I've already played Star Wars Outlaws on PS5, but Gold Edition makes it worth revisiting on Nintendo Switch 2
SOURCE:TechRadar|BY: Dashiell Wood
Star Wars Outlaws is a must-play game for fans of the galaxy far, far away and it holds up impressively well in its Gold Edition release for Nintendo Switch 2.
Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition is an incredible port that delivers smooth performance in addition to a formidable level of detail and impressive ray-tracing effects. With all the game’s significant downloadable content included at a fantastic value price, this is a must-have experience for any Nintendo Switch 2 owner.
Pros
DLC included at a great price
Excellent performance
Visually impressive
A feature complete port
Cons
-
Locked at 30fps
-
Fine details like hair appear blurry
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Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition is an excellent version of the 2024 open-world Star Wars game. It runs incredibly well overall, with a frame rate that rarely dips below its 30 frames per second (fps) target while also pushing some impressive ray tracing effects. It might just be the best Nintendo Switch 2 port that we’ve seen yet, especially considering the fact that the original release would sometimes stutter on more powerful hardware like the PlayStation 5.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC Release date: September 4, 2025 (Nintendo Switch 2)
This means you get the full season pass with two substantial new story chapters that take a total of about 10 hours to beat. Oodles of cosmetics for protagonist Kay Vess and her companion Nix are also included, plus the short pre-order bonus Jabba’s Gambit mission.
While I could lament the fact that the handful of cosmetics from the Ultimate Pack haven’t been thrown in too (though they are still purchasable separately via the eShop if you want them), this is still an incredible amount of content that encompasses all the major DLC additions since launch.
It’s an easy sell at the asking price of $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$89.95 (or even less on sale) when you consider that the Gold Edition costs $109.99 / £104.99 / AU$169.95 on other platforms.
If you’re a fan of the Star Wars universe, then you’re going to love the peerless faithfulness of this adaptation. As an intergalactic rogue forced to go on the run after a heist gone wrong, you explore a series of large open-world planets as you gradually put together a crew and navigate relationships with some of the galaxy’s most notorious criminal clans.
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Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi films, familiar locations like the desert plains of Tatooine are wonderfully represented and seamlessly presented alongside new additions like the sandy Toshara Moon or dense jungle world of Akiva.
Best bit
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
The five planets ofStar Wars Outlawsare all a fan’s dream. It includes the perfect mix of nostalgic favorites like Tatooine alongside some more interesting and beautiful inclusions like the snowy world of Kijimi.
Everywhere you explore looks superb on Nintendo Switch 2, especially in handheld mode. On the console’s 1080p screen, it appears delightfully crisp and, although the quality of 3D models does take a small hit, the overall experience feels about on par with that of an Xbox Series S, which is a very impressive result.
In some regards, it actually looks better here than on the Series S, with improved ray-tracing effects in interior environments. Wandering around the densely populated city of Mirogana early in the game, the lighting effects appear rich and complex. Locations are crafted with a high level of detail throughout the game, and I’m glad that the enjoyment of occasionally stopping to soak it all in and pore over every small element of a space hasn’t been lost in the jump over to less talented hardware.
Things do fare a little worse when the system is docked, though. Playing on a 4K TV, I noticed upscaling was used very liberally, which lends certain areas quite a blurry look. Anywhere with lots of plants, for example, tends to look rather fuzzy, and Kay’s hair suffers from some noticeable aliasing. The pop-in in the open world becomes more noticeable in docked mode, too. When you’re zooming around on your speeder, you’ll regularly see little bushes or shadows appearing in the distance - but you get used to this very quickly.
More powerful than you could possibly imagine
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
If you’ve experienced Star Wars Outlaws on another platform, then you’ll also need to acclimatize to the frame rate when jumping over to the Nintendo Switch 2 version. It's locked to 30fps here, a change that was especially noticeable as I compared the game with its PS5 port side by side.
When you’re actually playing, it is less apparent, though, and developers Massive Entertainment do deserve some serious credit when it comes to just how well Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition maintains that frame rate target.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Stutters are extremely rare, and I only noticed them starting to crop up in moments of very intense action with multiple explosions, many enemies on screen, moving vehicles, and the like, all at once. Importantly, the experience is never rendered unplayable, and I think the odd hiccup is a worthwhile trade-off for the opportunity to dip in and out of this game on the go.
I’ve been playing Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition sporadically since it launched back in September, and I did initially experience a few unexpected crashes in longer play sessions. With time, these seem to have been remedied through various patches, though, so those jumping in today can expect a relatively flawless experience.
With all of this said, Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition nets an easy recommendation as one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games. If you’ve played it before, it’s a joy to re-experience in handheld mode with all the new DLC included. If you’re a newcomer, then you don’t need to worry about suffering a compromised experience due to your choice of hardware.
Should I play Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2?
Play it if...
You want a huge open-world experience on the go Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition offers tens of hours of content that’s wonderful to dip into on the go. With all major DLC included, this is an experience that you’re going to keep coming back to.
You’re a big Star Wars fan
Fans of the Star Wars universe will love the attention to detail of Star Wars Outlaws, all of which has been preserved wonderfully in this brilliant port.
Don't play it if...
You’re sick of open-world games
I enjoy Star Wars Outlaws, but it certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel in terms of Ubisoft open-world games. If you want a more novel experience, pick up something else from the Nintendo Switch 2’s expansive library, like Mario Kart World.
Accessibility features
Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition has a dedicated accessibility menu on Nintendo Switch 2 with a number of useful settings and presets.
By default, the HUD has been scaled up to 150% in handheld mode, with large text size enabled.
There are also four menus designed to address gameplay, cognitive, color, vision, and hearing needs. Color settings can be fully customized, and there is a range of difficulty options.
How I reviewed Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2
I played nearly 15 hours of Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, constantly comparing my experience of the game with that of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S versions.
I primarily played in the console’s handheld mode, but also endeavored to spend a few hours in docked mode in order to assess its performance.
Of the two modes, handheld mode is definitely the strongest as the smaller screen does a good job of smoothing over many of the visual cutbacks. While playing in docked mode, I relied on the official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
First reviewed January 2026
Gaming Editor
Dash is an experienced tech journalist who currently serves as the Gaming Editor at TechRadar, where he helps oversee coverage of video games and related products.
Before joining the team, he was Contributing Writer at PLAY (formerly Official PlayStation Magazine) and has also written articles for many of the UK's biggest gaming magazines including Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX.
Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.
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