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Nintendo’s latest update for the Switch 2 will upgrade the performance of original Switch games played in handheld mode, as reported earlier by IGN. When you turn on the new Handheld Boost Mode, the Switch 2 will force original Switch games to run as if the console is connected to a TV, allowing for better visuals.
The update should give original Switch titles a much-needed visual boost, as they were previously limited to running in 720p in handheld mode — the resolution supported by the Switch 1’s screen. By making Switch 1 titles run in TV mode, games should be able to take advantage of the Switch 2’s 1080p display.
Handheld Boost Mode disabled (left) vs. enabled (right). Screenshot: Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
In a support page on its website, Nintendo says you can turn on the feature by navigating to the Switch 2’s settings menu, selecting “System,” and then hitting “Nintendo Switch Software Handling.” From there, you can toggle “Handheld Mode Boost” on or off. The company doesn’t provide a list of supported games, and instead notes that the performance will “vary” based on the title. “Some Nintendo Switch software will be unaffected, and this option has no effect on software for Nintendo Switch 2,” Nintendo says.
Handheld Boost Mode disabled (left) vs. enabled (right). Screenshot: Sean Hollister / The Verge
Since the feature makes supported Switch games run in TV Mode, Nintendo says “certain functionality may be affected.” That means the game might not use the Switch 2’s touchscreen and could “cause attached Joy-Con 2 controllers to be treated as a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller,” according to Nintendo. Using Handheld Boost Mode may also drain the Switch 2’s battery faster. The feature is available now with the Switch 2’s 22.0.0 update.