Nintendo Switch 2 to offer premium upgrades for select games, boosting frame rates and adding new features.

Switch 2 might be promising exciting new instalments of classic franchises (like, say, that open-world Mario Kart), but Nintendo’s now also confirmed it’ll be releasing special enhanced editions of original Switch games featuring higher resolutions, improved frame rates, and more.

While the company is yet to share an exhaustive list of games getting the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition treatment (as it’s calling the initiative), the following are so far confirmed: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Metroid Prime: Beyond, and Pokemon Legends Z-A.

Nintendo Switch 2 Editions will be available to purchase physically and digitally, but players who already own the original Switch versions can alternatively purchase an upgrade pack to gain access to the new Switch 2-exclusive features. Upgrade prices haven’t yet been revealed, but Nintendo has confirmed – via a post-Direct trailer – the Zelda upgrades will be free to anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.

Starting with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, these’ll both get enhanced resolution and improved frame rates on Switch 2, alongside support for HDR, and a number of brand-new features. Zelda Notes, for instance, is a available via the Nintendo Switch App on smart devices and offers a range of helpful tools to get the most out of your Zelda-ing, such as pointers toward shrines and Korok locations – and it’ll even read out directions so you don’t need to be looking at the screen. Additionally, Tears of the Kingdom players can upload their creations to the app then share them with other players.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land, meanwhile, is getting additional story content in its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – taking place after the Forgotten Land has been struck by a mysterious meteor – alongside improved graphics and frame rates. And as for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, its Switch 2 Edition adds support for mouse controls in addition to its standard control scheme. Switch 2 players also get several fidelity options: it’s playable at 4K and 60fps with HDR in Quality Mode, and at 1080p/120fps with HDR in Performance mode.

Pokémon Legends Z-A is also set to received a Switch 2 Edition which similarly promises enhanced resolution and frame rates, and there are improvements coming to Super Mario Party Jamboree. These include support for mouse controls, audio recognition, “more expressive rumble” and gameplay features utilising Switch 2’s newly announced camera accessory. Players can, for instance, see each others’ faces at select moments in-game when playing.

Alongside Switch 2’s paid upgrades, a post-Direct announcement has revealed Nintendo is also preparing free updates for a number of original Switch titles. The company hasn’t gone into much detail about these yet, only saying the updates will “improve playability” on Switch 2. Improvements will vary by game, but Nintendo says updates may enhance performance or add support for features such as GameShare. Titles so far confirmed for free updates are as follows:

• Arms
• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
• Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
• The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Game Builder Garage
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
• Pokémon Scarlet
• Pokémon Violet
• Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain

Zelda’s Switch 2 Editions and their upgrades will be available when the console launches on 5th June, with Mario Party to follow on 24th July, and Kirby coming on 28th August.