GoKawiilA new firmware update hit the Nintendo Switch 2 last week. Among the multitude of small changes is a new feature that will give Switch 1 games a notable upgrade.
Version 22.0.0 for the Switch 2 went live on March 16 and is available for download to the console. The big new feature in the update was Handheld Mode Boost, which will give Switch 1 games a visual upgrade when played on the Switch 2 in handheld mode.
What does Handheld Mode Boost do?
Even though the Switch 2 supports backward compatibility with almost all Switch 1 games, there was an issue. The Switch 2 has a higher resolution screen: 1080p versus the older hardware's 720p. When playing a Switch 1 game on a Switch 2 in handheld mode, the graphics looked blurry and jagged.
When enabled, Handheld Mode Boost makes a Switch 1 game act as if it's docked, so it displays 1080p at 60 frames per second. This will give the visuals an immediate upgrade.
How do you enable Handheld Mode Boost?
Handheld Mode Boost has to be turned on to see the effect, and it takes a few steps:
Select Systems Settings from the Home menu
from the Home menu Select System
Select Nintendo Switch Software Handling
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