Nintendo has confirmed a number of Switch games will be getting a free upgrade to take advantage of the bigger, more powerful Switch 2.
The Switch 2 will be released June 5. Nintendo has already confirmed the launch lineup will feature a new Mario Kart title, while a number of classic games such as The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Hogwarts Legacy will get a Switch 2 expansion that will cost owners £7.99 to upgrade.
Now Nintendo has confirmed 12 games that will receive a free Switch 2 upgrade.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Echoes Of Wisdom will all receive updates to their graphics, which will be “optimised for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality”.
Elsewhere, Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury will also receive improved graphics, but the new update will also let players take advantage of the Switch 2’s new GameShare feature.
#SuperMarioOdyssey, #PokemonScarletViolet, and other selected Nintendo Switch games will receive free updates on June 5 to enhance the gameplay experience on #NintendoSwitch2.
Find out more: https://t.co/9r07uyAxKr pic.twitter.com/uuOPzmmysD
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 16, 2025
In Odyssey, “two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy” while up to four people can play Super Mario 3D World together.
The full list of Switch games getting a free Switch 2 upgrade is as follows:
- 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
Nintendo has also announced the Switch 2 will only charge to 90 per cent to preserve the battery, while the GameShare feature will also let players lend their digital games to a mate.
The Switch 2 is expected to become the fastest-selling console of all time when it launches next month. However a number of fans are struggling to pre-order Nintendo’s latest bit of kit while others are flooding eBay with fake listings to stop scalpers selling them for inflated prices.
In other news, Hideo Kojima has confirmed details of a world tour to celebrate the release of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. The twelve date run of events will start next month in Los Angeles and end in November, just in time for the Death Stranding concert tour to begin.
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