Tarnished Edition includes the original Elden Ring, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, new armour sets, extra weapons, and customization features for Torrent, your spectral steed. It’s the full journey, plus some added bonuses, arriving on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025. All of the new content will also release on other platforms as the Tarnished Pack, so no one misses out.
During my hands-on, I picked the Heavy Knight class and dove straight into combat to see how the game handled on Nintendo’s new hardware. I wanted to get a sense of performance and visuals, and how the Nintendo Switch 2 keeps up with one of gaming’s most ambitious worlds.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition Hands-On Impressions
I played Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition in docked mode on Nintendo Switch 2, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Within minutes, though, I was impressed. Combat felt responsive, exploration stayed smooth, and performance held steady the whole way through.
The demo began in the familiar opening cave. As the Heavy Knight, every swing felt heavy, and blocking carried real weight. The slower pace meant I had to commit to attacks, and that first boss punished me quickly when I mistimed. The atmosphere inside the cave also stood out, with shadows flickering against stone walls and fine detail visible even in low light. It felt like a strong start that set the tone for the rest of the session.
Once I pushed outside into Limgrave, the sense of scale hit me right away. The rolling fields looked clear, and distant structures like castles on the horizon held their shape without blurring. I tested movement across the terrain, fought a few smaller groups, and even picked a fight with a tougher enemy. The frame rate never dropped, even when things got chaotic. Dodging, blocking, and camera control all felt reliable.
Reports from Gamescom 2025 mentioned that handheld mode struggled with choppy performance, especially in combat and larger areas. That made my time in docked mode feel even more reassuring. On the show floor in Toronto, fights played out smoothly, with no stutters to break the flow.
Visually, I was impressed with how much the Switch 2 delivered. Lighting in the fields felt natural, and character detail on the Heavy Knight looked sharp. It is not the PS5 or PC version, but it did not need to be. Seeing Elden Ring run this well in docked mode was one of my highlights from Fan Expo Canada 2025.
Thoughts on Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition from Fan Expo Canada 2025
Playing Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 felt surreal. This is a game known for its massive scale, tough combat, and demanding performance, yet in docked mode it stayed smooth and steady during my demo. The Heavy Knight demanded careful timing, but once I found the rhythm, the fights felt rewarding.
Performance and Work in Progress
What surprised me most was how natural it felt to see the Lands Between on new Nintendo hardware. From the shadows inside the cave to the open fields of Limgrave, the atmosphere and scale held up better than I expected. Reports from Gamescom pointed to handheld mode struggling with performance, but in my session the docked build was reliable and consistent. It’s important to remember Tarnished Edition is still in progress, and I’m confident Bandai Namco can address the issues seen at Gamescom.
Tarnished Edition also offers plenty of reasons to return. The base game and Shadow of the Erdtree expansion are bundled together with new armor sets, extra weapons, and customization options for Torrent. Having everything in one package makes this an appealing way to experience Elden Ring on Nintendo Switch 2. And for those not playing Switch 2, the new content will also be available on other platforms as the Tarnished Pack.
I walked away impressed and curious to see how the final version stacks up. Seeing Elden Ring run this well in docked mode was one of my highlights from Fan Expo Canada 2025, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with Tarnished Edition when it launches. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 later this year, and I’ll have a full review here on Cloud Dosage closer to release.
As always, remember to follow us on our social media platforms (e.g., Threads, X (Twitter), Bluesky, YouTube, and Facebook) to stay up-to-date with the latest news. This website contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission when you click on these links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. We are an independent site, and the opinions expressed here are our own.
