Nintendo has pushed out a new system update for the Switch 2, and the star feature is one that’s been much requested: Handheld Boost Mode. This mode allows the Switch 2 to run original Switch games in handheld mode as if they were docked in TV mode, increasing resolution and performance.
Many Switch games run in 720p (the resolution of the Switch’s built-in screen) when in handheld mode, upgrading to 1080p when docked. Handheld Boost Mode takes advantage of the Switch 2’s extra power and built-in 1080p screen to run Switch games like this all the time.
When in Handheld Boost Mode, Switch games treat the Switch 2’s attached Joy-Con 2 controllers as if they were a Pro Controller, and the touch screen may be disabled due to the game running in TV mode. Some on-screen instructions may be incorrect, too. As a result, some games with motion and touch controls are not compatible. Nintendo hasn’t provided a list, but reports indicate that Super Mario Maker 2, Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee and Pikachu, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, among others, are blocked from Handheld Boost Mode. (In addition, it will have no effect on some games, depending on how they handle TV mode.)
Handheld Boost Mode isn’t a default setting; you need to turn it on in the settings menu, under “System” and “Nintendo Switch Software Handling.” Nintendo notes that it may increase power consumption while playing.
Elsewhere in the update, Nintendo has added the ability to save notes about friends on your friends list; made some GameChat improvements, making it easier to invite friends; changed the text and animation when loading a virtual game card; added some accessibility features, including Russian and Portuguese support for GameChat’s speech-to-text feature; and included breakdowns of storage capacity by data type.
