Nintendo has published a list of Switch 1 games that will get a free performance upgrade on Switch 2, and revealed what fans can expect in terms of improvements.
Games such as Arms, Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom are all set for performance improvements on Switch 2.
Here's Nintendo's official blurb, from the official Nintendo website:
By connecting your Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet and performing a system update, you can download free updates for selected games that may improve graphics or add support for features such as GameShare. The contents of these free updates will differ depending on the game.
To be clear, these upgrades are free, and are not the same as the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, which are premium upgrades (or, in the case of The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, free upgrades to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers).
So, what can Switch 2 owners expect? Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, for example, get an “improved image quality” for high-resolution TVs and an “improved” framerate for “smoother movement.”
Super Mario Odyssey, on the other hand, gets HDR support and GameShare support, so two people can play together online, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy. All the details are below.
Interestingly, Nintendo's list does not mention framerate fixes for the two top-down Zelda games, which is a strange and disappointing omission given their performance problems.
Be sure to check out our interview with Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser to find out more about the just-opened Nintendo San Francisco store, and all things Nintendo Switch.
Here’s the list of free updates for selected Nintendo Switch games:
51 Worldwide Games
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- GameShare support: up to four people can play 34 games. Share locally or share online via GameChat.
ARMS
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- Framerate: optimised for Nintendo Switch 2 for smoother movement (even when playing with three or more players).
- HDR support
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- GameShare support: up to four people can play in Party Mode. Share locally or share online via GameChat.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: Ooptimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- HDR support
- GameShare support: two people can play all of the courses. Share locally or share online via GameChat.
Game Builder Garage
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- Supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- Framerate: improved for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- Framerate: improved for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2 (including Bowser's Fury).
- HDR support
- GameShare compatibility: up to four people can play Super Mario 3D World. In Bowser's Fury, two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Bowser Jr. Share locally or share online via GameChat.
Super Mario Odyssey
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- HDR support
- GameShare support: two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy. Share locally or share online via GameChat.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- HDR support
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Software update release date: 05/06/2025
- Visuals: optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
- HDR support
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
