# Bayonetta 2
**Bayonetta 2** is a hack-and-slash action game developed by [PlatinumGames](https://www.edgepedia.org/platinumgames) and published by Nintendo, released for the [Wii U](https://www.edgepedia.org/wii-u) on October 24, 2014 as the sequel to *Bayonetta* (2009)[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/) • [2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). After Sega withdrew funding for the project, Nintendo financed it and made it a Wii U exclusive; the game later reached a wider audience in the *Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2* bundle for [Nintendo Switch](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch) in February 2018[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/) • [2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). Critics received it as one of the highest-rated games of its year: its Wii U Metacritic score of 91 rests on 80 critic reviews, 98 percent of them positive[3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/bayonetta-2/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer / publisher | PlatinumGames; published by Nintendo[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2) |
| Release | October 24, 2014 on Wii U; Nintendo Switch port February 2018[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/) • [2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2) |
| Origin | Sega abandoned the project; Nintendo rescued it and made it a Wii U exclusive, announced September 13, 2012[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/) |
| Combat core | Dodge-triggered Witch Time slow motion, Torture Attacks, and the Umbran Climax finisher[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2) |
| Multiplayer | Tag Climax co-op mode, six consecutive waves of enemies and bosses with halo betting[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2) |
| Critical reception | Metacritic 91 (Wii U, 80 reviews, 98% positive); perfect scores from Edge, GameSpot, Destructoid, Hyper, and MeriStation[3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/bayonetta-2/) • [4](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bayonetta-2-review-roundup/1100-6422914/) • [1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/) |
| Switch performance | 700p resolution at 60 fps, with no reported stutter or slowdown[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2) |
| Latest update | Version 1.2, released November 23, 2022[5](https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/59881/p/1076) |
## Development and Nintendo's rescue
The first *Bayonetta*, directed by [Hideki Kamiya](https://www.edgepedia.org/hideki-kamiya) and published by Sega in October 2009, earned strong reviews but fell short of the sales PlatinumGames expected; the company's CEO Tatsuya Minami attributed the shortfall to Sega's marketing rather than the game itself[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/). After launch, Kamiya discussed ideas for sequels and spin-offs with Sega producer Yusuke Hashimoto, but the project stalled. In 2010 Sega reported a decline in income, and in 2012 it closed several branches and refocused on its own properties such as Sonic, leaving *Bayonetta 2* without funding[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/).
Nintendo stepped in as the rescuer. The partnership served both sides: PlatinumGames secured the sequel's production, and Nintendo gained a mature-rated exclusive for the Wii U, a console whose family-friendly image had pushed adult audiences toward Microsoft and Sony platforms[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/). The exclusivity was announced on September 13, 2012, in a [Nintendo Direct](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-direct), and divided fans, many of whom saw it as a loss for players on other consoles[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/). Development itself was not disrupted by the platform change, because PlatinumGames worked with its own engine on PC-based tooling; the larger challenge was adapting play to the Wii U's touch screen, which executive director Atsushi Inaba described as enjoyable for the team[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/).
## Gameplay and design changes
The combat system carries over the two-button punch-and-kick structure of the original, with weapon switching and ranged attacks layered on top[6](https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-bayonetta-2/). Dodging an attack at the last instant triggers Witch Time, a burst of slow motion that rewards precise timing with an opening for longer combos; building magic meters unlocks Torture Attacks and the battle-ending Umbran Climax[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2) • [7](https://www.slantmagazine.com/games/bayonetta-2/). Enemy attacks are now telegraphed by a glow from the attacker's weapon, making them easier to read[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2).
PlatinumGames tuned the sequel to be more forgiving than the first game, with a slightly larger dodge window and more chances to interrupt enemy attacks; reviewers noted this lowers the difficulty of boss encounters, though the challenge can be restored through the difficulty settings[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). The quick-time events that punctuated the original were dropped entirely[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2).
**Structure and content.** The campaign runs through 12 chapters with semi-open levels in the tradition of *Devil May Cry* and *God Hand*, hiding battles, weapons, and collectibles for players who explore[6](https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-bayonetta-2/). The pointless Angel Attack mini-game of the original was replaced with [Muspelheim](https://www.edgepedia.org/muspelheim), a set of portal-based challenge rooms, each with a specific modifier such as defeating enemies only with dropped weapons or taking no damage[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). The Tag Climax multiplayer mode lets two players fight six consecutive waves of angelic enemies and bosses, online or locally, with players betting halos, the in-game currency, to raise the stakes[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). Eurogamer Portugal's review counted this cooperative mode among the sequel's most valuable additions[3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/bayonetta-2/).
## Setting, story, and presentation
Most of the game takes place in Noatun and on the mountain Fimbulventr, a Mediterranean-style setting of bright, open vistas[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). The story opens with the witch [Bayonetta](https://www.edgepedia.org/bayonetta) shopping for Christmas gifts when a battle with angels breaks out and her friend and rival Jeanne is cast into hell; the plot follows her hunt for the true Gates of Hell[8](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/14/bayonetta-2-review-wii-u-platinum-games). Reviewers treated the story's incoherence as part of its charm rather than a defect[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2).
The visual identity shifted from the red theme of the first game to blue, and character designer Mari Shimazaki gave [Bayonetta](https://www.edgepedia.org/bayonetta-character) a new haircut while keeping her glasses and the backless bodysuit that had become her signatures[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/). Nintendo's marketing leaned into the character's adult appeal, including a campaign with model Pamela Horton posing as Bayonetta for Playboy, and the game includes alternate costumes based on Nintendo characters such as Peach, Link, Samus, Daisy, and [Star Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-fox); Nintendo itself asked Kamiya for a deeper neckline on the Link costume[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/).
## Critical reception
The Wii U release gathered near-universal praise. Metacritic recorded a score of 91 from 80 critic reviews, with 78 positive, 2 mixed, and none negative, and a user score of 9.0 from 1,587 ratings[3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/bayonetta-2/). GameSpot awarded a 10, only the ninth game in the outlet's history to receive that score, and the same perfect mark came from Edge, Eurogamer Germany, Destructoid, Joystiq, Hyper, and MeriStation[4](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bayonetta-2-review-roundup/1100-6422914/) • [1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/) • [9](https://www.benchmark.pl/bayonetta-2-gra-oceny-premiera-zwiastun-7267323804914241a). Edge's review opened with the line "Sega loses, Nintendo wins", a jab at Sega for giving up publishing rights to the series[10](https://www.nextn.es/2014/10/resumen-de-las-mas-de-30-reviews-de-bayonetta-2-en-metacritic-desfile-de-dieces/).
Reviewers framed the game against its predecessor in different ways. Polygon called it "in almost any respect that counts a better game than the first, whose mechanics were already exemplary"[11](https://archive.ph/Et13r). Eurogamer Portugal argued it lacked the original's impact and did not surpass it[3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/bayonetta-2/). Time placed it among the best Wii U games, describing a tradition of over-the-top, anime-inspired, mythology-suffused brawlers and calling it the sequel to what some consider the finest hack-and-slash game ever made[12](https://time.com/3545976/best-wii-u-games/). The game was named Action Game of the Year by IGN and appeared in Joystiq's E3 selections[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/).
## Sales and the exclusivity question
Commercial performance did not match the reviews. In its first weeks the game sold 40,000 copies, against 140,000 for the first *Bayonetta* in the same period, a gap MeriStation attributes to the Wii U's small install base and the exclusivity that kept the game off other platforms[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/). The GamesRadar volume *The 500 Best Games of All Time* nonetheless called both games essential, with *Bayonetta 2* winning out as the best game on Wii U[13](https://dl.gamesradar.com/bookazine_pdfs/EDGS22.ebook_top_100_games.pdf).
## Switch port and later releases
Nintendo moved the first game to Wii U and later brought both titles to Nintendo Switch as *Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2* in February 2018[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/). The Switch version of *[Bayonetta](https://www.edgepedia.org/bayonetta-video-game) 2* runs at 700p and 60 fps, and Nintendo Life's review found the port free of stutter or slowdown, calling it the best version of an already strong game[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). The port added responsive touch controls, though that reviewer judged the automatic combat they produce less satisfying than the analog-stick scheme[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2). MeriStation's Switch review judged the bundle a straightforward port that neither degrades nor meaningfully improves the Wii U originals[14](https://as.com/meristation/2018/02/14/analisis/1518616800_173153.html).
The game has continued to receive support: a software update to Version 1.2 was released on November 23, 2022, for the Switch edition[5](https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/59881/p/1076). The character went on to appear as a fighter in *Super Smash Bros.*, with certain animations adapted for the crossover's lower age rating, and the series continued with *Bayonetta 3* and the spin-off *Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon*[1](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/).
## References
1. [Bayonetta 2, la secuela que fue posible gracias a Nintendo, MeriStation (AS)](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/bayonetta-2-la-secuela-que-fue-posible-gracias-a-nintendo-r/)
2. [Bayonetta 2 Review (Switch), Nintendo Life](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/bayonetta_2)
3. [Bayonetta 2 Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/bayonetta-2/)
4. [Bayonetta 2 Review Roundup, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bayonetta-2-review-roundup/1100-6422914/)
5. [How to Update Bayonetta 2, Nintendo Support](https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/59881/p/1076)
6. [Review: Bayonetta 2, Destructoid](https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-bayonetta-2/)
7. [Review: Bayonetta 2, Slant Magazine](https://www.slantmagazine.com/games/bayonetta-2/)
8. [Bayonetta 2 review – a beautiful Wii U classic, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/14/bayonetta-2-review-wii-u-platinum-games)
9. [Bayonetta 2 powtórzy sukces jedynki? Pierwsze oceny gry, Benchmark.pl](https://www.benchmark.pl/bayonetta-2-gra-oceny-premiera-zwiastun-7267323804914241a)
10. [Resumen de las más de 30 reviews de Bayonetta 2 en Metacritic, NextN](https://www.nextn.es/2014/10/resumen-de-las-mas-de-30-reviews-de-bayonetta-2-en-metacritic-desfile-de-dieces/)
11. [Bayonetta 2 review: heaven and hell, Polygon](https://archive.ph/Et13r)
12. [The 5 Best Wii U Games Right Now, TIME](https://time.com/3545976/best-wii-u-games/)
13. [The 500 Best Games of All Time (Edge/GamesRadar ebook)](https://dl.gamesradar.com/bookazine_pdfs/EDGS22.ebook_top_100_games.pdf)
14. [Bayonetta 1+2, análisis Switch, MeriStation (AS)](https://as.com/meristation/2018/02/14/analisis/1518616800_173153.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Individual game titles › Individual Nintendo-platform game titles › Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Wii titles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license