After seven years of development, countless memes, and more than 1,600 days of “no news today” updates, Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch has finally graced our handheld consoles. Team Cherry’s highly anticipated sequel launched on September 4, 2025, bringing Hornet’s adventure to both Nintendo Switch and the newer Switch 2. What started as planned DLC for the original game evolved into a full-fledged sequel that promises to exceed its predecessor in every way.
The question isn’t whether Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch lives up to the hype – it’s whether your handheld gaming setup can handle the silk-spinning, needle-wielding action that awaits.
A New Tale in Pharloom’s Kingdom
Moving away from Hallownest’s familiar darkness, Hollow Knight: Silksong transports players to Pharloom, a kingdom ruled by silk and song. You control Hornet, the agile princess from the original game, who finds herself captured and transported to this mysterious new land. Unlike the Knight’s silent journey, Hornet’s adventure feels more personal and urgent.
The narrative structure introduces a quest system – a first for the series. This addition encourages exploration while providing clearer direction than the original’s sometimes cryptic progression. Playing Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch in handheld mode perfectly complements the intimate storytelling, making Hornet’s journey feel personal and immediate.
Pharloom’s atmosphere strikes a balance between the melancholic beauty of Hallownest and something altogether more vibrant, featuring mossy grottos, gilded cities, and misted moors leading to a shining citadel.
Christopher Larkin returns with an orchestral score that expands beyond the original’s haunting melodies. The music perfectly complements Hornet’s acrobatic movement style, with dynamic tracks that shift between exploration, combat, and boss encounters.
Hornet’s Acrobatic Combat Revolution
The gameplay transformation from Knight to Hornet is immediately apparent. In contrast, where the Knight felt grounded and methodical, Hornet moves like a gymnast crossed with a deadly hunter. Meanwhile, her needle-based combat system offers completely different mechanics from the nail-wielding original.
Hornet’s mobility is the star of the show. She leaps higher, moves faster, and can traverse vertically with impressive speed – addressing one of the few criticisms of the original game’s movement. The combat feels more fluid and acrobatic, with Hornet dancing between enemies rather than trading blows.
The crafting system adds another layer of depth. Players can create tools, traps, and mechanisms to tackle challenges creatively. Additionally, this system integrates naturally with exploration, rewarding thorough investigation of Pharloom’s interconnected world.
With over 200 new enemies and bosses, combat variety never feels stale. Furthermore, each encounter requires different strategies, and Hornet’s expanded moveset provides multiple approaches to every situation.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch Performance Across Generations
Here’s where handheld gaming enthusiasts need to pay attention. Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch performance varies significantly between console generations, though both offer excellent portable experiences.
The standard Switch runs Silksong at a stable 60fps in both handheld and docked modes. Loading times are reasonable for the hardware, and the game maintains consistent performance during intense boss battles, with only minor frame drops during the most chaotic encounters. Battery life matches expectations for demanding indie titles on the original hardware.
The Switch 2 version showcases the new console’s capabilities impressively. Running at 60fps as standard with an optional 120fps TV mode when docked, the enhanced framerate makes Hornet’s acrobatic movement feel incredibly smooth. Loading times are significantly faster, nearly cutting wait times in half between areas.
The improved Joy-Con 2 controllers offer better responsiveness for Hornet’s precise aerial maneuvers. The enhanced haptic feedback adds subtle tactile elements during needle strikes and environmental interactions. Battery life shows improvements despite the enhanced performance, showcasing the Switch 2’s efficiency improvements.
Team Cherry includes a free upgrade path from Switch to Switch 2 versions. Moreover, the process is seamless – purchase once, play on both systems with shared save data through cloud saves. This approach respects early adopters while encouraging Switch 2 adoption. The upgrade maintains full backward compatibility, so Switch players aren’t left behind while Switch 2 owners get meaningful enhancements.
Content and Exploration Depth
Silksong’s world design philosophy differs from the original. While maintaining the interconnected Metroidvania structure, the quest system provides clearer objectives without sacrificing exploration freedom. The map feels roughly equivalent in size to Hallownest, but denser with content.
Team Cherry confirmed additional save points compared to the original, reducing frustration from repeated boss attempts. This change makes the experience more accessible while maintaining the series’ challenging reputation.
Boss encounters showcase creative design and memorable mechanics. Each major fight feels unique, requiring players to master Hornet’s full moveset. The learning curve feels perfectly balanced – challenging enough to satisfy series veterans while remaining approachable for newcomers.
Why Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch Delivers Handheld Excellence
Both Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch versions excel as handheld experiences. The hand-drawn art style scales beautifully on the Switch’s 6.2-inch screen, with every animation frame displaying crisp detail. UI elements remain perfectly readable during portable play, making this the definitive way to experience Hornet’s adventure.
Touch screen support isn’t implemented, keeping controls focused on traditional inputs. This decision maintains consistent gameplay across docked and handheld modes.
Audio design shines through handheld speakers, though headphones reveal additional environmental detail layers. The spatial audio helps with navigation in Pharloom’s more complex areas.
Value Proposition and Final Verdict
At $19.99, Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch delivers exceptional value. The price point – only $5 more than the original – feels almost generous considering the expanded scope and seven-year development cycle.
For handheld gaming enthusiasts, this represents essential portable gaming. Whether you’re playing on original Switch or upgrading to Switch 2, Silksong provides dozens of hours of premium Metroidvania content.
Switch owners get a fantastic experience that rivals any indie title on the platform. Switch 2 owners receive a technical showcase that demonstrates their new console’s capabilities while enjoying smoother gameplay.
Team Cherry has delivered a worthy successor that honors the original while pushing the series forward. The seven-year wait wasn’t just worth it – it was necessary to create something this polished.
For more exceptional portable gaming experiences, check out our curated list of best handheld games that showcase why handheld gaming has never been better.
| Hollow Knight: Silksong (Nintendo Switch) | |
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| Overall Score | 9.5/10 |
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| Bottom Line | Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch represents the pinnacle of handheld Metroidvania gaming. Team Cherry has delivered a worthy successor that honors the original while pushing the series forward with enhanced mobility, refined combat, and exceptional technical performance across both Switch generations. The seven-year wait was worth every moment. |
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