Rayman Legends Retold Coming to Switch 2: 4K Docked Mode, 60FPS Target, and PS5 Visual Comparison

Rayman Legends Retold for Switch 2 has new details around its performance targets and development direction, with the Switch 2 version shaping up to be one of the more interesting releases as developers continue refining how it will run on the new hardware. 

According to developers in an interview with BGC, Rayman Legends Retold was in development before the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially revealed. However, the team was clear they strongly believed the series should not skip any Nintendo platform, given how important Nintendo systems have been to the franchise’s audience and performance history.

You can kind of understand that when you look at it, because Rayman Legends Retold is the type of game that just fits Nintendo audiences.

You have to agree with that to some extent, because Rayman really cannot skip a Nintendo platform when you think about how sales usually work out for this kind of title, and how the fanbase behaves in general. More people are just willing to buy 2D platformers and play 2D platformers on Nintendo consoles compared to Microsoft and Sony consoles, so that decision definitely makes sense in that context.

It also ties into the long-standing relationship between Nintendo hardware and side-scrolling platformers, which have traditionally performed better there both critically and commercially. Now when you look at the specs for Rayman Legends Retold, they are aiming for 1080p output in handheld mode on Switch 2, and 4K when docked.

So you're getting that handheld-to-TV upgrade approach, and it's definitely being treated as something ambitious for the hardware. That kind of dual-target setup usually means they are trying to balance portability with a higher-end living room experience without compromising gameplay responsiveness. They're also targeting 60 frames per second as the main performance goal for the version on Switch 2.

So it's clear that's the baseline expectation they're building around. Keeping a stable 60FPS is especially important for a fast-paced platformer like this, where movement timing and precision jumps matter a lot. On top of that, you're also told that the amount of visual detail in the PS5 version of Rayman Legends Retold is approximately the same as what you're going to see on Nintendo Switch 2.

That suggests a fairly optimized multi-platform approach where the Switch 2 version is not being treated as a heavily downgraded port.

Now obviously, the PS5 version of Rayman Legends Retold is still going to look a bit better just because it's running on more powerful hardware; that's just how it is. But even then, the developers are aiming to keep things very close between the two versions when it comes to overall presentation and detail level, which is not always something you see in cross-platform releases.

And all of this matters because Rayman Legends Retold is not just a simple rerelease. It is a remake of the original Rayman Legends, if you didn't know, but it has been expanded quite a bit with new content. This version now has 3D levels, and they've also worked on a bunch of new content around that idea as well, expanding on the gameplay experience past what the original offered.

These bits are meant to break the traditional 2D mold, to give a more modern and experimental feel, without losing the core platforming feel. Plus, the game features better visuals as well, with the backgrounds, character models, and overall presentation all getting an upgrade and a modernization.

Lighting effects and environmental detail have also received a refresh to bring them up to newer standards, which means a more polished overall look to the game. It's not just the visuals that get some attention here; even the audio side of Rayman Legends Retold has been worked on and improved a bit. We're refining sound effects and the overall mix so that movement and action are a little punchier and cleaner during gameplay.

From a visual standpoint, Rayman Legends Retold is significantly better than the original release.

Artistically, some people still might prefer the original style, but from a pure graphical and technical standpoint, it's definitely a step above, and it looks really solid overall. Rayman Legends was one of the great games of the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U generation, released in 2013, so it's no surprise that Rayman Legends Retold is being used to bring the series back to current platforms and hardware.

Everything you want to know about getting your hands on this game in physical form has been revealed; the price is $39.99, and it's not a standard full physical release in the traditional sense. Instead, Rayman Legends Retold is using a game key card and game key disc setup. On Nintendo Switch 2, it's a game key card, and on PlayStation 5 it's a game key disc.

You will need an internet connection to download the rest of it, even if you have the PS5 disc, meaning it's not fully contained on the disc itself. So it's likely just a small initial data package, maybe a few megabytes or so, and then once you connect online, it triggers the full download of Rayman Legends Retold. That basically means there's really not much of the game actually stored on the disc itself, which makes it feel more like a download license than a traditional physical copy.

Still, you get the Rayman Origins Enhanced Edition with it, a remaster of the original game. The bundle includes Switch 2 performance goals and comparisons to PS5 too. Plus, there are new 3D levels to enjoy. However, the physical release uses lots of digital downloads, even when discs are provided.