more enjoyable than Donkey Kong Bananza's paid-for DLC.

Like many other Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades it’s completely free and available right now, no delayed drop like Animal Crossing: New Horizons players had to endure.

With Donkey Kong Country Returns HD getting the Switch 2 treatment I can’t imagine it’ll be long before Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze gets the same upgrade.

After that I’m hoping for an all-new Country game using what was learned from Donkey Kong Bananza.

Players were blown away to see the Kremlings and King K. Rool return and hopefully they’re here to stay.

In the meantime keep your eyes peeled for more Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades, as there’s still a long list of games dying for the enhancements Nintendo’s shiny new console can give them.