Nintendo Reveals Free Performance Upgrades for Switch 1 Games on Switch 2

Nintendo has announced an exciting lineup of performance upgrades for several popular Switch games, set to enhance the gaming experience on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. These upgrades will be available for free to all Switch 2 owners and will significantly boost the visual and gameplay quality of titles such as Arms, Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

According to Nintendo's official statement on their 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.

These enhancements are distinct from the premium Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, which offer additional content for a fee. However, certain games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will receive free upgrades for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.

For Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, players can expect "improved image quality" tailored for high-resolution TVs and an "improved" framerate for "smoother movement." Super Mario Odyssey will benefit from HDR support and GameShare functionality, allowing two players to enjoy the game online—one controlling Mario and the other Cappy.

Curiously, the list does not mention framerate improvements for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, which is a notable omission given their known performance issues.

For those interested in learning more about Nintendo's latest developments, be sure to check out our exclusive interview with Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser, which covers the new Nintendo San Francisco store and other exciting updates related to the Nintendo Switch.

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Here’s a detailed list of the 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: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Framerate: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized 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: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR support