Inti Creates is bundling Luminous Avenger iX and its sequel into a director’s cut style package for Switch and Switch 2, complete with all DLC, a new Endless Battle mode, balance tweaks, and 4K/120 fps options on Nintendo’s next system.
Inti Creates is giving its slick Gunvolt spin‑off line a proper victory lap. Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 1+2 Dual Collection has been announced for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, arriving July 9, 2026 as a self‑described director’s cut of Copen’s two high‑octane 2D action outings.
For anyone who has watched the Azure Striker Gunvolt series from the sidelines, this bundle quietly looks like the best on‑ramp the franchise has ever had.
A director’s cut for Copen’s saga
The Dual Collection pulls together both entries in the Luminous Avenger sub‑series:
Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX from 2019 is a tightly paced, stage‑based action game starring Copen, the rival anti‑hero from the main Gunvolt titles. Its pitch is simple but powerful. You dash into enemies to tag them, then let auto‑aimed shots shred entire rooms while you weave through bullets with air dashes and wall kicks. It is Inti Creates doubling down on pure movement and score‑chasing flow.
Luminous Avenger iX 2, released in 2022, reworks that foundation with a more aggressive kit. Copen’s new Break‑Shift form and powered up Razor Wheel push you to stay in the enemy’s face, shredding armor to trigger big payoffs. It is still built on Mega Man style stage selection and boss powers, but with a combat rhythm closer to a character action game.
Both of these games are included in full, complete with every DLC pack that trickled out post‑launch. Extra story episodes, bonus bosses, songs and challenge content are baked into the package, so there is no nickel‑and‑diming or storefront browsing. Buy the Dual Collection and you are caught up on Copen’s entire saga in one shot.
What’s actually new in the Dual Collection
Inti Creates is not just wrapping the existing releases in a new box. The 1+2 Dual Collection adds meaningful new systems and tuning that go beyond a simple compilation.
The big headline addition is Endless Battle mode, which has been built into both games. This is a configurable, never‑ending gauntlet that pits you against a stream of randomly selected bosses under conditions you set beforehand. In practice it functions like a hybrid between a boss rush and a roguelike ladder. You test how long you can keep your combo and health alive as the game throws familiar encounters at you in unfamiliar sequences.
Because Endless Battle sits outside the story campaigns, it gives veterans a reason to return and dig into the very specific movement and lock‑on tech that makes Copen so satisfying. For new players, it is a clean space to practice dashes, tags and special skills without replaying full stages.
The collection also comes with broad balance adjustments across both titles. Inti describes these as changes that make the action sharper while also more accessible. In practical terms that likely means tightening up damage values, smoothing out difficulty spikes and giving newer players a clearer runway to reach the series’ stylish, no‑hit ideal without feeling punished for experimentation.
On the first game’s side, Copen’s Darkness Trigger berserk mode has been powered up, making its high‑risk, high‑reward burst windows more impactful. In Luminous Avenger iX 2, there is an entirely new Spike Smash system layered onto the Razor Wheel, letting advanced players squeeze out more damage and combo extensions if they commit to close‑range play.
Put together, the Dual Collection is as much a rebalancing pass as it is a bundle, addressing feedback from the original releases and packaging that work in a way that will define how most players experience these games going forward.
Switch 2’s 4K and 120 fps split
On current Switch hardware, the Dual Collection is essentially a definitive edition of the games as you remember them, with all DLC and the new mode and balance tweaks added. The interesting twist is what Nintendo’s next system brings to the table.
The Switch 2 version of Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 1+2 Dual Collection supports two distinct modes. A high‑resolution option targets 4K output, pushing Inti Creates’ crisp sprite art, sharp UI and luminous effects as far as Nintendo hardware has ever taken them. Character outlines and particle trails were already a highlight on Switch. In 4K, there is room for cleaner edges, more legible projectiles and backgrounds that pop on modern TVs.
The second option prioritizes performance with a 120 fps mode. For a series defined by constant dashing, air‑stepping and tight collision windows, that higher refresh rate translates directly into feel. Copen’s bullet dashes should read more immediately, invincibility windows become clearer and the visual feedback you rely on to thread through enemy patterns arrives more often each second.
On paper this is overkill for simple platforming. In practice, games that revolve around snap decisions and aerial course corrections are some of the biggest beneficiaries of higher frame rates. Even if you are not a frame data obsessive, the smoother motion tends to reduce input frustration and make mistakes feel more like your own instead of the game’s.
Because the Switch 2 edition lets you swap freely between the 4K and 120 fps modes, players can decide whether they want ultimate clarity for enjoying the artwork and cutscenes or ultra‑responsive action during Endless Battle sessions. Either way, it is a rare example of a 2D action game treating next‑gen options the way big 3D releases do.
Why this is the best entry point for Gunvolt newcomers
For newcomers eyeing the Gunvolt universe from a distance, the Dual Collection does several things right as an introduction.
First, it isolates and focuses on the most approachable slice of the series. Where mainline Azure Striker Gunvolt entries juggle multiple playable characters, story routes and layered systems, Luminous Avenger iX is almost ascetic in how it hands you one character and asks you to master his moveset. That gives the games a clear learning curve, closer in spirit to the best Mega Man X titles or Zero.
Second, having both games and all DLC in one purchase reduces decision fatigue. You do not need to wonder whether to start with iX 1 or 2, or whether some optional boss or song pack is important. You play them in order, watch Copen’s kit grow more complex from game to game, and know you are seeing the complete version of each.
Third, the added Endless Battle and balance passes serve as a built‑in training and mastery track. You clear a story stage, then dip into Endless Battle to practice dodges and aggression under pressure. Because the mode can be customized and runs indefinitely, it effectively becomes the place where new players can slowly close the gap between simply surviving and actually chasing no‑hit runs and style.
Finally, the Switch 2 enhancements give lapsed action fans one more reason to care. For players who cut their teeth on Mega Man and now expect a bit more flash and fidelity from their 2D games, having a crisp 4K image or silky 120 fps motion makes Gunvolt feel less like a budget throwback and more like a modern flagship in its niche.
Where Luminous Avenger sits in the modern 2D action scene
Inti Creates has spent the last decade quietly becoming one of the most consistent names in side‑scrolling action, often filling gaps left by Capcom’s long silence on Mega Man. The Luminous Avenger titles are a direct continuation of that lineage, sitting alongside modern peers like 20XX, 30XX and indie love letters such as Cyber Shadow or Gravity Circuit.
Where some of those games lean hardest on retro aesthetics, Luminous Avenger targets a more hybrid space. Visually it keeps the clean pixel look, but layers on high‑contrast effects, anime‑style cut‑ins and a soundtrack that feels closer to a modern action anime than a strict 16‑bit homage. Mechanically it borrows the boss‑weapon loop that defined classic Mega Man, then layers on lock‑on shooting, midair resource management and forms like Break‑Shift that reward constant aggression.
That blend is what gives Gunvolt its distinct identity in a crowded genre. It is not just about tight jumps; it is about sustaining momentum, staying airborne, and using mobility as offense rather than defense. The Dual Collection, with its Endless Battle focus and performance options, doubles down on that idea, inviting players to treat stages like score‑attack arenas instead of just obstacles to clear once.
In a landscape where 2D action is either chasing Soulslike structure or borrowing roguelite repetition, Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 1+2 Dual Collection stands out as a deliberately crafted, level‑driven alternative. It is a modern Mega Man style series that remembers why bite‑sized stages, flashy boss encounters and tight controls never really went out of style.
With both games, all DLC, a fresh Endless Battle mode and next‑gen upgrades on Switch 2, this director’s cut looks poised to become the definitive way to meet Copen and, by extension, the broader Gunvolt universe.