Pikmin 3 Deluxe gets a patch to look better on Switch 2

Nintendo has released a new patch for Pikmin 3 Deluxe aimed at improving image quality when the game runs on Switch 2. According to Eurogamer España, the update is already available and focuses on that specific area: making the adventure of Alph, Brittany and Charlie look sharper on the company's latest console.

It may seem like minor news, but it fits a trend we've been watching for a while: Nintendo is revisiting part of its Switch catalogue so it takes better advantage of the new hardware. For those with a library full of last-generation games, every patch of this kind is a small win. And for the Underworld Lordz community, it's the perfect excuse to return to a strategy title many of us left half-finished.

What you need to know

• Nintendo has published a new update for Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
• The patch is designed to improve the game's image quality when played on Switch 2.
• The original report comes from Eurogamer España, which covered the patch's release.
• The source doesn't mention gameplay changes or new content: the focus is on visuals.
• It's another example of original Switch games receiving improvements built for the new console.

What changes and who it affects

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is the expanded version of the series' third chapter, which arrived on Switch with extras over its original Wii U edition. Until now, playing it on Switch 2 meant enjoying it as-is thanks to backwards compatibility, with no specific adjustments for the new machine. With this patch, the game now gets a dedicated image improvement, which in practice means the new console no longer treats it as just a legacy game.

Who does it affect? Anyone who owns the game and a Switch 2. Those still playing on the original Switch shouldn't notice any difference in this regard, since the improvement targets the new system. It's worth stressing that Eurogamer España doesn't give specific resolution or performance figures, so the sensible approach is not to assume anything beyond the image looking better. If you want to know exactly how much, you'll need to compare for yourself or wait for the technical analyses that usually appear after patches like this.

Background: Nintendo and the Switch 2 improvements

Since the jump to Switch 2, Nintendo has been releasing updates for several of its Switch games to make the most of the new hardware, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe now joins that list. For a series built on scanning the environment closely, counting creatures, working out optimal routes and deciding in seconds which squad to send to each piece of fruit, a sharper image isn't just an aesthetic whim: it helps you read the map and make better decisions. In a game where the time of day is your enemy, every detail you see more clearly is a decision you make faster.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz editorial team, we applaud any free patch that improves a game we've already paid for. That said, it's also time to be critical: we'd like Nintendo to be more transparent about exactly what changes in each update. Saying it improves image quality is fine, but the most demanding players want to know what that translates to on screen and in performance. The lack of detail forces the community to do the frame-by-frame comparison work that should be explained from the start.

For content creators, this is a clear opportunity. Pikmin 3 Deluxe has a competitive side and a challenge and time-attack scene that's still alive, and a better-looking version is more appealing on stream and in short clips. If you make technical comparisons, collection challenges or split-screen sessions with your squad, this patch gives you fresh material without spending a penny. Ride the wave while the topic is hot.

There's also a strategic angle. Backwards compatibility is great, but a catalogue that genuinely gets updated is a much stronger selling point for the new console. Nintendo decides which games get some love and which stay as they were, and that criterion isn't always clear. We're glad Pikmin 3 Deluxe made the list, but we'll keep watching to see which other titles from the series and the wider catalogue get the same treatment, because that's where real commitment to those who already built their library is measured.

What do you think?

We're already itching to send our Pikmin back into battle with better visuals, but we want to know what you think. Is a visual improvement enough, or were you expecting more from Nintendo for its Switch games on Switch 2? Tell us in the team chat or on our Discord: which game in your library do you think deserves the next patch?