Nintendo has recently unveiled exciting news for Switch fans as the company gears up for the launch of the much-anticipated Switch 2. Among the highlights are free upgrades for several original Switch titles, as Nintendo aims to enhance users’ gaming experiences without additional costs. These updates, while not as extensive as the paid enhancements for high-profile titles like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, promise to breathe new life into some beloved games.
On Friday, Nintendo outlined the specific legacy titles set to receive enhancements, featuring some of the best offerings from its diverse catalog. Noteworthy titles include:
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
- Pokémon Scarlet
- Pokémon Violet
- Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker
- ARMS
- Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- Game Builder Garage
The upgrades vary across different games, incorporating a mix of visual enhancements—such as improved resolution, frame rates, and HDR capabilities—as well as newly introduced multiplayer GameShare functionalities. For example, both Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet will see significant visual improvements, addressing prior performance issues that had plagued these titles upon their initial release.
The complete list of updates includes:
- ARMS – visual upgrades (resolution, frame rates and HDR)
- Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – GameShare (up to four players, local/online GameChat sharing)
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – visual upgrades (resolution and HDR) and GameShare (two players in all courses, local/online GameChat sharing)
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics – GameShare (up to four players can play 34 games, local/online GameChat sharing)
- Game Builder Garage – visual upgrades (resolution), Joy-Con 2 mouse control
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – visual upgrades (resolution)
- Pokémon Scarlet – visual upgrades (resolution, frame rates)
- Pokémon Violet – visual upgrades (resolution, frame rates)
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – visual upgrades (resolution, frame rates and HDR), GameShare (up to four players in Super Mario 3D World, two players in Bowser’s Fury and local/online GameChat sharing)
- Super Mario Odyssey – visual upgrades (resolution, frame rates), GameShare (two players, local/online GameChat sharing)
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – visual upgrades (resolution, HDR)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – visual upgrades (resolution, HDR)
These updates will be released on June 5, coinciding with the Switch 2's launch. However, users will need to perform a system update on the new console to access these enhancements.
Remarkably, Nintendo made it clear that while most of these upgrades focus on improving image quality and optimizations for the Switch 2's display, they do not uniformly include increased frame rates across all titles. Games like Link’s Awakening are expected to benefit from the Switch 2's enhanced capabilities, which should allow them to achieve their targeted frame rates more consistently.
Additionally, the rollout of free updates for legacy titles underscores Nintendo's commitment to its long-standing fan base while creating a sense of continuity as gamers transition to new hardware. Although third-party developers are yet to announce their own updates for the Switch 2, Nintendo has assured users that they are evaluating compatibility across its entire game library and will offer new details in the coming weeks.
As the launch date approaches, excitement builds around how these upgrades will enhance existing favorites and whether they will effectively address performance hiccups experienced on the original Switch. Fans are eager to see how these improvements translate in terms of gameplay and overall enjoyment on the new platform.
Will you be diving into these revamped titles on your new Switch 2? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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