As the Nintendo Switch 2 approaches, Nintendo has detailed a series of free updates for select Nintendo Switch 1 games. These updates, available starting June 5, 2025, will bring improved visuals, smoother performance, and additional features to some of the most beloved titles in the Switch library.
The Selected Switch 1 Games and Their Upgrades
Nintendo provided limited details, omitting specific figures, about the enhancements planned for these games. The updates will vary by game, with some focusing on graphical improvements and others introducing new features like GameShare, which allows multiplayer sessions via local or online play through GameChat.
Visual upgrades will leverage the Nintendo Switch 2’s display and high-resolution TVs to deliver sharper, more vibrant image quality. Framerate improvements will optimize performance on the Nintendo Switch 2, ensuring smoother, more fluid gameplay. Below is a complete list of the games and the enhancements they will receive:
ARMS
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
- GameShare Support
- Up to four people can play in Party Mode.
- Share locally or share online via GameChat
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Visuals
- HDR Support
- GameShare Support
- Two players can play all courses, with local or online sharing via GameChat.
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- GameShare support
- Up to four people can play 34 games.
- Share locally or share online via GameChat.
Game Builder Garage
- Visuals
- Mouse Controls
- Now supports Joy-Con™ 2 mouse controls for enhanced interaction.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Visuals
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Visuals
- Frame Rate
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Visuals
- Frame Rate (including in Bowser’s Fury mode)
- HDR Support
- Added for Bowser’s Fury mode only
- GameShare Support
- Up to four players can play Super Mario 3D World, while two players can team up in Bowser’s Fury (one as Mario, the other as Bowser Jr.), with local or online sharing via GameChat.
Super Mario Odyssey
- Visuals
- HDR Support
- GameShare Support
- Two players can play together, one controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy, with local or online sharing via GameChat.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Visuals
- HDR Support
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- Visuals
- HDR Support
To take advantage of these enhancements, players will need to connect their Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet and perform a system update. Note that a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required for online features after the GameChat Open-Access Period ends on March 31, 2026.
Missed Opportunities
A great thing is that Nintendo addressed the elephant in the room. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s infamously shoddy visuals and abysmal framerate have hopefully been fixed. It’s gratifying to see these titles among the first to receive a free upgrade, after the storm the games caused at launch. That said, this initial batch did miss a few key opportunities.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom already boasts stunning visuals, and enhanced graphics with HDR will elevate it further. However, its choppy 30fps overworld framerate remains the real issue. Omitting a framerate boost for this title feels like a misstep. A consistent 60fps across the entire game—not just dungeons—would have been transformative. There’s a faint hope that, since the game can hit 60fps in parts, the upgraded hardware might automatically stabilize performance without an explicit update, though Nintendo’s silence on this is puzzling.
The selection of games also feels underwhelming. Graphically intensive titles like the Xenoblade Chronicles series, Astral Chain, Bayonetta 3, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, and the Hyrule and Fire Emblem Warriors games suffer from a serviceable to choppy 30fps and visuals that falter when under strain. These fan-favorite titles, which would benefit immensely from framerate and graphical boosts, are conspicuously absent from this first wave.
On a brighter note, Nintendo’s emphasis on every game that upgrades will be available at launch suggests more titles will join in the future. There’s also the chance they want to go all in on certain titles and do a paid Switch 2 Upgrade. Either way, the games we’re eager to see enhanced aren’t off the table yet.
Final Thoughts
Nintendo’s breakdown of free Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades for select titles marks a promising step toward enhancing the gaming experience, breathing new life into beloved classics. While the initial batch addresses some long-standing issues—like Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s performance woes—the omission of a framerate boost for Echoes of Wisdom and the absence of more demanding titles like Xenoblade Chronicles or Bayonetta 3 leave room for improvement.
Nevertheless, Nintendo’s commitment to rolling out upgrades at launch and expanding the list in the future offers hope. As the Switch 2 era begins on June 5, 2025, fans can look forward to a growing catalog of enhanced Switch 1 games, ensuring the platform’s legacy continues to shine.
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