QuickTake: Switch 2 Update gives many Switch 1 games a needed boost
Handheld Boost finally makes Crash: N-Sane Trilogy look good
On March 16, Nintendo released a major software update for the Switch 2 that sticks out for introducing a new feature called 'Handheld Boost Mode'. This forces Switch 1 games to run at a 1080p resolution in handheld mode, up from 720p. You can find it in Settings > System > Nintendo Switch Software Handling.
One thing I've always loved about the Nintendo Switch 2 is how well it runs Switch 1 games in backwards-compatibility mode. A little-known fact is that many of these games are translated in order to work on the newer Switch model in real-time. This is because both systems feature hardware under the hood that's incompatible with one another, so software was written for Switch 1 games to run on the newer console.
Developers have released updates to existing games so they look cleaner and crisper on a Switch 2, but there are still some titles that seemingly have next to no chance of getting similar treatment.
It's understandable, though - there's simply not enough budget to go around to look at previously released games to see if they can look and run better on the more powerful Switch 2 system.
But some games look terrible on the Switch 2, which includes Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy and Spyro: Reignited Trilogy. However, Handheld Boost Mode finally gives them a slightly better shine when in handheld mode on a Switch 2:
Admittedly, you may have to squint at some of the objects here to tell the difference, such as the wampa fruits, the text, the plants to the left, and Crash himself. But you do notice it when playing, and it's great to see. Of course, playing Crash on a PS5 is superior due to the locked 1440p resolution, but it's still a welcome addition that I didn't expect from Nintendo.
Despite Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered looking great in handheld mode anyway, switching on Handheld Boost still makes everything sharper, like the pause menus and Paris in The Angel of Darkness. It's oddly become a fun little game to see which games in my library look better on my Switch 2. But it's worth mentioning that the feature can be a big drain on battery life. JampyL on Reddit did some tests and showed how a Switch 2 can last for 5 hours and 5 minutes with Handheld Boost off, to 3 hours and 43 minutes with it on.
Yet it does highlight how bad some games now look on the original Switch. Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is another that looks terrible in both docked and TV mode. I'd love to see these all get Switch 2 updates that finally put them on par with their PS5 versions.
But at least Handheld Boost Mode finally gives some of these games a better shine, saving some developers the trouble of rolling out a patch. It's yet another example of Nintendo delivering the unexpected, offering a way for both developers and players to reap the benefits of this one mode. Now, if there was a way of having this mode in the Quick Access section when the HOME button is held down, instead of going to Settings every time, even better.
