Nintendo Launches Free Game Upgrade For GOTY Winner, Available Now
Topics: Indie Games, Free Games, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Featured Image Credit: Scott Garfitt (via Getty Images)
Topics: Indie Games, Free Games, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo has launched a free upgrade for a 2024 Game of the Year winner, and you can claim it right now.
It feels like it’s a rare occurrence when Nintendo offers a free upgrade for a Switch 2 title. After all, they have charged for upgrades related to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, to name a few.
If you’re lucky and already a subscriber to the top tier of Nintendo Switch Online, you might even be gifted with a free Switch 2 upgrade for one of its first-party titles. However, I assume that third-party developers and publishers might be more flexible regarding prices on such upgrades.
One upgrade in particular is for the critically acclaimed 2024 roguelike deck-building game, Balatro, developed by the indie studio, LocalThunk.
Advert
“Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big,” reads the synopsis of the game.
“Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.”
According to the aggregate website, Metacritic, Balatro has scored a mighty impressive 90, more than earning the “Must-Play” accolade and an additional score of 8.4 from the community.
Furthermore, Balatro also picked up Game of the Year at the Game Developers' Choice Award, and was nominated for even more GOTY gongs at ceremonies such as BAFTA and The Game Awards.
Balatro Switch 2 version is apparently free if you own the Switch version on eShop https://t.co/SxQ7NyZYra
— Wario64 (@Wario64) February 25, 2026
This week, Balatro launched on the Nintendo Switch 2, and I’m not sure why this is, but it feels like this port is perhaps better suited on the go, rather than a home console such as PlayStation and Xbox.
Right now, in celebration of its Nintendo Switch 2 launch, Balatro is discounted by 20%, bringing the price down from an already modest £12.79 to just £10.23.
What’s more, if you purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 version, it also includes the last-gen version.
Which, of course, means that if you already own the 2024 version, the latest version is a free upgrade. Happy days!
Balatro is out on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and mobile devices.