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If you own Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, start with Performance Option when responsive scrolling and camera movement matter most. Paradox Interactive says it targets 60 FPS by using upscaling and adjusted quality settings. Choose Quality Option if visual fidelity is more important; its published target is 30 FPS. Those are targets, not guarantees.
First check which game you installed. The older Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition is a separate backward-compatible release and does not gain Expanded Edition’s graphics toggle. The guidance below applies to Expanded Edition unless a section says otherwise.
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| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Option | Smoother camera movement and interaction | 60 FPS target using upscaling and adjusted quality settings | TV, tabletop and handheld | Oct 2026 |
| Quality Option | Visual fidelity over motion smoothness | 30 FPS target with fidelity prioritized | TV, tabletop and handheld | Oct 2026 |
The table describes Expanded Edition only. The original Switch Edition is a different product with different documented behavior on Switch 2, so its inclusion in a search result does not mean these options are available there.
Which Cities: Skylines edition is on your Switch 2?
Nintendo lists two different products: the original Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition, which runs through backward compatibility, and the native Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition, launched for Switch 2 on October 28, 2026. They are not an automatic upgrade path from one another.
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Original Nintendo Switch Edition
Nintendo describes the older edition’s behavior on Switch 2 as consistent with Nintendo Switch. It includes the After Dark and Snowfall expansions, but it does not have Expanded Edition’s Performance Option and Quality Option. Do not look for a 60-FPS/30-FPS selector in this version.
Expanded Edition
Expanded Edition is the release with the Switch 2-specific graphics choice. It also raises the buildable area from the original nine-tile limit to 25 tiles, adds a map editor and environmental controls, and includes ten DLC expansions and content packs. Those additions increase the scope of what a city can contain; they do not turn the two graphics options into separate content editions.
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| Question | Original Switch Edition | Expanded Edition |
|---|---|---|
| How it runs on Switch 2 | Backward-compatible behavior described as consistent with Nintendo Switch | Native Switch 2 release |
| Graphics choices documented here | No Expanded Edition Performance/Quality selector | Performance and Quality options |
| Buildable area | Original nine-tile limit | 25 buildable tiles |
| Included content cited by the listings | After Dark and Snowfall | Ten expansions and content packs |
| Product format listed by Nintendo | Digital | Digital |
This distinction explains why a guide or video can appear to contradict your menu. It may be describing the other edition rather than a different software update.
What is the difference between Performance Option and Quality Option?
The official distinction is straightforward: Performance Option trades some image-quality processing for a higher frame-rate target, while Quality Option gives visual fidelity priority at a lower target. Paradox’s October 2026 descriptions do not publish a mode-specific resolution.
Performance Option: the sensible default for most city builders
Performance Option targets 60 FPS through upscaling and adjusted quality settings, according to Paradox Interactive. A higher target is most useful when you frequently pan across a city, rotate the camera, follow traffic or place buildings while the simulation is running. The mode is not a promise that every city will hold 60 FPS under every workload; no official large-city minimum or stability series has been published.
Quality Option: choose fidelity deliberately
Quality Option targets 30 FPS and prioritizes visual fidelity. It is the better fit if you would rather preserve the game’s image treatment than maximize motion smoothness, especially when you spend more time inspecting districts, screenshots or detailed architecture than rapidly navigating the map.
What the official descriptions do not establish
- There is no official numerical output resolution for either option.
- There is no published per-mode benchmark for a small town, a large city or a specific DLC combination.
- There is no claim that either target is locked or guaranteed.
- There is no documented list of PC-style controls for shadows, anti-aliasing, texture quality or field of view.
That means a specification such as “4K Quality” or “1080p Performance” would be an invention, not a documented Switch 2 setting.
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Which mode should you choose for your play style?
Use the following decision rule: choose Performance first if responsiveness is your priority; move to Quality only when the visual trade-off is more important to you than the 30-FPS target.
Pick Performance when interaction is the priority
- You spend most of a session panning, rotating and zooming around a growing city.
- You monitor traffic, transit lines or service coverage and want camera movement to feel as fluid as possible.
- You are playing handheld and prefer a smoother-feeling interface over a theoretical increase in image detail.
- You are starting a new city and want the higher published target before the simulation becomes more demanding.
Pick Quality when visual detail is the priority
- You mainly inspect neighborhoods, landmarks and road layouts at a slower pace.
- You prefer fidelity to motion smoothness and accept the 30-FPS target.
- You are taking screenshots or presenting a city where image treatment matters more than rapid camera movement.
When neither mode solves a slowdown
A target frame rate is not a guarantee of simulation speed. If a very large or complex city feels slow, changing the console’s TV output setting is not documented as a fix, and Nintendo and Paradox have not published a mode-by-mode performance floor. Treat the selector as the available graphics trade-off, not as a promise that every simulation workload will behave identically.
How do you set the graphics option without guessing at a menu path?
Paradox and Nintendo describe the two options but do not publish an exact sequence of menu buttons. Use the in-game graphics or display screen that presents the Performance Option and Quality Option, and confirm the selected label before returning to your city.
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- Open the game’s settings area and locate the graphics or display choice that names Performance Option and Quality Option. The official product descriptions do not specify the exact menu path, so do not rely on instructions written for another version of the game.
- Select Performance Option for the 60-FPS target or Quality Option for the 30-FPS target.
- Apply the change if the game presents an apply or confirmation control, then return to the city.
- Evaluate the choice during your normal activity—camera movement, traffic monitoring and district inspection—rather than assuming that the target is a guaranteed measurement.
If the two labels are absent, recheck the edition and software listing before troubleshooting the console. The original Switch Edition is supported on Switch 2 but is not the release with this graphics toggle.
Do TV, tabletop and handheld play have different graphics guarantees?
All three play configurations are supported, but the published material does not provide separate frame-rate guarantees or separate graphics presets for TV, tabletop and handheld use. They are play modes, not three documented performance profiles.
Handheld use
Jordan Biordi’s October 26, 2026 CGMagazine review reported little apparent image-quality difference between the two options in handheld play and favored the smoother Performance experience. That is one reviewer’s observation, not a universal benchmark or a guarantee for every display, city or viewing distance.
TV and tabletop use
Docking or changing a television’s output setting is not documented as a way to raise the game’s frame-rate target or prevent simulation slowdowns. Choose the graphics option according to the motion-versus-fidelity trade-off you want, regardless of whether the console is docked or used on a tabletop.
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Can keyboard and mouse input improve performance?
No. Keyboard and mouse support changes how you control the game; it is not a graphics setting and does not raise the frame-rate target. Nintendo’s US Expanded Edition listing reproduces this Paradox Interactive description: “Build with keyboard and mouse input alongside traditional controller configurations.”
A compatible USB keyboard and mouse can therefore make planning roads, zoning and menus more comfortable for players who prefer desktop-style controls. The published material does not verify a particular model, USB-port arrangement or handheld setup, so buy peripherals for input preference rather than expected performance gains.
What Expanded Edition changes beyond graphics?
The graphics selector is only one part of the Switch 2 release. Expanded Edition is designed for larger and more flexible cities than the original Switch version.
- 25 buildable tiles: Paradox lists 25 tiles, compared with the original nine-tile limit.
- Map editor: You can create or modify maps rather than relying only on the supplied environments.
- Environmental controls: The edition adds control over environmental conditions listed by the publisher.
- Ten included DLC items: Paradox says ten expansions and content packs are included.
These are content and scope features, not hidden graphics presets. A larger build area may let you create a more extensive city, but the official descriptions do not provide a frame-rate result for a city using all 25 tiles or all included content.
Why the larger scope matters to settings decisions
Expanded Edition’s 25-tile limit and ten included content items can change how ambitious a city becomes, but they do not alter the published definitions of the two options. Performance remains the mode with the 60-FPS target and upscaling; Quality remains the mode with the 30-FPS target and fidelity priority. Do not infer a guaranteed frame rate from the tile count, and do not assume that owning more included content requires Quality Option.
What performance problems can you actually diagnose?
Start by separating an edition mismatch from a graphics-mode choice. The following checks use only distinctions documented for the Switch 2 releases.
If the graphics options are missing
- Check the product name on the title or software-information screen.
- If it says Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition, you have the backward-compatible release; its settings should not be expected to match Expanded Edition.
- If you intended to buy Expanded Edition, verify the Nintendo listing and your purchase history rather than assuming the old edition upgraded automatically.
If motion feels less smooth than expected
- Confirm that Expanded Edition is set to Performance Option.
- Test the same activity after loading the city again, because a single camera movement does not establish a frame-rate result.
- Compare behavior in TV, tabletop or handheld play only as a change of context; no official source promises a different target for one configuration.
- Do not describe the result as a failed 60-FPS guarantee unless a published measurement supports that claim. Paradox provides a target, not a locked-rate specification.
If the image looks softer
Upscaling and adjusted quality settings are part of Performance Option’s published design. If you prefer a fidelity-first presentation, select Quality Option and accept its 30-FPS target. No official resolution numbers are available to turn softness into a precise pixel comparison.
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If a peripheral is not working
Treat keyboard-and-mouse behavior as an input-compatibility issue, not a frame-rate issue. The listing confirms support for keyboard and mouse alongside controllers but does not specify every peripheral, port arrangement or handheld configuration.
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing the editions: the old game being playable on Switch 2 does not make it the native Expanded Edition.
- Calling a target a lock: 60 FPS and 30 FPS are published targets, not guaranteed minimums.
- Inventing a resolution: neither official description gives a numerical output resolution by option.
- Expecting PC sliders: shadows, anti-aliasing, texture and field-of-view controls are not documented as Switch 2 choices.
- Blaming the display mode: no source says docked, tabletop or handheld use has a higher target or fixes simulation slowdowns.
- Buying peripherals as an upgrade: keyboard and mouse support affects control comfort, not rendering performance.
What should you know before buying the Switch 2 edition?
Nintendo lists both editions as digital products. Do not assume that a physical Expanded Edition game card exists based on listings for the older release.
Expanded Edition is listed at 6 GB, while the original Switch Edition listing shows 2.2 GB on Switch 2. Those are store listing file sizes, not measurements of frame rate, visual quality or required storage performance.
Paradox Interactive announced a suggested US retail price of $49 for Expanded Edition and a 10% launch discount through November 10, 2026. The US Nintendo listing showed a sale end of November 11, 2026, at 07:59 UTC. Those are differently expressed dates, so check the live store for the checkout price and local end time instead of treating either date as a universal deadline.
Eligible existing Switch owners were offered a 70% loyalty discount from October 28, 2026 through April 28, 2027, according to Paradox. Eligibility is limited; confirm that the account and edition qualify before relying on the discount. The discount is a purchase condition, not a graphics or performance feature.
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How were these recommendations ranked?
The ranking follows the publisher’s stated targets and the practical decision the settings are designed to support:
- Performance Option first: it has the higher 60-FPS target and is the starting point when responsive motion matters.
- Quality Option second: it prioritizes visual fidelity and targets 30 FPS for players who accept slower motion.
The comparison does not rank undocumented resolutions, unverified large-city benchmarks or console display tweaks. TV, tabletop and handheld support is listed separately because Nintendo and Paradox do not define them as distinct graphics presets.
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A simple setup checklist
- Identify the installed edition before changing any setting.
- Choose Performance Option for camera responsiveness and the 60-FPS target.
- Choose Quality Option only when fidelity is your deliberate priority and the 30-FPS target is acceptable.
- Try the selected mode during the type of play you actually do, such as traffic checks, district inspection or road construction.
- Keep expectations realistic in very large simulations because no official minimum frame rate or stability chart has been published.
- Use keyboard and mouse only if its control layout suits you; it cannot compensate for simulation slowdowns.
What is the bottom line for Switch 2 players?
Install the correct edition first. For Expanded Edition, select Performance Option unless you have a clear reason to favor fidelity; it is the only option with the publisher’s 60-FPS target. Select Quality Option when a fidelity-first presentation is worth its 30-FPS target. For the original Switch Edition, expect backward-compatible behavior rather than Expanded Edition’s graphics toggle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition available as a physical Switch 2 cartridge?
Nintendo’s US listings identify both the original Switch Edition and Expanded Edition as digital products. A physical listing for the older game should not be treated as evidence of a physical Expanded Edition release.
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Does the 70% loyalty discount apply automatically to every Switch owner?
No. Paradox announced the discount for eligible existing Switch owners from October 28, 2026 through April 28, 2027. Eligibility and the final checkout amount should be confirmed in the live Nintendo store.
Will changing from docked to handheld guarantee better frame rates?
No published source assigns a different frame-rate target to TV, tabletop or handheld play. These are supported play configurations, not documented performance presets.
What should I do if a guide tells me to change shadow or anti-aliasing sliders?
Those PC-style controls are not documented for the Switch 2 editions in the official descriptions. Use the named Performance Option or Quality Option instead of assuming that instructions for another platform apply.
Why are there no 4K, 1080p or exact resolution figures in the comparison?
Paradox and Nintendo describe upscaling, adjusted quality settings and fidelity priority, but they do not publish a numerical output resolution for either option. A precise pixel figure would therefore be unsupported.
Does Expanded Edition’s 25-tile limit guarantee smooth performance in a huge city?
No. Twenty-five buildable tiles is a scope specification, not a frame-rate benchmark. No official large-city minimum or stability series is provided.
Are TV, tabletop and handheld separate graphics presets?
No. Nintendo lists all three as supported play configurations, but neither Nintendo nor Paradox documents a separate preset or target for each one.
Can a USB keyboard and mouse raise the frame-rate target?
No. The publisher description confirms keyboard-and-mouse input alongside controller configurations, but the peripheral changes controls rather than rendering or simulation performance.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: On the native Switch 2 Expanded Edition, start with Performance Option for its 60-FPS target and switch to Quality Option only when visual fidelity matters more than motion smoothness. Verify the edition first: the older Nintendo Switch Edition is backward-compatible and does not receive this graphics toggle.
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