As you might recall, Nintendo recently announced that around a dozen first-party Switch games, including Link's Awakening, Pokémon, Mario, and more, would be getting free Switch 2 upgrades. However, the initial announcement didn't provide much detail on how these Switch 2-specific enhancements would improve older games running on the new console.

Nintendo announced two different types of Switch 2 upgrades for previously released Switch games, with one being paid $10–$20 upgrades promising visual improvements, additional content, new features, and more. Now, thanks to an update on its website, we know what kind of upgrades owners of the original Switch editions can expect for free.

Here’s what the free upgrades bring to all 12 games

The baseline improvement for most games is “improved image quality” and optimizations for the Switch 2 display, which should result in sharper visuals. Another big highlight is frame rate improvements for smoother movement in Pokémon games, whereas other titles like Super Mario Odyssey get HDR support and GameShare support, allowing two people to play together online. This means that not every game gets the same treatment, and the contents of these free updates will differ depending on the game.

51 Worldwide Games

• GameShare support: up to four people can play 34 games. Share locally or share online via GameChat.

ARMS

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Framerate: Optimized for Nintendo Switch 2 for smoother movement (even when playing with three or more players).
• HDR support.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain

• GameShare support: up to four people can play in Party Mode. Share locally or share online via GameChat.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR support.
• GameShare support: two people can play all of the courses. Share locally or share online via GameChat.

Game Builder Garage

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.

Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Framerate: improved for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Framerate: improved for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2 (including Bowser’s Fury).
• HDR support.
• GameShare compatibility: up to four people can play Super Mario 3D World. In Bowser’s Fury, two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Bowser Jr. Share locally or share online via GameChat.

Super Mario Odyssey

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR support.
• GameShare support: two people can play together, with one player controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy. Share locally or share online via GameChat.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR support.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR support.

Source: Nintendo

That said, patches for all of these free upgrades will be available on June 5, the launch date for the Switch 2. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the hardware side of things with the Switch 2, here's how the console's DLSS compares to PC.

About the Author

Hassam Nasir

Hassam boasts over seven years of professional experience as a dedicated PC hardware reviewer and writer.