TL;DR: Nintendo's own Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs cost $4.99, $9.99 or $19.99. Of the 162 upgrade packs on the US Nintendo store, 71 are free, all from third-party games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II and Red Dead Redemption. Only the two Zelda packs come free with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and 19 Nintendo games got a free Switch 2 update instead of a paid pack.
A Switch 2 upgrade comes in one of three forms. A paid upgrade pack turns a Switch game you own into its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. A free upgrade pack does the same at $0. A free update patches the original game to run better on Switch 2. Nintendo charges $4.99 to $19.99 for its own packs. The $19.99 ones, the $9.99 Xenoblade packs and Pikmin 4's Dandori Academy add new content; the rest mostly raise resolution and frame rate.
Below is every Nintendo pack with its US price and contents, all 19 free Nintendo updates, and the full third-party list split into free and paid. Data as of November 13, 2026, from the US Nintendo store; prices are regular US prices, not sale prices.
Switch 2 Edition vs upgrade pack vs free update
Per Nintendo's Switch 2 Edition page, a Switch 2 Edition is a bundle of the original Switch game plus its upgrade pack. Whether you own the game already decides which one you buy.
| Type | What you get | Cost | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | The Switch game and its upgrade pack, sold as one product | Full game price | Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, $69.99 |
| Upgrade pack (paid) | Turns a Switch game you already own into the Switch 2 Edition | $0.99–$24.99 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World, $19.99 |
| Upgrade pack (free) | Same thing, $0 on the eShop | Free | Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II, Stardew Valley |
| Free update | A patch to the Switch version, no separate product | Free | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 3 |
After upgrading, the original game still runs on a Switch 1. The Switch 2 Edition features only work on Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack prices
Nintendo sells 13 upgrade packs for its own games. Three cost $19.99, eight cost $9.99 and two cost $4.99. Packs with a "+" in the name (Kirby, Jamboree, Wonder, Pikmin 4) add a named mode or story on top of the visual upgrade.
| Game | Upgrade pack | Full Switch 2 Edition | What the pack adds | Pack released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | $9.99 | $69.99 | Better frame rate and resolution, faster loading, HDR, ZELDA NOTES app support | Jun 5, 2025 |
| The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | $9.99 | $79.99 | Better frame rate and resolution, faster loading, HDR, ZELDA NOTES app support | Jun 5, 2025 |
| Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV | $19.99 | $79.99 | Jamboree TV mode, mouse/microphone/camera minigames, CameraPlay, 1440p in TV mode | Jul 24, 2025 |
| Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World | $19.99 | $79.99 | New story chapter with new Mouthful Modes, better graphics and frame rate | Aug 28, 2025 |
| Pokémon Legends: Z-A | $9.99 | $69.99 | Higher frame rate and resolution | Oct 16, 2025 |
| Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | $9.99 | $69.99 | Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, 4K/60 Quality mode or 1080p/120 Performance mode, HDR | Dec 4, 2025 |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | $4.99 | $64.99 | Mouse decorating, megaphone via the mic, 12-player online islands, CameraPlay | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition | $4.99 | $64.99 | Smoother frame rate, 4K in TV mode | Feb 19, 2026 |
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park | $19.99 | $79.99 | Rosalina and Luma, 7 Koopaling boss courses, Bellabel Park with 100+ co-op/versus courses | Mar 26, 2026 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition | $9.99 | $69.99 | 4K/60, Ether Jet vehicle and races, fully voiced Heart-to-Hearts | Jun 9, 2026 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles 2 | $9.99 | $69.99 | 4K/60, new Blade MOMO, Merc Assault mode, Pyra and Mythra outfits | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Pikmin 4 + Dandori Academy | $9.99 | $69.99 | 72 Dandori exam stages (rolling out), Oatchi voice commands, GameShare Dandori Battles | Nov 12, 2026 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | $9.99 | $69.99 | 4K/60, new hero Shimmer, Heroes' Vault mode, newly voiced scenes | Dec 3, 2026 (pre-order) |
Xenoblade Chronicles 3's pack is the only Nintendo one still on pre-order. Our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Switch 2 Edition guide covers Shimmer and Heroes' Vault in detail, and the Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition breakdown lists what the 72 Dandori Academy stages ask of you.
Which upgrade packs are free with Nintendo Switch Online?
Just two: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo lists only those packs as included with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. You still need to own the Switch game, physical or digital, and Nintendo says an active membership is required to use them. Members download them from the Nintendo Switch Online section of the eShop.
Every other Nintendo pack, including Animal Crossing's $4.99 one, costs money even for Expansion Pack members. The packs are an Expansion Pack perk, not part of the basic Nintendo Switch Online tier.
Are the $19.99 upgrade packs worth it?
Two of the three are, judged by how much they add. Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World is a new story chapter with new Mouthful Modes. Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park adds Rosalina and Luma, seven Koopaling boss courses and over 100 multiplayer attraction courses. Super Mario Party Jamboree's Jamboree TV is the weakest of the three for solo players: most of it is party modes built around mouse controls, the microphone and a USB camera, which is sold separately.
The best deal among Nintendo's packs is the $9.99 Xenoblade tier. Each one adds content on top of 4K/60 fps visuals: an extra Blade (Xenoblade Chronicles 2), the Ether Jet and fully voiced Heart-to-Heart scenes (Definitive Edition), or a new hero and a wave-defense mode (Xenoblade Chronicles 3). The weakest value is Pokémon Legends: Z-A at $9.99, which Nintendo describes only as higher frame rate and resolution.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons at $4.99 is easy to justify if you still play: mouse decorating, a megaphone that uses the console microphone and 12-player online islands. The free January 2026 update already improves image quality for everyone, so the pack is about the features, not the looks.
Switch 2 Edition or upgrade pack: which should you buy?
If you own the Switch game, buy the pack, because it's the cheapest way in. If you don't own the game, buying the Switch 2 Edition costs the same as buying the Switch game and the pack separately, to within a cent:
| Game | Switch version | Upgrade pack | Switch version + pack | Switch 2 Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zelda: Breath of the Wild | $59.99 | $9.99 | $69.98 | $69.99 |
| Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | $69.99 | $9.99 | $79.98 | $79.99 |
| Kirby and the Forgotten Land | $59.99 | $19.99 | $79.98 | $79.99 |
| Super Mario Party Jamboree | $59.99 | $19.99 | $79.98 | $79.99 |
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder | $59.99 | $19.99 | $79.98 | $79.99 |
| Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | $59.99 | $9.99 | $69.98 | $69.99 |
| Pokémon Legends: Z-A | $59.99 | $9.99 | $69.98 | $69.99 |
| Pikmin 4 | $59.99 | $9.99 | $69.98 | $69.99 |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | $59.99 | $4.99 | $64.98 | $64.99 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition | $59.99 | $4.99 | $64.98 | $64.99 |
Watch for sales on the Switch 2 Edition itself. During Nintendo's Black Friday 2026 offers, physical copies of the Jamboree and Metroid Prime 4 Switch 2 Editions drop $20 from November 22 to 29. That beats paying for the base game and the pack separately.
Every Switch game with a free Switch 2 update
These 19 Nintendo games improve on Switch 2 at no cost, with no pack to buy. Nintendo started with 12 at the console's launch on June 5, 2025 and added seven more since then; Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (September 1, 2026) is the biggest. The list below matches Nintendo's free-updates page. You get the update by connecting the Switch 2 to the internet and updating the game.
| Game | Free update released | What it adds on Switch 2 |
|---|---|---|
| ARMS | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, smoother frame rate (even with 3+ players), HDR |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Jan 15, 2026 | Sharper image (the paid pack adds the rest) |
| Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain | Jun 5, 2025 | GameShare for up to 4 players in Party Mode |
| Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, HDR, GameShare for 2 players on every course |
| Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics | Jun 5, 2025 | GameShare for up to 4 players in 34 of the 51 games |
| Donkey Kong Country Returns HD | Jan 20, 2026 | Sharper image, local GameShare for 2 players (DK + Diddy or Dixie) |
| Game Builder Garage | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, Joy-Con 2 mouse controls |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Sep 1, 2026 | Sharper image, faster loading, 8-player local races on one system, GameShare, CameraPlay |
| New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image |
| Pikmin 3 Deluxe | Aug 31, 2026 | Sharper image, GameShare for 2-player Bingo Battle |
| Pokémon Champions | Apr 8, 2026 | Sharper image |
| Pokémon Scarlet | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, smoother frame rate |
| Pokémon Violet | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, smoother frame rate |
| Splatoon 3 | Jun 12, 2025 | Sharper image, smoother frame rate in the plaza and Grand Festival Grounds |
| Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, smoother frame rate, HDR (Bowser's Fury only), GameShare for 4 (3D World) or 2 (Bowser's Fury) |
| Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Oct 2, 2025 | Sharper image, Joy-Con 2 mouse controls |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, HDR, GameShare for 2 (Mario + Cappy) |
| The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, HDR |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | Jun 5, 2025 | Sharper image, HDR |
Two quirks are worth knowing. Animal Crossing appears on both lists: the free update covers resolution, and the $4.99 pack adds the new features. Clubhouse Games' GameShare works in 34 of its 51 games, not all of them.
Free third-party Switch 2 Edition upgrades
71 third-party games give away their Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack. The headline names are Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II, Red Dead Redemption, Stardew Valley, No Man's Sky, Cult of the Lamb, Subnautica, Factorio, Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. Unlike a free update, the pack is a separate $0 item you download from the eShop.
| Game | Pack released |
|---|---|
| 1000xRESIST | Aug 20, 2026 |
| A Little to the Left | Nov 9, 2026 |
| Absolum | Sep 17, 2026 |
| Another Crab's Treasure | Aug 20, 2026 |
| Asphalt Legends | Feb 16, 2026 |
| Astral Ascent | Oct 8, 2026 |
| BALL x PIT | Oct 28, 2025 |
| Blood Dungeon | Aug 25, 2026 |
| Blood: Refreshed Supply | May 7, 2026 |
| Brotato | Nov 20, 2025 |
| Cast n Chill | Dec 18, 2025 |
| Citizen Sleeper | Jun 25, 2026 |
| Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector | Jun 25, 2026 |
| Core Keeper | Jan 28, 2026 |
| Cozy Grove | Mar 12, 2026 |
| Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit | Jul 15, 2026 |
| Cult of the Lamb | Oct 22, 2026 |
| DAVE THE DIVER | Nov 6, 2025 |
| Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 (Upgrade Pass) | Oct 29, 2026 |
| Dinkum | Apr 23, 2026 |
| Disney Dreamlight Valley | Mar 25, 2026 |
| Disney Speedstorm | Jul 15, 2026 |
| Dispatch | Jan 28, 2026 |
| Divinity: Original Sin 2 | Dec 15, 2025 |
| The Drifter | Jun 22, 2026 |
| Factorio | Dec 22, 2025 |
| FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles | Sep 30, 2025 |
| FOUNTAINS | Sep 24, 2026 |
| Hades II | Sep 25, 2025 |
| Herdling | Nov 12, 2026 |
| High On Life | Aug 28, 2025 |
| Hollow Knight | Feb 5, 2026 |
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | Sep 4, 2025 |
| Just Dance | Nov 10, 2026 |
| Kingdom's Return: Time-Eating Fruit and the Ancient Monster | Apr 23, 2026 |
| LEGO Party! | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Little Rocket Lab | Dec 10, 2025 |
| Lorelei and the Laser Eyes | Apr 23, 2026 |
| Lou's Lagoon | Aug 27, 2026 |
| Lynked: Banner of the Spark | Sep 12, 2025 |
| Mina the Hollower | May 29, 2026 |
| Minishoot' Adventures | Mar 3, 2026 |
| Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth | Sep 18, 2026 |
| No Man's Sky | Jun 5, 2025 |
| ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 4 | Nov 21, 2025 |
| Outlaws + Handful of Missions: Remaster | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo | Aug 20, 2026 |
| Planet of Lana II | Mar 5, 2026 |
| Prinny Party: Going Overboard! | Nov 11, 2026 |
| Psyvariar 3 | May 21, 2026 |
| Red Dead Redemption | Dec 2, 2025 |
| Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game | Nov 10, 2026 |
| Sail Forth | Jan 16, 2026 |
| Sayonara Wild Hearts | Apr 23, 2026 |
| Shadow Labyrinth | Jul 18, 2025 |
| Simogo Legacy Collection | Dec 2, 2025 |
| SiN Reloaded | Sep 24, 2026 |
| The Slormancer | Nov 9, 2026 |
| SOMA | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Stardew Valley | Dec 25, 2025 |
| Storm Lancers | Dec 9, 2025 |
| Subnautica | Feb 17, 2026 |
| Subnautica: Below Zero | Feb 17, 2026 |
| Sugardew Island | Dec 10, 2026 (pre-order) |
| System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster | Jun 3, 2026 |
| Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game | Mar 25, 2026 |
| Thief: The Dark Project Remastered | Dec 3, 2026 (pre-order) |
| Twofold | Sep 17, 2026 |
| Unrailed 2: Back on Track | Jun 11, 2026 |
| Woodo | Sep 16, 2026 |
Paid third-party upgrade packs: full price list
78 third-party packs cost money. The most common price is $4.99 (13 packs). Sixteen cost $1 or less, and only one goes above Nintendo's $19.99 tier: Manairons at $24.99. The $9.99–$10 tier includes Civilization VII, Overcooked! 2, Hitman: Absolution, Tamagotchi Plaza, Hello Kitty Island Adventure and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma. The table is sorted by price, highest first.
| Game | Upgrade pack price | Pack released |
|---|---|---|
| Manairons | $24.99 | Oct 29, 2026 |
| Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land | $10.00 | Jun 9, 2026 |
| Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced | $10.00 | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Culdcept BEGINS | $10.00 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea | $10.00 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Reel Fishing: Days of Summer | $10.00 | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma | $10.00 | Jun 5, 2025 |
| STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar | $10.00 | Aug 27, 2025 |
| Tamagotchi Plaza | $10.00 | Jun 27, 2025 |
| BEYBLADE X EVOBATTLE | $9.99 | Jan 12, 2026 |
| Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer | $9.99 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Hello Kitty Island Adventure | $9.99 | Nov 13, 2025 |
| Hitman: Absolution | $9.99 | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Overcooked! 2 | $9.99 | Nov 6, 2025 |
| Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven | $9.99 | Jul 31, 2025 |
| Sid Meier's Civilization VII | $9.99 | Jun 5, 2025 |
| Viractal: Will You Trust Your Party? | $9.99 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism | $6.99 | Dec 18, 2025 |
| Another Eden Begins | $5.00 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 1+2 Dual Collection | $5.00 | Jul 9, 2026 |
| Moonlight Peaks | $5.00 | Jul 7, 2026 |
| RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic | $5.00 | May 28, 2026 |
| SUPER BOMBERMAN COLLECTION | $5.00 | Feb 5, 2026 |
| 4PGP | $4.99 | Feb 4, 2026 |
| Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged | $4.99 | Nov 12, 2025 |
| Card-en-Ciel | $4.99 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| Human Fall Flat | $4.99 | Mar 19, 2026 |
| KUUKIYOMI 4: Consider It | $4.99 | Sep 18, 2025 |
| LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW RePOP | $4.99 | May 28, 2026 |
| R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos | $4.99 | Jun 18, 2026 |
| STARBITES | $4.99 | Jul 14, 2026 |
| The Prince of Tennis Doki Doki Survival: Eternal Passion! Tie Break | $4.99 | Jul 30, 2026 |
| The Prince of Tennis Sweet School Festival -40 and more- | $4.99 | Jul 30, 2026 |
| The Rumble Fish 2 (Upgrade Pass) | $4.99 | Jan 21, 2026 |
| Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter | $4.99 | Sep 17, 2026 |
| Wobbly Life | $4.99 | Aug 20, 2026 |
| Botany Manor | $3.99 | Jul 2, 2026 |
| Burger Bistro Story | $3.99 | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Demon Castle Story | $3.99 | Apr 9, 2026 |
| Dream Town Island | $3.99 | May 21, 2026 |
| Dungeon Village 2 | $3.99 | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Game Dev Story | $3.99 | Jun 25, 2026 |
| Jumbo Airport Story | $3.99 | Aug 6, 2026 |
| Skyship Quest Story | $3.99 | Apr 30, 2026 |
| Station Manager | $3.99 | Nov 12, 2026 |
| The Ramen Sensei | $3.99 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| BANG! BANG! BANDITS | $3.00 | Mar 19, 2026 |
| Go-Go Town! | $3.00 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Braid, Anniversary Edition | $2.99 | Feb 14, 2026 |
| Darkest Dungeon II | $2.99 | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Fruit Mountain Party | $2.99 | Apr 23, 2026 |
| hololive Treasure Mountain MegaPack | $2.99 | Sep 17, 2026 |
| The Fox's Way Home | $2.99 | Feb 26, 2026 |
| FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time | $2.59 | Jun 5, 2025 |
| INAZUMA ELEVEN: Victory Road | $2.59 | Nov 13, 2025 |
| SHUTEN ORDER | $2.49 | Nov 27, 2025 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate | $2.49 | Dec 16, 2025 |
| Chippy&Noppo | $2.40 | Apr 30, 2026 |
| BlazBlue Entropy Effect X | $1.99 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Colorbound | $1.99 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Memory of Memorie: A Chill Story | $1.99 | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Touhou Yukkuri Mountain | $1.49 | May 28, 2026 |
| Dark Auction | $1.00 | Jun 10, 2026 |
| PRITTO PRISONER | $1.00 | Dec 25, 2025 |
| Reverie in the Moonlight | $1.00 | Nov 19, 2026 (pre-order) |
| Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | $1.00 | Dec 3, 2025 |
| The Exit 8 | $1.00 | Aug 29, 2025 |
| Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter | $1.00 | Sep 19, 2025 |
| Alphadia I & II | $0.99 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Asdivine Knot | $0.99 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| Isekai Rondo | $0.99 | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Isekai Villain | $0.99 | Jun 4, 2026 |
| Novel Rogue | $0.99 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| Overrogue | $0.99 | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Party Party Time 3 | $0.99 | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Shelterra the Skyworld | $0.99 | Nov 5, 2026 |
| Spirit Valor | $0.99 | Sep 17, 2026 |
| Urban Myth Dissolution Center | $0.99 | Oct 28, 2026 |
Upcoming Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs
Four packs on the US store are still on pre-order:
| Game | Pack price | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Reverie in the Moonlight | $1.00 | Nov 19, 2026 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | $9.99 | Dec 3, 2026 |
| Thief: The Dark Project Remastered | Free | Dec 3, 2026 |
| Sugardew Island | Free | Dec 10, 2026 |
No other Nintendo pack is listed on the US store yet, so any other first-party upgrade is not confirmed.
How to buy an upgrade pack, physical or digital
Per Nintendo Support, a pack works with either the physical or the digital Switch version of the game, and there are three ways to buy one:
- Nintendo eShop: open it from the HOME Menu, find the pack and buy it.
- Nintendo Store website: buy online and the pack downloads to your console.
- Retailers: buy a download-code card and redeem it in the eShop.
If you buy a physical Switch 2 Edition, look for the Nintendo Switch 2 logo on the front of the box. Digital versions have "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" in the title.
Which upgrades add Joy-Con 2 mouse controls
Mouse support is the upgrade feature that depends most on your controllers. Joy-Con 2 mouse controls come with the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond pack, the Animal Crossing pack (decorating), Super Mario Party Jamboree's Jamboree TV modes and some of Bellabel Park's attractions in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Game Builder Garage and Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 got mouse support in their free updates.
A Joy-Con 2 with stick drift or a dead button ruins these modes quickly, so check yours before you pay for a pack. Run them through the online gamepad tester; our Switch 2 controller guide compares the pads if you need a new one.