Several Switch 1 Games are Getting Free Switch 2 Updates - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 02 April 2025 / 7,927 Views
Nintendo earlier today announced several original Nintendo Switch games will be getting enhancements on the Nintendo Switch 2 called "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" that will be available to be purchased separately or as a paid upgrade for owners of the Switch 1 versions.
Nintendo has now revealed several Switch 1 games will be getting free updates for the Switch 2 that will improve the "playability."
"By connecting your Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet, you can download free updates that may improve performance or add support for features such as GameShare in select games. The contents of these free updates will differ depending on the game," said Nintendo.
Switch 2 Director Takuhiro Dohta on Switch 2 backwards compatibility stated, "When we tried running Switch games on Switch 2, there were some where loading times became faster, or game performance became more stable, so we realized that the overall gameplay experience could improve. And as mentioned previously, GameChat will also be available for Switch games that are played on Switch 2. Even for previously released games, there are opportunities to add value in the sense that it can enhance and change the gameplay experience. We understand that people buy new hardware so they can play new games created for it, so we've developed Switch 2 with that in mind.
"However, it's safe to say that Switch 2 is a system with new strengths in the sense that it adds value to Switch games that players already own. We'll take advantage of those strengths in the future to further enhance the gameplay experience of Switch games.
"We believe there are many things we can do, such as making Switch games compatible with GameShare through free updates, as well as leveraging Switch 2's processing power to enable games to run in higher resolution and with a smoother frame rate."
The list of games that will be getting a free update for Switch 2 includes:
- Arms
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Clubhouse Games 51 Worldwide Classics
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Game Builder Garage
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Pokémon Scarlet / Pokémon Violet
- Big Brain Academy Brain vs Brain
Super Mario Party Jamboree, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, and Pokémon Legends Z-A will be getting paid Switch 2 versions / upgrades.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Bluesky.
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Thata good to hear
As they should. As I figured, Nintendo is far more taking the Sony approach, not Microsoft.
Some will be free, some will cost money.
But obviously, Sony doesn't charge you for PS4 software to be boosted on PS5, which I don't think Nintendo is going to do much of either unless I'm misinterpreting the Switch 2 versions.
Don't you literally have to pay $10 for PS5 upgraded versions?
I'm surprised Super Mario Wonder isn't on that list given that Odessey and 3D World are.
Mario Wonder finally getting DLC?? i hope!
I’m so disappointed Bayonetta 3 isn’t on this list. That’s the switch game I feel that needs an update the most.
Bayonetta wasn't developed in house (it's not even a Nintendo IP), and with everything that's going on with Platinum, I don't even know if an update to the game would be possible right now.
I should have waited to play Echoes of Wisdom, oh well it was fantastic.
Jokes on me... I bought it for $60 and never played it lol
I should have waited to grab it for $45 and played it on NX2
Link's Awakening remake had some really bad framedrops. Especially in the water area lol glad to see some games are getting free updates at least.
Sorry but I can't stop seeing those charged updates as too much of a milking
Pikmin 4 pls
I figured you'd have to pay for updates to every Switch 1 game, so this is good news. In the case of the open world Zelda games, they're adding more content, so a paid upgrade is a little more justified (and it's a moot point if you have the NSO Expansion pass).
It seems like the paid upgrades are only for games with a significant amount added outside of a fps and resolution boost.
Awesome for EOW to get a free bump. Those frame dips were wild.
