Super Mario Odyssey is one of the Nintendo games that are optimized for the Switch 2.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5 and, as is often the case in the past of the Mario and Zelda giants, the new handheld console becomes downward compatible. Some old Switch 1 games receive free and paid updates that unlock additional features and graphics improvements. We summarize what titles these are for you.
Update from April 03: We have adjusted some text sections again and filled it up with new information.
These Switch 1 games receive free Switch 2-upgrades
So far we have known game upgrades from the Playstation (Pro) and Xbox consoles. The Switch 2 downward compatibility will also rely on updates that improve the technology of old games.
These are the previously known titles with free updates:
- Arms
- Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
- Captian Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- Game Builder Garage
- New Super Mario Bros. u Deluxe
- Pokémon Karmesin
- Pokémin purple
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Super Mario Odyssey
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
So Nintendo starts. In the coming days, weeks and months, games from third party developers should be added who receive a free upgrade.
What improvements will it be?
Nintendo itself indicates that the free updates should improve the performance of games. It is likely to be more stable or higher frame rate. Pokémon Karmesin and Purpur in particular are notorious for their fearsome fluctuating frame rate on Switch 1:
But the two 2D Zelda games from Nintendo are also affected by massive frame rate drops, here the updates should also help a lot.
It is currently unknown whether there could also be a significant increase in the FPS limits. The Switch 2 has a 120 Hertz screen, for example, could represent 120 FPS in Super Mario Odyssey.
Nintendo also indicates that the Gameshare-Function for selected games with Switch 2-upgrades is activated. You can play with your friends, even if they do not have the game. Clubhouse Games is one of the games with Gameshaare support.
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All important information about the Switch 2 in just 42 seconds: release, price, memory and more
Paid upgrades
Not every upgrade is free, there will also be games with paid upgrade packs. This is currently:
- Civilization VII
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Super Mario Jamboree + Jamboree TV
- Tamagotchi Plaza
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
These titles have been revised and support higher resolutions, Framerates, HDR and exclusive Switch 2 features such as control by mouse function. Therefore they will also Switch 2-edition called.
For Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon legends: AZ no upgrade packs have yet been announced. However, you should also be able to be improved in this way if you later switch from the first to the second switch.
Free upgrades with Nintendo online subscription
A few upgrade packs are activated for download via the Nintendo online expansion pass without you having to buy them. It is not yet clear which these are.
All games for the launch of the console
While the upgrade packs are gradually released, the free Switch 2-upgrades will be available directly to the console’s release, just like a whole series of new games. You can find out which these are here:
So you will have a lot to do with the old and also the new games on the release day and in the course of the year the Switch 2 game avalanche should really get going.
Which switch game would you want to enjoy again with a higher frame rate or resolution? Would you even be worth buying an upgrade pack?
