Some of the games getting these updates are The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (version 1.4.0), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (version 1.8.0), Pikmin 3 Deluxe (version 1.1.2), Super Mario Bros. Wonder (version 1.0.2), Kirby’s Dream Buffet (version 1.0.0a), Kirby Star Allies (version 4.0.0a), Super Mario 3D All-Stars (version 1.1.2), Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (version 2.2.1), Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain (version 1.2.0), and ARMS (version 5.51), among others.

All of these updates revolve around giving these games improved performance for the new console over how they ran on the original Switch. Along with performance boosts, quite a few games are also getting access to new features, including GameShare and even support for HDR displays.

The Switch 2 will be hitting store shelves on June 5.

Patch notes for Nintendo Switch games to run on Switch 2:

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Version 1.4.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added support for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, the voice content will use the language you select in the in-game options.
• Added support for the Sidon, Tulin, Yunobo, and Riju amiibo.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:

General

• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, the voice content will use the language you select in the in-game options.
• Added support for the Sidon, Tulin, Yunobo, and Riju amiibo.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Version 1.8.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added support for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, if you select the Match System Settings option in the game, the voice content will use English.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:

General

• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, if you select the Match System Settings option in the game, the voice content will use English.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe – Version 1.1.2

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Partially alleviated an issue that occurs when playing on Nintendo Switch 2 where the entire screen flickers during some scenes in the game, such as when a day starts and ends.
• We will be releasing an update in the near feature to fix this completely.
• Note: An update addressing the problem above has not been distributed for “Pikmin 3 Deluxe Demo ver.” However, we plan to perform the same fix as the full game in a future update.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Version 1.0.2

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.

Kirby’s Dream Buffet – Version 1.0.0a

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Note: The version number in the lower right of the software title screen is still Ver. 1.0.0. The version number displayed in the software menu on the HOME Screen will display 1.0.0a if the update is applied.

Kirby Star Allies – Version 4.0.0a

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Note: The version number in the lower right of the software title screen is still Ver. 4.0.0. The version number displayed in the software menu on the HOME Screen will display 4.0.0a if the update is applied.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars – Version 1.1.2

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Note: The software update is required to play on Nintendo Switch 2.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – Version 2.2.1

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.

ARMS – Version 5.51

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Frame rate: Optimized for Nintendo Switch 2 for smoother movement (even when playing with 3 or more players). Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• *Compatible with Ver. 5.4.1 for “local communication” and “LAN play”. Not compatible with Ver. 5.4.0 or earlier for “local communication” and “LAN play”. Please be aware of the versions of each other’s update data.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – Version 1.2.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added support for GameShare.
• Party Mode content can be played with up to 4 users.
• The user who will host the GameShare session should select “GameShare” on the mode selection screen after launching the software. They can then choose to use GameShare with Local Users or with GameChat members.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Version 1.4.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for improved image contrast and brightness. Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• Added support for GameShare.
• Two people can play all the courses, and each person can have their own unique display that is easier to see.
• The person sharing can press the – button on the title screen or course select screen or go to “Partner Adventure” in the pause menu and select “GameShare + Local Play” or “GameShare + GameChat.”

Club House Games: 51 Worldwide Classics – Version 2.0.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added Korean as a supported language.
• Added support for GameShare:
• You can play 34 kinds of games with up to 4 players.
• The user who will host the GameShare session should select “GameShare” from the main menu, then “Via GameChat” or “Play With Local Users”.
  The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:

General

• Added Korean as a supported language.
• Several other adjustments and revisions have been made to improve the gameplay experience.
• Note: Update data with the above content will also be distributed for the demo “Clubhouse Games: Guest Pass” as Ver. 2.0.0d.

Game Builder Garage – Version 1.1.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Added support for Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. Up to 8 Joy-Con 2 can be used. (As up to now, 1 USB mouse can be used, as well.)
• As a result of improved processing speed, there may be some changes in behavior in games that were made previously on Nintendo Switch.
• Note: An update is also available for the Game Builder Garage Demo version to support the content above (Ver. 1.1.0).

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – Version 1.2.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

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

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – Version 1.2.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Frame rate: Optimized for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2 (including Bowser’s Fury).
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for improved image contrast and brightness (Bowser’s Fury only). Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• Added support for GameShare.
• You can play “Super Mario 3D World” with up to four people. Press R on the course select screen for “Local/Online,” and then choose “GameShare + Local Users” or “GameShare + GameChat.”
• In “Bowser’s Fury,” two players can play, with one controlling Mario while the other controls Bowser Jr. Once you can control Mario, press the + button to open “Menu,” and then choose “Local/Online,” and then choose “GameShare + Local Users” or “GameShare + GameChat.”
• Note: Does have local user compatibility with Ver. 1.1.0. Does not have local user compatibility with Ver. 1.0.0. Please be careful of the update version on each player’s system.

Super Mario Odyssey – Version 1.4.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for improved image contrast and brightness. Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• Added support for GameShare.
• Two players can play, with one controlling Mario while the other controls Cappy.
• The user who will host the GameShare session should select “Resume 2P” on the title screen or “Two Players” on the Pause menu, then select “GameShare + Local Play” or “GameShare + GameChat”.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – Version 1.1.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.

Nintendo has revealed that Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe will all receive such free Switch 2 enhancements. Super Mario Odyssey will add HDR support on the next-gen console, in addition to visual optimizations and improved picture quality, as well as GameShare support. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury will offer the same enhancements, though Bowser’s Fury will be the only one to add HDR support. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, meanwhile, promises improved picture quality on the Switch 2.

Additionally, Nintendo confirms that similar free Switch 2 upgrades will also be released for Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, ARMS, Game Garage Builder, Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, and Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain. 

Free Switch 2 enhancements are also headed on the console’s launch day for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, as well as The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Link’s Awakening.

The list is 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/Violet
• Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain

The updates in question “may” improve performance or implement GameShare, but as Nintendo notes, the content varies from game to game. So if the fidelity of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet isn’t up to snuff, try not to be too disappointed.

Of course, it’s possible that Nintendo could release updates for additional titles in the future. Time will tell, so stay tuned.

The Nintendo Switch 2 arrives on June 5th for $449.99. Launch titles include Mario Kart World (which costs an eye-watering $79.99 digitally), Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, and much more.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

It’s safe to say that Nintendo knocked it out of the park with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, knitting together a complex web of intertwining systems with mechanics that let you express your creativity to the fullest resulting in an experience like no other. It takes everything that worked in the original, and amps it up to eleven – be it Link’s powers, the size of the open world, or the many options for tackling a dungeon or boss fight. Despite a few technical hiccups owing to the hardware limitations, Tears of the Kingdom is easily one of the best games that you can experience on Nintendo’s hybrid handheld.

GOD OF WAR RANGAROK

God of War Ragnarok’s approach to wide-linear design differs a bit from its predecessor, because rather than using the hub-and-spoke design of the 2018 title, it instead takes you to numerous larger maps throughout its experience, and it’s a change that works out for the best. In addition to boasting excellent design that constantly encourages exploration, God of War Ragnarok’s maps also exhibit an impressive amount of visual and design variety.

RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE

The Resident Evil franchise has always held up exploration as one of its key pillars (with some notable exceptions), so expanding that to a setting that emphasizes that aspect even more heavily felt like a natural step forward in Resident Evil Village. The titular village is a large environment that remains immensely fun to navigate throughout the experience, especially as more of it opens up over time, while at the same time, through the four main areas connected to the village, the game also delivers the tight, claustrophobic design the series is known for in spades.

ALAN WAKE 2

Where the original Alan Wake was a hyper-linear series of shooting galleries, its sequel goes in the exact opposite direction. Alan Wake 2 revels in slowing down the pace and allowing players to thoroughly immerse themselves across its main locations, where you have quite a bit of freedom to explore at your own pace (the rewards for which are almost always well worth the effort). Backtracking through older locations also always remains satisfying as you gain access to previously inaccessible sections, while there are, of course, plenty of meticulously crafted linear sections to enjoy as well.

PIKMIN 4

Exploration is king in Pikmin 4 in a way it never has been in any previous Pikmin games. By almost completely removing the concept of time limits, Pikmin 4 lets you explore every nook and cranny of its areas to your heart’s content, without anything urgently pushing you towards your next main objective, and that is reflected in the way the game’s maps are designed as well. Each of them is significantly larger and boasts impressive variety, not only in visual terms, but also in terms of how you interact with the environment and make it easier to navigate for yourself and your army of Pikmin.

LIKE A DRAGON: ISHIN!

Like all other RGG Studio games, Like a Dragon: Ishin! focuses on depth and detail over pure expanse. The bulk of the game takes place on one not-all-that-big map set in Edo-era Kyoto. As far as pure map design in the series goes, this isn’t a particularly special map- it’s good, but nothing that stands out. What pushes it over the edge is the incredible sense of place and atmosphere that it drips with, properly recreating the architecture, layout, and aesthetic of Japan in the dawn of its modern era. RGG Studio has made a lot of great maps- few are as memorable as this.

UNCHARTED: THE LOST LEGACY

Uncharted 4 introduced elements of wide-linear and semi-open world design to Naughty Dog’s traditionally hyper-linear series, and its standalone follow-up, The Lost Legacy, took that to even greater heights. Though those design sensibilities are limited only to the early sections of the game where you’re exploring the Western Ghats of India, that section is also surprisingly sizable, and leaves quite an impression. From navigating the terrain, both on foot and in a four-by-four, to uncovering its secrets and optional content, it stands as one of the game’s strongest sections.

SUPER MARIO: BOWSER’S FURY

People have been wondering what an open world Mario game would look like for a long time, and never have we come closer to seeing what something like that would look like than with Bowser’s Fury. Released to the world as a standalone addendum to Super Mario 3D World’s Switch port, Bowser’s Fury is an incredible four-hour romp that somehow manages to perfectly blend Super Mario’s tight platforming and level design with open-ended design and an emphasis on exploration. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of that from the franchise in the not-too-distant future.

LIES OF P

Soulslike design has become like a second language to many by now, but even though there’s no shortage of games that try their hand at it, very few of them in recent years have done it as well as Lies of P. The city of Krat is massive and winding, and making your way through its intertwining areas that loop in and around themselves never loses its spark. It helps, of course, that the game looks as gorgeous as it does, because around nearly every corner is something new and exciting to see.

LORDS OF THE FALLEN

Developer Hexworks said prior to Lords of the Fallen’s launch that it was building the game as a Dark Spuls 4.5, and while the Soulslike action RPG doesn’t quite hit that level of quality, it does have plenty of the right elements in place. Its expansive world, though not fully open by any means, encourages exploration constantly, which is made that much more interesting by the game’s dual realm mechanic. That feeling of gradually mastering and unlocking the world around you is one of the biggest strengths of the Soulslike genre, and Lords of the Fallen delivers that in spades.

MONSTER HUNTER RISE

Monster Hunter Rise continued the move towards more open maps that Monster Hunter World started. Rise’s maps are actually smaller,and have less going on than World’s, which had a lot of environmental effects and interactions independent of the player. What Rise’s maps do have, however, is design that is perfectly tuned to all the wonderful new traversal tools the game gives you in the wirebug and the Palamute. The act of actually moving through the maps to find the monsters has never been as fun in Monster Hunter as it is in Rise, and the traversal tools, as well as the maps designed around those tools, are both to credit for that.

OUTER WILDS

Outer Wilds’s exploration serves as the perfect marriage between gameplay and narrative, thanks to how intrinsically those two elements are tied together throughout the experience. In each loop, the more you explore, the more you learn the Nomai, the solar system they once used to be spread out across, and the time loop that it’s currently caught in, and the game paces that almost to pitch-perfection. Pretty much the entirety of Outer Wilds is unlike anything else you’ll play, and how rewarding it makes its exploration through narrative discoveries contributes to that uniqueness massively.

STAR WARS JEDI: SURVIVOR

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a solid first foray into Metroidvania design for Respawn Entertainment, and with its sequel, Jedi: Survivor, the developer expanded that idea with significantly larger play spaces. There are, of course, plenty of Metroidvania locations scattered throughout the game, but the Koboh map in particular is where Jedi: Survivor taps into a much more expansive and open-ended design style. And it does that excellently, somehow managing to sprinkle that large, semi-open world map with plenty of Metroidvania design elements.

PREY

Prey’s Talos I is probably the best setting we’ve ever seen in an Arkane game, which, as those who’ve played other Arkane titles will tell you, is high praise, to say the least. The space station is not only dripping with atmosphere, it’s also spectacularly designed. Navigating its environments and slowly being able to unlock more and more of it as you grow more powerful makes for an incredibly satisfying and organic progression curve throughout the experience.

DEATHLOOP

Deathloop is decidedly more linear than most other Arkane titles (Prey especially), but in spite of being much more focused on action and forward momentum, it does still retain its fair share of the open-ended design that you expect to see in the studio’s games. There are multiple maps to explore, and going out of your way to do that is always encouraged. Not only do you learn more about the world and the people you are targeting, you’re also constantly treated to the incredible art design that’s so abundantly found throughout Deathloop’s world.

SNIPER ELITE 5

The Sniper Elite franchise probably doesn’t get as much credit for its level design as it should, and Sniper Elite 5 exemplifies that perfectly. Every single map is designed as an incredible stealth sandbox where player freedom is emphasized first and foremost. By allowing you to constantly discover new and creative ways to tackle obstacles and sprinkling in a healthy dose of optional content, every map in Sniper Elite 5 becomes an absolute blast to explore as thoroughly as possible, while also making replays that much more rewarding.

It still has some way to go before catching up with Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which is currently at 6.46 million units sold. Bayonetta 3 has sold 1.07 million since launching in October 2022, while Splatoon 3 is at 10.67 million in sales. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has sold 1.86 million and Pokemon Legends: Arceus has sold 14.83 million.

Mario titles have done very well, with Luigi’s Mansion 3 at 12.82 million, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury selling 11.38 million units, and Mario Party Superstars hitting 10.17 million sold. Mario Strikers: Battle League is the only exception, with 2.54 million sold thus far. Overall, Nintendo has sold a whopping 1,036.15 million Switch titles to date.

Splatoon 3 launched in September for the Nintendo Switch and continues to be a major success, with 10.13 million units sold. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is at 1.81 million units sold, while Nintendo Switch Sports has sold 8.61 million. Pokemon Legends: Arceus may not have hit the same heights as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but it’s still at an incredible 14.63 million units sold.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe has sold 14.75 million units since coming to the Switch, while Luigi’s Mansion 3 is at 12.44 million and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is at 10.82 million. Mario Party Superstars sold 9.38 million, while Mario Strikers: Battle League managed to hit 2.47 million units sold. Finally, Kirby and the Forgotten Land has sold a respectable 6.12 million units sold.

Mario Party Superstars performed very well, as expected, with 5.43 million sales since its October 29th launch. The other new title released in the quarter was Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain with 1.28 million sales since launching on December 3rd. Game Builder Garage managed to sell 1.01 million units while WarioWare: Get It Together!, which launched in September 2021, hit 1.24 million sales.

Other noteworthy numbers include Luigi’s Mansion 3 at 11.04 million sales; Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury selling 8.85 million units; The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD at 3.85 million sales; New Pokemon Snap at 2.36 million sales; Mario Golf: Super Rush at 2.26 million units sold; and Miitopia at 1.63 million sales. For more details on the top-selling Nintendo Switch titles of all time, head here.

Software sales were also strong in that period with 45.28 million sold. In terms of sales for new releases, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury managed to sell 6.68 million. New Pokemon Snap, which recently received its first free content update, has sold 2.07 million units while Mario Golf: Super Rush sold 1.34 million units. Miitopia managed to sell 1.04 million since release.

The coming months are looking even better for the Switch, both in terms of hardware and software sales. The Nintendo Switch OLED releases October 8th alongside Metroid Dread while Mario Party Superstars is out on October 29th. November will have titles like Shin Megami Tensei 5 and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl releasing as well.

The latest UK sales charts for the week ending April 17th are available courtesy of Gfk. They revealed that EA Sports’ FIFA 21 is back on top, besting the likes of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury to do so. The latter titles are still in second and third respectively though.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is also in a cozy spot at fourth (it was declared the best-selling racing genre title in US history by The NPD Group last week). Minecraft on Switch is in fifth while Grand Theft Auto 5 is in sixth place. Monster Hunter Rise has dropped to seventh place despite a strong debut. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla hangs on in eighth place.

One of the more surprising developments this week is that Cyberpunk 2077 has re-entered the charts. Granted, it was at ninth place but it may be good news for the embattled FPS/RPG which faced numerous issues at launch and afterwards. It’s since received another major update which fixes several issues. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War rounds out the chart at tenth place.

Check out the full UK top ten for the week ending April 17th 2021 below:

1. FIFA 21
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
5. Minecraft (Switch)
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Monster Hunter Rise
8. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
9. Cyberpunk 2077
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War