Switch 2 Now Offers the Ability to Play Switch 1 Games in Full Resolution.
Almost ten years after the Switch’s release, its core design is still quite brilliant: you can play games of all genres, including graphically demanding AAA titles, both on your TV and on the go. Of course, the console won’t perform well if the battery runs out 30 minutes after launching Skyrim or Tears of the Kingdom , so Nintendo throttles the performance of many games to conserve battery. The original Switch already has a 720p display, so you’ll barely notice the drop in resolution, and any frame rate drop is justified by, well, the fact that you’re playing Skyrim on the go.
The Switch 2 continues this design “tradition,” if you will, only to a greater extent: the updated hardware now supports games at higher resolutions and frame rates, but 4K gaming is only possible when connected to a TV. (The dock even includes a built-in fan to keep the console cool.) When playing in handheld mode, the resolution drops to a maximum of 1080p—not a problem, considering the display’s resolution is also 1080p.
However, an issue arises when running Switch 1 games in handheld mode on the Switch 2. While these games will run at full 1080p resolution in docked mode, performance in handheld mode will be reduced to a more limited level—even on Nintendo’s more powerful console. While the overall effect won’t differ between Switch 1 and Switch 2, this is a shame, as the latter could theoretically run these older games in docked mode.
The Handheld Mode Boost feature allows you to run Switch 1 games at full resolution.
It looks like Nintendo finally has a solution. In the latest system update for the Switch 2 (version 22.0.0), the company added a new setting called “Handheld Mode Acceleration.” According to the update notes , “Handheld Mode Acceleration” will allow you to run “compatible Switch software as if it were in TV mode.” In other words, Switch 1 games will run at full resolution when played in handheld mode on the Switch 2.
Take Tears of the Kingdom , for example. This game can run at 900p when docked (even Zelda at 1080p is too demanding for the Switch 1 when docked), but in handheld mode, the resolution drops to 720p. But now you’ll be able to play it just like on a TV, but on your Switch 2’s screen. This will be true for many games—at least those that are “compatible.” Nintendo didn’t specify which games are compatible in the release notes, so it may vary on a case-by-case basis.
However, this doesn’t suddenly make every Switch 1 game a Switch 2 game. Remember: the Switch 1 runs on outdated hardware, even by 2017 standards. Even docked, the maximum you can expect is 1080p at 60 frames per second, and that’s for less demanding games. The more intensive the game, the lower the frame rate and, potentially, the lower the resolution. Again, both open-world Zelda games on Switch max out at 900p at 30 frames per second. If you want to play these games at a higher resolution (1080p at 60 frames per second), you’ll have to shell out $10 for an upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2.
But for games that don’t have official updates for the Switch 2, or for gamers who don’t want to spend extra money updating existing titles, this new setting is quite useful. Just be prepared for some glitches and quirks: Nintendo states that the effect of this mode will vary depending on the game. Since this emulates TV mode, the touchscreen may not work, and your Joy-Con 2 controllers will be interpreted as Switch 2 Pro controllers. You can still use other controllers, but you’ll need to disconnect them from the Switch 2 first.
How to enable the “Portable Boost” feature
To play compatible Switch 1 games at full resolution, you’ll need to manually enable this feature. First, make sure your Switch 2 is running version 22.0.0 or later. You can check this in Settings > System > System Update . Then, in Settings > System , select “Nintendo Switch Software Handling.” Now, flip the switch next to “Handheld Mode Acceleration.”