A new Nintendo Switch 2 update adds Handheld Mode Boost, which improves the performance of Switch 1 games.
Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch 2, has been engineered to handle impressive third-party games, such as Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It also includes backward compatibility, allowing you to enjoy titles from the previous generation of consoles. Following the latest update, these older games now perform significantly better on the Switch 2.
Switch 2 Update Adds Handheld Mode Boost for Switch 1 Games
Spotted by IGN, the latest update for the Nintendo Switch 2, version 22.0.0, has introduced a feature called “Handheld Mode Boost.” This new update enhances the performance of games designed for the original Switch, allowing them to run in handheld mode with capabilities similar to those in docked mode. Nintendo has also clarified that, while this mode will provide players with improved visuals, it could also increase power consumption.
Moreover, Handheld Mode Boost’s impact will only be seen on some Switch 1 games, and the option will not affect Switch 2 titles. Additionally, because this tool forces TV mode operation, “some instructions may be incorrect or fail to operate correctly.” Players might experience that the new mode will prevent Nintendo Switch software from using the system’s touch screen and will treat attached Joy-Con 2 controllers as a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. To connect other controllers, players will first need to detach the Joy-Con 2 controllers from the console.
In other news, Blue Prince was released for the Nintendo Switch 2 this month with mouse controls. Additionally, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade’s director has stated that the Switch 2 edition is not a port of the PS4 version. What are your thoughts on the Handheld Mode Boost update for the Switch 2? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more information from Insider Gaming, read about the Marathon update 1.0.5, which adds Cryo Archive, along with other changes and fixes. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
