New Nintendo Switch 2 update offers massive improvements to Switch 1 games

A new system update for the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to breathe new life into your catalogue of older Nintendo Switch 1 games.

Well, in handheld mode at least.

System update 22.0.0 adds an optional ‘Handheld Boost Mode’ that will lift performance of games released for the original Switch console when played in handheld mode on the newer Switch 2.

Effectively, it allows Switch 1 games to play as if they are using the console’s docking station when played handheld on the Switch 2 console — meaning that many games will see a boost to resolution and to frame rate, as was allowed by the first-generation console’s dock, by virtue of the additional horsepower the newer console offers.

Nintendo power

This is a much-requested feature for Switch owners — though the Switch 2 is backwards compatible with 99.9% of Switch 1 games, the previous console’s limited 720p screen meant that playing them on Nintendo’s latest hardware could look blurry, and wouldn’t take advantage of the frame rate boosting power of Switch 2. This update should address that, boosting older titles where possible to the Switch 2’s native 1080p resolution, and potentially pushing framerates higher, too, without the need for developers to go back in and manually patch the games.

It will not be possible for every single title however — those that make use of touchscreen controls in handheld mode, for instance, or those that rely on docked motion controls, will likely not be able to take advantage of Handheld Boost Mode. But a vast swathe of the Switch 1 games library should see a marked improvement.

To activate the new optional feature:

• Select System Settings on the HOME Menu.
• Scroll down through the System Settings menu and select System.
• Scroll down on the right and select Nintendo Switch Software Handling.
• Select Handheld Mode Boost to enable or disable this setting.

The update comes alongside a bunch of other smaller improvements and tweaks to the Nintendo Switch 2 system, including new ways to manage storage, the ability to save notes about friends on your Friend List, and more — alongside the usual system stability and performance improvements.

• The 14 best Nintendo Switch 2 games

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