Every Nintendo Switch 2 Upgrade Game Confirmed For Launch

The Nintendo Switch 2 is right around the corner, and it’s shaping up to be a rather interesting successor console indeed. Despite being buffeted by negative criticism for a number of unpopular or inexplicable decisions (like the choice to make the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour full-price instead of a packed-in tech demo), the Switch 2 is almost certain to land well with a good number of the first console’s fans.

Nintendo has good reason to be confident about the Nintendo Switch 2, as it retains the strengths of its progenitor while being considerably, meaningfully more powerful. Its newfound processing power will allow the Switch 2 to run heavy-hitting games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring, but it also opens the door to upgraded versions of Switch 1 releases, which is tantalizing. With the first Switch being so strongly maligned for its considerable lack of power in relation to its Sony and Microsoft counterparts, one can only hope that the Switch 2 will take full advantage of its newfound capabilities, and that starts with the games being ported and enhanced from the Switch 1.

All Enhanced Switch 2 Games at Launch

Switch Games That Get Free Switch 2 Upgrades

ARMS

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics

Game Builder Garage

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

Pokémon Scarlet

Pokémon Violet

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Super Mario Odyssey

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Thus far, there are only a handful of original Switch games confirmed for a free upgrade on the Switch 2. Generally speaking, the Switch 2 editions of these games will implement graphical improvements, allowing them to output at higher resolutions, achieve better FPS, and in the case of games like ARMS, Echoes of Wisdom, and Super Mario Odyssey, HDR support.

Many of these titles will also be updated to support GameChat and GameShare features, like real-time game footage streaming and video chat. This is the biggest enhancement for Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain and Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, which do not appear to be receiving any notable visual upgrades, likely due to the rudimentary nature of their graphics. It should be noted that not every game in the above list is getting dedicated GameShare and GameChat support: ARMS, Game Builder Garage, Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Echoes of Wisdom, and Link’s Awakening are only receiving graphical and performance enhancements.

Switch 1 Titles with Premium Upgrades

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

Shadow Labyrinth

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Tamagotchi Plaza

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land will cost $20 USD to upgrade, and will include a number of visual and performance enhancements, alongside new content, with Mario Party getting a number of new gameplay modes designed around Switch 2-exclusive features. Meanwhile, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will cost $10 USD to upgrade, or they can be upgraded for free for those with NSO + Expansion Pack subscriptions. Pricing for all the other above titles is to be determined.

As the games industry learned in the early days of the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, charging for access to next-gen features tends to be unpopular, but hopefully Nintendo can offset this with the addition of new content for such premium titles. Some criticism is likely to be expected in this respect, so it will be interesting to see how Nintendo’s upgrade pricing structure is received in the long-run.