iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
For most newcomers who want one game, start with Resident Evil Requiem: Nintendo Japan describes it as an independent story, says it has multiple difficulty settings, and recommends it to people new to the series. If you want to follow Ethan Winters’ story in order, start with Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition, then play Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.
Which Resident Evil game should you play first on Switch 2?
Choose based on what you want from your first game, not on a requirement to complete the series in release order. Nintendo Japan’s guidance presents Resident Evil Requiem as a standalone starting point for newcomers. Its two playable characters bring different styles: Grace Ashcroft’s sections focus on horror, while Leon S. Kennedy’s focus on action. That mix gives a first-time player a way into the series without first buying earlier games. Nintendo Japan’s launch article also notes multiple difficulty settings.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - Nintendo Switch 2 | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Resident Evil Triple Pack - Nintendo Switch | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Resident Evil™ Requiem Deluxe Edition Steelbook - [Nintendo Switch 2]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41pI1d4fpDL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Resident Evil™ Requiem Deluxe Edition Steelbook - [Nintendo Switch 2] | $99.99 | Buy on Amazon |
There is a different answer if your priority is Ethan Winters’ story. Play Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition before Resident Evil Village Gold Edition: Nintendo describes Village as taking place a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7. Requiem can still be played before or after those two; Nintendo Japan says the three games can be enjoyed regardless of order. So the choice is between a standalone entry and preserving the sequence of Ethan’s two-game story, not between a required starting point and an invalid one.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Your priority | Start here | Why this fits | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|---|
| One game to try the series | Resident Evil Requiem | Nintendo Japan describes an independent story, adjustable difficulty, and recommends it for newcomers. It alternates horror-focused Grace sections and action-focused Leon sections. | Regional age rating, languages, storage size, and the Switch 2 listing. |
| Ethan Winters’ story in sequence | Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition, then Resident Evil Village Gold Edition | Resident Evil 7 is the starting point for Ethan; Village takes place a few years later. Nintendo’s Switch 2 listings are Gold Editions with additional content. | Exact edition and included content in your regional store. |
| All three games together | Resident Evil Generation Pack | The bundle contains Resident Evil 7 Gold Edition, Village Gold Edition, and Requiem, plus specified add-on content for the first two. | Whether you already own any included game or add-on, and the local bundle contents. |
This is a fit guide, not a ranking of game quality. The official material establishes story order, broad play-style distinctions, editions, and technical listing details; it does not establish that one game is universally better than another. Nintendo Australia’s Requiem listing and Nintendo Japan’s launch guidance are useful starting references, but check your own regional Nintendo store for purchasing details.
#1 Best Overall
- Amazon Exclusive - 2 sided poster included in every game!
- Grace Ashcroft, an FBI intelligence analyst who is introverted and easily scared, representing a new type of character for the Resident Evil series. Grace will experience horror from the same perspective as the player as she learns to overcome her fears throughout the course of the story.
- For the first time ever in Resident Evil history, players will be able to freely switch between both first- and third-person perspectives throughout the game.
- An Anniversary to Remember: With March 2026 marking the Resident Evil series’ 30-year anniversary, Resident Evil Requiem marks its own milestone in the franchise.
- Pre-orders for Resident Evil Requiem are now open, with the bonus of Grace’s costume: Apocalypse. Please note that the picture weapon does not come with the costume, but it can be obtained in-game.
Requiem launched for Nintendo Switch 2 on 27 February 2026, according to Nintendo Australia’s product page and Nintendo Japan’s launch article. That date can help distinguish the Switch 2 release from older Switch listings when you shop, but it does not answer whether an existing copy of another game will work on the newer system. Treat the platform and edition shown on the individual store page as the important buying detail.
Is Resident Evil Requiem a good first Resident Evil game?
Yes, if you want a current Switch 2 game that does not require you to play earlier entries first. Nintendo Japan explicitly describes its story as independent and recommends it to series newcomers. That is the clearest reason to choose it as a first game; you do not need to buy Resident Evil 7 or Village first to satisfy a stated story-order requirement.
What its two character styles mean for choosing
Requiem alternates between Grace Ashcroft’s horror-focused sections and Leon S. Kennedy’s action-focused sections. If you are attracted to the series for both tension and action, that structure is a relevant point in its favor. If you are choosing specifically to follow Ethan Winters, however, Requiem is not the first chapter in that sequence; choose Resident Evil 7 instead.
The distinction is useful if you are deciding what kind of experience you want, but it is not a promise that every section will suit every player. The official description establishes the broad contrast between Grace’s horror emphasis and Leon’s action emphasis; it does not provide a measure of how much time each character receives or how intense a particular sequence will feel. Use the character descriptions as a high-level guide, not as a detailed content forecast.
Difficulty and newcomer expectations
Nintendo Japan says Requiem has multiple difficulty settings and recommends it to people new to the series. The source does not specify the exact names or effects of those settings, so use the in-game options and descriptions rather than assuming a particular setting guarantees an easier experience. If the available options matter to your decision, check the game’s current regional listing and in-game menu rather than relying on an outdated description.
Difficulty options give newcomers a reason to consider Requiem, but the recommendation is not a guarantee that the game will be comfortable for everyone. Horror tolerance, preferred challenge, and familiarity with the series are personal factors. If you are buying for someone else, consider the local age rating and content descriptors as well as the difficulty information; difficulty settings do not change the fact that Nintendo Australia lists high-impact horror violence, blood and gore, and in-game purchases.
What “standalone” does—and does not—tell you
Here, standalone means Nintendo presents the story as playable independently and says the games can be enjoyed regardless of order. It is not a claim that the other games have no connections, nor does it mean every player will prefer the same order. If avoiding a purchase of earlier entries is your main concern, Requiem is the clearest one-game starting choice. If your main concern is Ethan’s chronology, start with Resident Evil 7.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
That distinction can simplify a first purchase. You can begin with the independently playable option and decide later whether you want more of the series, or begin with Ethan if his two-game arc is the reason you are interested. Nintendo Japan’s order guidance means you do not need to treat one route as mandatory for all three games.
Should you play Resident Evil 7 before Village?
Play Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition first if you want Ethan Winters’ story in its sequence. Nintendo’s Village store description places it a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7. Both Switch 2 games are sold as Gold Editions with additional content, so check the edition and its included material on your local store page before checkout. Nintendo Australia’s listing includes the Generation Pack contents; Nintendo Japan says Requiem, Resident Evil 7, and Village can be enjoyed regardless of which is played first.
When chronology matters more than convenience
The sequence Resident Evil 7 → Village is the practical choice when you want the events involving Ethan in the intended timeline order. You can add Requiem afterward or play it first; the official guidance does not require it to come before or after either Ethan game.
When you want to begin with just one game
If you do not yet know whether you want to follow Ethan’s two-game arc, you do not need to buy both up front. Choose Requiem for the explicitly recommended independent entry, or choose Resident Evil 7 if your interest is specifically in starting Ethan’s story. The available official information does not establish which is less frightening, shorter, or better for every newcomer, so make that choice using the stated story and style distinctions rather than an unsupported promise about experience.
Rank #2
- Play anywhere: play Resident Evil Triple Pack on the go using the Nintendo Switch system's handheld or at home in tabletop mode.
- Two-player local and online co-op: experience Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 locally or online with a friend.
- Game enhancements: includes a variety of game improvements for both Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6.
- Includes map packs, special costumes, plus the game modes from Resident Evil 4, 5, and 6.
For a gradual approach, buying Resident Evil 7 first leaves the decision to continue with Village until after you have started Ethan’s story. If you already know you want both games, compare the cost of the two separate regional listings with the Generation Pack, but do not assume the bundle is automatically cheaper. Prices and bundle economics were not established by the cited Nintendo pages, and the account-specific checkout total is the figure that matters.
What is in the Resident Evil Generation Pack?
Nintendo Australia lists the Generation Pack as containing Resident Evil 7 Gold Edition, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition, and Resident Evil Requiem, along with specified add-on content for the first two games. That makes it the straightforward bundle to investigate if you want all three. The listing establishes its scope, but the exact add-on items and bundle availability can be region-specific; review the current listing where you intend to buy. Nintendo Australia’s store page is the cited source for these bundle contents.
Check for duplicate purchases
Before choosing the bundle, compare its contents against the games and add-ons already attached to your Nintendo account. If you own one of the included games or add-on content, buying a pack that includes it may mean paying for something you already have. The cited listing does not establish how a particular regional store handles partial ownership or bundle pricing, so do not assume an automatic discount: inspect the checkout details for your account and territory.
Choose separate games when you want to commit gradually
Buying only Requiem keeps the initial choice to one independent entry. Buying Resident Evil 7 first lets you decide whether to continue with Village after starting Ethan’s story. The sources provide no comparable current prices, so there is no evidence-based price threshold at which the pack is necessarily better value. Compare the current regional totals and included content rather than assuming a bundle always costs less.
Gold Edition is the edition name shown for the two Ethan games on the Switch 2 listings described here. It is a useful detail to verify because edition names and included extras matter when comparing an individual game against the pack. The listing confirms additional content for the Gold Editions and specified add-on content in the pack, but the available product information does not enumerate every bonus item in every region. Read the local store’s itemized description before deciding that a bundle includes a particular extra you want.
Switch 2 details to check before downloading
The exact technical and age-rating details can vary by regional store listing. Nintendo Australia’s page identifies Requiem as a Nintendo Switch 2 game with TV, tabletop, and handheld play, one local player, 12 supported languages, and a listed file size of 28.5 GB. Nintendo Brazil’s store listing reports 28.7 GB, so the Australian figure should not be treated as a global download requirement. Use your own store page for the size and other purchase requirements. Nintendo Australia product specifications.
Languages, play modes, and storage
The 12 languages listed on Nintendo Australia’s Requiem page are Japanese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, English, and Polish. This is the listing for that region; check your local page for the options available to you. The same Australian listing supports TV, tabletop, and handheld modes and lists one local player. If you plan to download the game, compare the regional file size with available system storage before purchase; Nintendo’s Australia figure is 28.5 GB, while Brazil’s listing reports 28.7 GB.
For practical planning, treat those numbers as store-reported file sizes, not a universal promise about the amount of free space your console will need at every point. Your own regional listing is the right place to check the download requirement before you buy. The sourced specifications establish one local player; they do not indicate local multiplayer as a reason to choose Requiem.
Age rating and content notices
Nintendo Australia lists high-impact horror violence, blood and gore, and in-game purchases for Requiem. Ratings and content descriptors differ across jurisdictions, so use the classification and notices shown by your regional store rather than applying the Australian listing to another country. If you are buying for someone else, check those local notices before making the purchase.
Day-one update information
Nintendo Japan’s launch article, dated 27 February 2026, reports a Requiem Day 1 patch as version 1.1.0 and instructs players to apply it. That is a launch-time update note, not a claim about the latest version in October 2026. Check the game’s update screen for the current version and apply any available update; do not assume 1.1.0 remains current. Nintendo Japan’s dated launch article.
Optional themed hardware
Nintendo Japan also notes a themed Requiem Pro Controller edition. Treat it as an optional accessory, not a requirement to play the game: the cited listing does not establish that special hardware is necessary. If you like themed controllers, check your regional availability and current price separately; no stock or pricing is established here. The controller should not affect the choice between Requiem, the Ethan sequence, or the Generation Pack.
Rank #3
- Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth title in the Resident Evil main series. Prepare to escape death in this breathtaking experience that will shake you to the core.
- A new era of survival horror begins in 2026. Technological advancement combined with the vast experience of the development team in combining stories with finely crafted characters and gameplay ensure a more immersive experience than ever before.
- Experience the classic survival horror of the series through combat, investigation, puzzles, and resource management. The gameplay allows you to freely switch between first-person and third-person perspectives and experience the horror from the angle that best suits your playing style.
- It all begins when a corpse--the victim of an unknown disease--is found in an abandoned hotel. Grace Ashcroft, crime analyst at the FBI, is commissioned with the investigation. But the location of the corpse is exactly the place where her mother died eight years ago.
- Nervous of being confronted with her past, Grace sets out for the hotel. As it turns out, the case is linked to the truth behind the misfortune of Raccoon City, the biological catastophile that once shocked the world. Is this chapter finally drawn a final line?
Can you play older Nintendo Switch Resident Evil games on Switch 2?
Nintendo says Switch 2 can play compatible Nintendo Switch games, but some titles may not be supported or fully compatible. Its general compatibility guidance does not establish a result for every Resident Evil edition. If you already own an older Switch copy, verify that specific title and edition against Nintendo’s current compatibility information before relying on it. If you are shopping specifically for a Switch 2 version, select the Switch 2 store listing rather than assuming an older Switch purchase is equivalent. Nintendo Support’s Switch games on Switch 2 guidance.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallA quick compatibility check
- Identify the exact game and edition you own, not just the series name.
- Check that title against Nintendo’s current Switch 2 compatibility information at Nintendo Support.
- If the listing does not establish compatibility for your exact edition, do not treat the general statement that Switch 2 plays compatible Switch games as confirmation.
- When buying a game for Switch 2, verify the platform on the regional store product page and confirm its edition and included content.
This check is especially relevant if your plan is to start with a copy you already own rather than purchase a Switch 2 product listing. The general system guidance is not a title-by-title compatibility guarantee, and the cited material does not establish a compatibility result for every Resident Evil edition. Confirm first rather than making a purchase decision on the assumption that every older copy behaves identically.
A simple decision path
Use these questions in order. Each answer points to a choice supported by Nintendo’s descriptions rather than an assumed series-wide rule.
- Do you want one game that Nintendo recommends to newcomers? Choose Resident Evil Requiem; Nintendo Japan describes its story as independent and notes adjustable difficulty.
- Is your priority Ethan Winters’ story? Start with Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition, then play Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.
- Do you want all three games in one purchase? Review the Resident Evil Generation Pack, checking its local contents and whether you already own any included game or add-on.
- Are you planning to use an older Switch copy? Confirm compatibility for that exact title and edition using Nintendo’s current support information.
- Are storage, language, or age-rating details decisive? Check the regional store listing. The Australian Requiem specifications are not guaranteed to match every territory.
There is no need to buy every entry simply to begin. For a single first purchase, Requiem is the clearest newcomer option; for Ethan’s chronology, the order is Resident Evil 7 followed by Village. The Generation Pack is the all-three option, subject to checking regional contents and duplicates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Resident Evil game should I play first on Switch 2?
For most newcomers choosing one game, start with Resident Evil Requiem. Nintendo Japan describes its story as independent, notes multiple difficulty settings, and recommends it to people new to the series. If you specifically want Ethan Winters’ story in order, start with Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition, then play Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIs Resident Evil Requiem a good first Resident Evil game?
Yes, if you want a standalone entry. Nintendo Japan presents Requiem as independently playable and suitable for newcomers. Its Grace sections focus on horror and its Leon sections on action; it is not the opening game in Ethan Winters’ story.
Should I play Resident Evil 7 before Village?
Yes, if you want Ethan’s story in sequence. Nintendo describes Village as taking place a few years after Resident Evil 7. Nintendo Japan says Requiem, Resident Evil 7, and Village can otherwise be enjoyed regardless of order.
Can I play older Nintendo Switch Resident Evil games on Switch 2?
Nintendo says Switch 2 can play compatible Switch games, but some titles may not be supported or fully compatible. Its general guidance does not confirm compatibility for every Resident Evil edition, so check Nintendo’s current compatibility information for the exact game and edition you own.
What is included in the Resident Evil Generation Pack?
Nintendo Australia lists Resident Evil 7 Gold Edition, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition, and Resident Evil Requiem, plus specified add-on content for the first two. Check the current listing in your region for exact contents, availability, and any duplicate games or add-ons already on your account.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
How much storage does Resident Evil Requiem need on Switch 2?
Nintendo Australia lists a 28.5 GB file size; Nintendo Brazil lists 28.7 GB. Those are regional listing figures, so use your local Nintendo store page for the size that applies to your purchase.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Choose Resident Evil Requiem for a newcomer-friendly standalone starting point; choose Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition followed by Resident Evil Village Gold Edition to follow Ethan Winters’ story. Consider the Generation Pack if you want all three, but check regional contents, your existing ownership, and the local store’s price before buying. For an older Switch copy, verify compatibility for that exact edition.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
