All Nintendo Switch 2 owners to get 12 free game updates on day one

Not every enhanced Switch 2 game will cost you extra

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Quick Summary

Nintendo will release patches to 12 of its Switch games on the same day the Switch 2 hits stores.

They will add new features exclusive to the new console and will be free to download.

When Nintendo formally unveiled its new console, it also revealed plenty of existing Switch games that will be updated to make best use of it.

The Nintendo Switch 2 will see the launch of Switch 2 Edition versions of several games, with others set to follow. However, many were dismayed to learn that they will generally cost extra, even if you already own the original.

Some will be includes as part of a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, while others will require an additional fee. However, Nintendo has also just announced that 12 games will get Switch 2 upgrades for free – and they'll all be available from day one.

The games will receive patches with features only possible by playing on Switch 2, such as higher resolutions, better frame rates and/or HDR. There could also be GameChat inclusion (Nintendo's new in-game video chat functionality) and the ability to share games to a connected Switch over GameShare.

This latter feature allows for two gamers to play the same title, without both needing to buy it. The Switch 2 will host the game, while another player can join on a conventional Switch.

What Nintendo Switch will get free Switch 2 updates?

There are some big-hitters on Nintendo's free update list. You can see exactly what upgrades each will get on a dedicated web page. However, here's the lineup that'll get a downloadable patch from 5 June 2025 – the on-sale date for the Switch 2:

  • 51 Worldwide Games
  • ARMS
  • Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
  • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
  • 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

Each of the games could get all of the aforementioned boosts or just a few of them. They will naturally need to be owned by the primary Switch 2 account holder.

It's also worth noting that wherever HDR support is added, that will only apply when running the game on a supported TV in docked mode.

Rik Henderson
Rik Henderson
News Editor

Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.

Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.

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