The coolest Switch games with Switch 2's portable boost

​It may be hard to believe, but Switch 2 is already almost a year old, and with that comes some great exclusives. mario kart world to Donkey Kong Bananza. Best of all, original Switch games still work on the system, both physically and digitally. Docked players could experience a natural boost while playing older games on the Switch 2 last year, but not much in handheld mode.

This has changed with the recent update. So for a number of Switch games that didn't run or look their best on the original hardware, now is the time to check them out with the Switch 2 on the go. astral chain to Xenoblade Chronicles 2Let's find out why these games deserve a second try.

astral chain

Forgotten PlatinumGames Classics

astral chain It was a relatively early action game for the Switch developed by PlatinumGames. Set in a futuristic city, players were part of a police force that utilized Persona-like entities handcuffed to their bodies to fight crime. Pan Bayonetta PlatinumGames' other action titles did not disappoint. astral chain Because at the time of release, the world was cool and the combat system had an interesting twist.

That said, despite being an early game for the Switch, it already doesn't meet the standards of other Nintendo first-party games. It had mostly blurry visuals and possibly a drop in framerate as well, but it looks and plays a little better now on the Switch 2, so anyone who missed the game in 2019 the first time should give it a second chance as it's still an exclusive.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Complex strategy RPG

Fire Emblem: Three Houses This will probably be the biggest item. fire emblem Based on the number of fans who have played and enjoyed the series so far. Unlike other games, the game has a branching path system that allows players to choose one of three factions early on, which later determines where the story will take them. It also gave players different party members, each of whom could regroup at headquarters between tactical matches. The maps played out similarly to other games, with grid-based movement and combat, so there was nothing groundbreaking.

For the most part the game ran and looked great, but there were times during combat where characters would lag a little while attacking or the cutscenes weren't entirely satisfying. Switch 2 makes amazing games look and play even better. Fire Emblem: Three Houses This will be good practice for now Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Each time it falls in 2026.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

This toy looks like the real thing.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening It's one of the coolest games zelda That's because of series developer Grezzo. Rather than pushing the graphics beyond what the Switch can handle, it chose a unique art style. The original game was released on the Game Boy in 1993, followed by a color remake in 1998, but the 2019 remake is the first to be rendered in 3D.

Grezzo really stands out by giving Link and the other characters and world a toy-like aesthetic. That's why it was strange to see the frame rate drop so noticeably between exploration and combat. mostly, zelda The game was released fully polished, but this was an exception. The Switch 2 boost improves this so it no longer happens, or if it does happen it's very rare.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

pokemon go wild

Pokemon Legends: Arceus It was one of the most ambitious games Game Freak had ever made. pokemon franchise. Although technically pokemon It had a spin-off, mainline vibe. Set in the Sinnoh region of the past, players will take part in an undeveloped semi-open world game in the isekai style. Instead of fighting gym leaders and collecting gym badges, players were free to explore and catch Pokémon in public locations. You could throw a Pokeball without starting a battle, and once the battle started, there was a smoother transition. The game itself was impressive, but not perfect due to the usual open world issues.

Graphically, the environments weren't very detailed, the textures and combat were a bit blurry, and it could run a bit slowly. Pokemon Legends: Arceus Nothing has ever been as miserable as a launch pokemon violet and pokemon scarletWe now have the official Switch 2 boost. Pokemon Legends: Arceus There are no proper upgrades, but some areas naturally look and run better on Switch 2, even if they aren't fully detailed yet.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

A better platform fighter

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Was it everything? Super Smash Bros. Fans may have been hoping for a sequel on Switch. The vibe was definitely to get every single character that was in the series before, plus new ones like Sora. Kingdom Hearts And the Joker's persona 5. Each new character drop felt like an event, and the game was well supported throughout its lifecycle. It's hard to imagine that Nintendo, Bandai Namco Studios, and Sora Ltd. could top this game. Super Smash Bros. Now that the character is dropping, fans may be waiting for the Switch 3 for a new game.

The game looked and performed well on the Switch, but die-hard fighting game fans didn't think it would run at full capacity. This isn't an issue with the Switch 2. The multiplayer game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is fun to pop out and play in table mode with another player next to you, and the portable boost and larger screen make it an even more amazing game that can add excitement to any situation.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

A better port has been created.

The Switch has received questionable ports from third-party studios either at launch or throughout its lifespan. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt It was released fairly early in 2019 and impressed Switch owners when it launched. It didn't look as good, as it was more of an upgraded Wii experience, but it technically worked well enough to be enjoyable.

Those who missed the game the first time and wanted to experience it The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on the Switch met a serviceable port that delivers on the game's bigger points: quests, story, action, and of course Geralt as a character. It still doesn't look as good on the Switch 2 as the PS4 version, but between the Switch and Switch 2 Boost, it's like night and day in terms of graphical and technical speed.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

blade and driver

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 It was released in 2017, towards the end of the Switch's launch year. On a purely technical level, the game had an open world that was impressively large and fun to explore. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That said, even though it's a launch game, it's already shown the Switch's age. Cutscenes were often blurry in dark situations, and running around at night also made the game look bad.

Daytime cutscenes and daytime exploration didn't detract much from the game's quality, but between docked and handheld modes it was an issue. Thankfully, the MMO-style gameplay was just as fun as the other entries and the story was very engaging for those who could get past these issues. If you have any problems Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Technical issues at launch now allow for a better time on the Switch 2. This is because the night areas are better rendered and the rest of the game has a more noticeable polish.