Fantasy Life i will be "enhanced" as a Switch 2 launch title, and unlike Nintendo's $10 Zelda editions, the life sim RPG only costs $2.59 extra to upgrade

After a few delays, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time released last week to much fanfare, and developer/publisher Level-5 quickly followed up on that success with the announcement of some free DLC.

Now, the life sim RPG's W streak continues with the reveal that it'll be optimized and released on Switch 2 as one of the upcoming console's launch titles — and best of all, the upgrade only costs $2.59.

Compare that to the Switch 2-optimized versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which cost players who own the original versions $10. It's nice to see a gradient of cheaper options in this era of new-gen upgrades.

"Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is scheduled to launch on June 5, the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2 console release," reads a news release from Level-5. "This enhanced version takes full advantage of the hardware’s capabilities, offering significant improvements."

Although Level-5 refers to the Switch 2 version as an "upgrade pack," there doesn't appear to be any actual new content. Level-5 lists the differences as including "reduced load times," "faster game launches," "more beautiful" visuals and smoother animations, and better frame rates.

Here's a couple of comparison shots showing some noticeably increased clarity in the Switch 2 version:

For the uninitiated, The Girl Who Steals Time is the first fully fledged entry in the Fantasy Life series since the 2012 3DS game. The game blends cozy game staples like fishing, farming, home deco, and island terraforming with Zelda-like dungeons, combat, open-world exploration, and RPG mechanics.

The result is an incredibly content-rich package that seems to have something for everyone, and I've already seen it mentioned in GOTY conversations right alongside Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

For everything on its way to Nintendo's shiny new machine, do check out our guide to upcoming Switch 2 games.