Highly-Rated Switch 2 Exclusive Is Free To Try Right Now

In standard Nintendo fashion, the Nintendo Switch 2 has started to build up a strong library of exclusives. While the system is still waiting for a big new Mario platformer or Zelda adventure, its first year of releases hasn’t been slow, with games ranging from Mario Kart World to the cozy Pokémon spin-off Pokémon Pokopia.

That being said, Nintendo games are notorious for rarely going on sale, and there isn’t often a way to try any out before investing at full retail price. Luckily, one of the most recent hits is now free to try for anyone with the system.

A free demo for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book can now be downloaded on Nintendo Switch 2 systems, as announced on Nintendo of America‘s official X account earlier this week. The newest installment in a lineage of games that started with Yoshi’s Island, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a side-scrolling platformer featuring the stylized art that the series is known for.

Yoshi games have strong reviews more often than not, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book lands among the most critically praised installments. ScreenRant‘s review of the game praised its visual style and cozy feel, although its relatively simple and familiar nature didn’t blow us away.

In a way, that makes Yoshi and the Mysterious Book the perfect game for a demo. Even a small slice of the game can be enough to tell if it has the depth necessary to keep you invested, and there’s nothing to lose by spending a bit of time appreciating its gorgeous levels.

Hopefully, we’ll start to see demos for more Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, as most first-party demos available on the eShop focus on games released on the original Switch. I doubt Nintendo will be letting fans try out Mario Kart World for free any time soon, but it could be a nice way to hook players into upcoming titles like Splatoon Raiders and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave.

At any rate, the free demo of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is another item of “well, that’s nice” news from Nintendo, which has been enjoying a low-key PR cycle while PlayStation makes headlines by ending physical game production and Xbox lays off thousands of employees. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows — price increases are coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 as well, naturally — but all things considered, it could be so much worse.

Released

May 21, 2026

ESRB

Everyone / Mild Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Prequel(s)

Yoshi’s Crafted World