The Nintendo Switch 2 rollout is somewhat complicated. While most original Switch games are compatible with the Switch 2, some are not. Some original Switch games are getting paid Switch 2 upgrades, which will improve their performance on the upcoming console. Still others are getting free Switch 2 upgrades, available at no additional cost. This last category is especially interesting, because everyone loves free stuff. Let’s see what games qualify.
Games with Free Nintendo Switch 2 Upgrades
- Arms
- Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- Game Builder Garage
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Pokemon Scarlet
- Pokemon Violet
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Super Mario Odyssey
So what exactly is it about these games that will work better on Switch 2 than on the original hardware? According to Nintendo, these free updates will “improve playability.” You’ll be able to download free updates for these games “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.”
That all sounds pretty nice. It’s somewhat odd that the two top-down Zelda games on Switch are getting free Switch 2 upgrades, while Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will require you to purchase the respective upgrades. It’s unclear what exactly makes Nintendo decide to offer a free upgrade versus a paid upgrade. Is it the amount of work put into it? Is it the level of improvement of the experience over the original Switch? We’ll have to wait until the Switch 2 comes out to see for ourselves.
In the meantime, if you don’t have some of these games and you want to pick them up before the Switch 2 launches, now is a good time to do so. Some games even currently have a discount, like the sale on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet going on right now.
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
