Some Switch Games Run Better on the Switch 2 at No Additional Cost: 10 Games With Free Performance Upgrades

The Switch 2’s backwards compatibility with a large portion of the original Nintendo Switch’s library (both physical and digital games) has been one of the console’s biggest selling points, with the original Switch’s large install base having every reason to upgrade if they can still play most of their games. Some titles have either free or premium Switch 2 upgrades that provide noticeable performance boosts, but there are a surprising number of original Switch games that run better on the Switch 2 without any advertised performance upgrade. In some cases, the performance improvements take games that were previously nigh-unplayable and make them thoroughly enjoyable experiences on the Switch 2. These are just 10 of the many titles with marked performance improvements that are completely free or require no additional patches.

• Release Date — June 10, 2019
• Developer — Square Enix
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 62% (Mixed or Average)

Square Enix’s The Last Remnant is a highly underrated JRPG from the 7th console generation that was previously exclusive to the Xbox 360, but eventually got a remastered version for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in 2019. Unfortunately, the Switch version was the worst way to play the game, until the arrival of the Switch 2. On the Switch 2, The Last Remnant Remastered now runs at a smooth, locked 60fps that has the bonus of being portable.

• Release Date — December 19, 2022
• Developer — Cold Symmetry
• Publisher — Playstack
• Genre — Action RPG, Soulslike
• Review Aggregate Score — 63% (Mixed or Average)

The Soulslike genre has largely skipped over the Nintendo Switch, with the sole exception of a few outliers like Dark Souls Remastered and Mortal Shell. But while the former actually runs worse on the Switch 2, Mortal Shell is noticeably improved over its performance on the original Switch. While the framerate of Mortal Shell still appears to be unlocked, it regularly hovers around the 50fps mark on Switch 2, which is a far cry from the occasional dips down to 20fps or below on the original Switch.

• Release Date — May 29, 2020
• Developer — Firaxis Games
• Publisher — 2K
• Genre — Turn-Based Tactics
• Review Aggregate Score — 77% (Generally Favorable)

Having played through all of XCOM 2 on the Switch when it was originally released, I can confidently say it was perhaps the worst way to experience one of the best tactics games ever made. Thanks to the free performance upgrades offered by the Switch 2, though, XCOM 2: Complete Collection feels like an entirely different game. It’s still not at the same level of fidelity you would get from playing on a PC, but it’s a major improvement over the original Switch version in terms of both resolution and framerate.

• Release Date — July 2, 2019
• Developer — Volition
• Publisher — THQ Nordic
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Open-World
• Review Aggregate Score — 72% (Mixed or Average)

Open-world action game Red Faction: Guerrilla is an absolute blast. At least, it is when the hardware you’re playing it on isn’t struggling under the demand of the game’s impressive Geo-Mod technology and realistically destructible environments. The original Switch version of Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered runs so much better on the Switch 2, elevating it from a so-so port of a 7th-generation classic to a must-have in the library of any self-respecting action game fan. The game now seems to be running at a locked 30fps at 1080p in handheld mode, which is a substantial improvement over how choppy and blurry it was on the original Switch.

• Release Date — October 20, 2020
• Developer — Hopoo Games, Gearbox Software
• Publisher — Gearbox Publishing
• Genre — Action Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)

Despite being one of the more popular action roguelikes on the Switch, the Switch version of Risk of Rain 2 was unbearably choppy and struggled to keep up with the on-screen action if there were more than just a few enemies present. Thankfully, Risk of Rain 2 is one of several original Switch titles with an unadvertised Switch 2 upgrade that allows it to run way better, maintaining a rock-solid 30fps that never dips and improved resolutions to boot. Along with the improvements to Risk of Rain 2, it’s worth noting that similar action roguelikes like Dead Cells are also noticeably better.

• Release Date — December 1, 2017
• Developer — Monolith Soft
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)

Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was perhaps the first great JRPG on the Switch, but its place as an earlier highlight in the console’s library meant that its age was really beginning to show. Similar to the rest of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is noticeably improved on the Switch 2, running at a rock-solid 30fps that makes the experience so much more enjoyable. Considering you could easily spend over 150 hours in Xenoblade Chronicles 2‘s world, its free upgrade on the Switch 2 is very welcome.

• Release Date — July 9, 2021
• Developer — Capcom, Marvelous
• Publisher — Capcom
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 81% (Generally Favorable)

Another Switch-exclusive JRPG that’s perhaps one of the best games on the console, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin improves on the original game in the spin-off series in every way except for its performance. Thankfully, Monster Hunter Stories 2 on the Switch 2 now runs in a way befitting its quality as a game, maintaining a stable framerate and sharper resolutions even when exploring the game’s vast semi-open world areas.

• Release Date — May 21, 2019
• Developer — Capcom Production Studio 4
• Publisher — Capcom
• Genre — Action, Survival Horror
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)

From both personal testing and reports from other Switch 2 users, just about every game in the Resident Evil series that had made its way to the original Switch runs better on the Switch 2. We’ve chosen to highlight the Switch version of the original Resident Evil 4, though, as its performance improvements on the Switch 2 bring it more in line with the other phenomenal ports available on just about every platform under the sun. Whether playing in docked or handheld mode, Resident Evil 4 on Switch 2 is still one of the console’s most essential action and survival horror games.

• Release Date — October 7, 2022
• Developer — Hello Games
• Publisher — Hello Games, Bandai Namco
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Survival
• Review Aggregate Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)

Yes, there’s an official Switch 2 version of ambitious space survival game No Man’s Sky. But did you know that the standard Switch version also has noticeable performance improvements courtesy of a free patch? While it might not be as substantial as the resolution and framerate enhancements offered by the official Switch 2 upgrade, the free performance update for running No Man’s Sky‘s Switch version on the Switch 2 is a marked improvement, buffing the resolution, framerate, and significantly improving loading times. Hello Games continues to impress as a studio committed to making its games enjoyable for everyone.

• Release Date — November 18, 2022
• Developer — Game Freak
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — JRPG, Creature Collector
• Review Aggregate Score — 72% (Mixed or Average)

When Pokémon Scarlet and Violet first launched, players were rightfully upset at how much the game struggled to run on the Nintendo Switch. In fact, both Scarlet and Violet’s performance were some of the first indicators that the Switch hardware was beginning to get a little too long in the tooth. On the Switch 2, though, these games are almost night and day different from their launch versions. In terms of their performance, visuals, and loading times, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Switch 2 feel like the games they always should have been, making them now essential games for any fan of the Pokémon franchise.