As of October 7, 2026, a maintained Nintendo Life guide lists 15 original Nintendo Switch game entries with free updates for play on Nintendo Switch 2, counting Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet separately. The updates vary by game: some improve resolution, frame rate, or HDR, while others add features such as GameShare, mouse controls, or CameraPlay. This is a reported current list, not a complete tally published by Nintendo.
Switch games reported to have free Switch 2 updates
The table reflects the entries and update features in Nintendo Life’s maintained guide, checked October 7, 2026. Nintendo’s official overview confirms that selected Switch games receive free updates, but does not enumerate this complete list. Features listed below are specific to each game.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2) | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Star Fox™ - Nintendo Switch 2 | $59.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2) | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Nintendo Switch game | Reported free-update improvements or features |
|---|---|
| ARMS | Improved resolution and frame rate; HDR. |
| Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain | GameShare support. |
| Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker | Improved resolution; HDR. |
| Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics | GameShare support. |
| Donkey Kong Country Returns HD | Improved resolution; local GameShare. |
| Game Builder Garage | Improved resolution; mouse controls. |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Improved resolution; split-screen for five to eight players; CameraPlay. |
| New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | Improved resolution. |
| Pikmin 3 Deluxe | Improved resolution; GameShare support. |
| Pokémon Scarlet | Improved resolution and frame rate. |
| Pokémon Violet | Improved resolution and frame rate. |
| Splatoon 3 | Improved resolution and frame rate. The maintained guide marks this entry as added December 6, 2025. |
| Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury | Improved resolution and frame rate; HDR in Bowser’s Fury only; GameShare support. |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Improved resolution; HDR; GameShare support. |
| The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom | Improved resolution; HDR. |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening | Improved resolution; HDR. |
Source for the game-by-game entries: Nintendo Life’s maintained free-update guide. Nintendo’s official description says the update contents differ by game and may improve performance or add support for Switch 2 features such as GameShare. It does not establish this particular list as an official complete count.
What “free Switch 2 update” means
Nintendo describes these as downloads for selected original Switch games. To get an available update, connect the Switch 2 to the internet and download it for the relevant game. The changes are not uniform: an update may improve performance or add support for a system feature, depending on the title. See Nintendo’s Switch 2 compatibility information and its Switch 2 information.
#1 Best Overall
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
Free update versus Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack
A free update to original Switch software is different from a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Nintendo describes a Switch 2 Edition as the original game bundled with an upgrade pack. Owners of the original physical or digital game can purchase an upgrade pack; some selected packs are available at no additional cost to active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. That membership offer concerns eligible upgrade packs, not the free-update list above. Check Nintendo’s Switch 2 Edition information for the applicable game and terms.
What you need to play the updated games
- A Nintendo Switch 2 and an eligible game. The update is for selected Switch games, not every Switch title.
- An internet connection. Nintendo says to connect the Switch 2 to the internet to download free updates.
- The original game. The update is not a substitute for owning the game. Compatible physical and digital Switch games can be played on Switch 2, but Nintendo cautions that some titles may not be supported or fully compatible.
Nintendo says the original Switch game remains playable on Switch after an upgrade; Switch 2 Edition features and content are playable only on Switch 2. Check the compatibility information for the specific game before relying on a physical or digital copy.
Rank #2
- Blast off on a high-octane adventure to save a star system from invasion
- Tear through space, soar across planets, and shoot loads of foes out of the sky at every step of the way
- A cinematic take on the Star Fox 64 story, featuring fully voiced dialogue, an epic orchestral soundtrack, and a complete visual overhaul for the Nintendo Switch 2 system
- Enter first-person mode to experience the action from inside the cockpit, and even use mouse controls to fly
- Invite a second player* to join you as a gunner using Nintendo Switch 2 mouse controls
How current and complete is this list?
The 15-entry count is an editorial count of Nintendo Life’s maintained guide as checked October 7, 2026, with the two Pokémon games counted separately. It is not an official Nintendo statistic. Nintendo Life’s initial May 2, 2025 roundup reported 12 games at that time; that historical figure should not be mistaken for the current list. Because entries can be added and Nintendo’s retrieved official pages do not enumerate the full list, check the current Nintendo game pages and the maintained guide for the latest availability in your region.
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Rank #4
- Shape the world and build a cozy new life with Pokémon as a Ditto transformed to look like a human.
- Use other Pokémon’s moves, like Bulbasaur’s Leafage, to revitalize and navigate the world around you.
- Meet and befriend more Pokémon as you help nature flourish.
- Gather materials to create items and furniture, till the fields to grow delicious crops, build homes for the Pokémon you meet, and more—there’s so much to do!
- Experience a world with varied weather, real-time days and nights, and other surprises.
Rank #3
- Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!
- A brand-new 3D platforming action adventure starring Donkey Kong and Pauline
- Bash through just about anything in groundbreaking exploration! Crash through walls and carve tunnels—the more you smash, the more areas open up to you
- Pair up with Pauline to use Bananza Transformations: smash through obstacles with the raw strength of Kong form, gallop with incredible speed as a Zebra, and more
- Team up with a friend in two-player co-op as Donkey Kong and Pauline! Blast foes and terrain alike with Pauline’s voice as you explore together
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