By Default, A Lot Of Switch Games Run Better On The Nintendo Switch 2
June 5, 2025
The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally out, and it hasn't taken long for fans to test out the capabilities of the new system. While Switch 2 exclusives might be at the forefront of most people's minds at the moment, others are testing how well older Switch titles run on the Switch 2. And considering how Nintendo has only advertised performance improvements for a handful of titles via free updates, the results have definitely been surprising. In some cases, the difference is striking — far more than just a slight upgrade to the overall experience.
What Old Titles Benefit From The Nintendo Switch 2?
Across the board, the Nintendo Switch 2 smooths out the performance of games that couldn't consistently meet their target frame rate on the Nintendo Switch. Again, this includes games that did not get special updates. You can expect to see little to no stutters now in areas that would have previously pushed the Nintendo Switch a little too far. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, for example, is now able to perfectly stay at its 30fps cap. Load times for older games are also generally better on the Switch 2, but there's more variance with that. Some games don't even have any perceivable change when it comes to loading.
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Some titles benefit a lot more from the jump to the Nintendo Switch 2. These are predominantly games that were designed with dynamic resolution and/or unlocked frame rates. On the Switch 2, older titles will be able to maintain their maximum resolution the whole time. Unfortunately, this won't really improve any games that capped their resolution at 720p. Sorry, Xenoblade fans.
Games with unlocked frame rates, on the other hand, all play better. Bayonetta 3 and Fire Emblem: Three Hopes are some of the best examples. The experience with those games is vastly superior now with the Nintendo Switch 2 consistently hitting 60fps. A few games previously locked to 30fps when in handheld mode are actually even able to ignore that cap now. The Switch 2 is just on another level.
A few games are a lot more playable now on the Nintendo Switch 2. Some are just barely improved, if at all. Either way, it's good to see out-of-the-box improvements for Switch 1 games — no patches or updates needed. If you've been in the mood to replay an old Switch favorite, I'd say the Switch 2 presents as good of an opportunity as any.
