Topic: Option to run Switch 1 games in docked mode on Switch 2

@Mellified
So network engineer from the mid 00s then.....

....... suddenly it all makes sense why you can't understand me
🤠

Step 1: Gather requirements
Step 2: Simplify the requirements
Step 3: Polish
Step 4: Release
Step 5: Cycle back to step 1

Although more accurately translated as:
Step 1: Misunderstand what's possible
Step 2: Ignore everything done in Step 1
Step 3: Get distracted by shiny things
Step 4: "Ahh, lets just send it anyways"
Step 5: Panic when everything is on fire

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

My solution to this issue is to use the Viture glasses and mobile pro dock with the Switch 2. Since the mobile pro puts the Switch 2 in docked mode all games run at maximum performance. Works great so far.

Looks like someone at Nintendo agreed with me. New firmware has the option to run Switch 1 games in docked mode.

https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a...

Glad they sorted it out, some games truly needed it.

Too bad it disables touch inputs; perhaps it would benefit from being a per-title option?

Glad they did this. This makes the Xenoblades enjoyable undocked. XC2 saw probably the biggest glow-up. It looks great! Not as good as a proper Switch 2 edition, but Gormott, in particular, doesn't look like a blurry mess anymore.

@Eel
There appear to be some titles which don't support the option from what I've seen said about it. And obviously games with S2 targeted patches don't need it

As I was saying in my comments from last year, this was always possible and it's a welcome addition. But you don't just send something like this out without extensive testing. Hopefully this firmware update lays waste to some of the complaints from the usual suspects but I suspect they'll just find something else to move on to

@skywake if I’m not mistaken, there’s a few switch games that just have no docked mode at all.

I assume those would be that don’t support it. Unless there’s a list?

This was my only real complaint with the Switch 2 hardware so it to see it added just like 🫰 that, is fantastic even if a little late!

@Eel
Not sure but I have seen some comments saying it doesn't apply to some games. Whether that's because those games don't have a docked mode and people just aren't aware of it? Hard to tell. Either way I wouldn't be surprised if a subset of games have issues with it

Anyways, certainly a positive move. And I would expect more improvements along these lines to release over time. Hopefully VRR docked is next on the list

Such a brilliant feature to add so the 1080p display is better utilised and you now have a middle performance layer of playing Switch 1 games at Switch 1 docked quality even as a portable. Absolutely brilliant Nintendo have done this I just hope it doesn't mean their digital Switch 1 games go up in price now that they offer a higher performance level in portable mode. So you can play Zelda BOTW at 720p portably, 1080p portably and Switch 2 enhanced so 3 performance levels. The only issue I can see for Nintendo is the motivation to buy upgrade packs has gone down if there is less of a gap between docked portable mode and enhanced Switch 2 especially if perhaps docked portable mode has longer battery runtime.

I've yet to buy any upgrade packs for Switch 1 games and this is motivating me even less to do so. So far I've just gone for the free upgrades like No Mans Sky.

A lot of Switch 2 upgrades (like the BotW and TotK ones) don't just upgrade the resolution though, but also FPS, texture quality, lighting, etc. So I don't see this boost feature really competing with them. But with some of the lazier S2 upgrades, such as the Animal Crossing and Xenoblade Chronicles X ones, it could be a valid alternative, since those don't have upgraded textures or anything like that (and the AC one didn't even bump the FPS to 60 like the XCX one did).

I guess the best-case scenario is that in the future Nintendo will put more effort into all of these upgrades to make them more appealing when compared to the boost mode, instead of releasing some incredibly bare-bones ones like the XCX upgrade.

I understand your point completely but for tightwads like me, upgraded textures and lighting doesn't make a compelling argument to upgrade and where as 60fps does a bit more it really depends on how it is implemented. I've had huge upgrades on my PS4 games getting free upgrades to PS5 versions with huge updates in visuals and frame rates it is still a bit of a culture shock to have to pay for them on Switch 2. Zelda BOTW on Switch 2 still looks massively inferior to emulated versions with true native 4K and 60fps plus other modified options to do with draw distances and other effects which are free upgrades. I see no legal issue in playing Zelda BOTW emulated when I own the original cartridge. Yes I can't play those hugely upgraded versions on the go but playing Switch 1 docked quality as a portable and playing it massively enhanced on PC at home are not bad options. I struggle to see the actual benefit to me of paying £7.99 for the upgrade. I only paid about £20 for the cartridge second hand.

I do feel this update will mean more Switch 2 consoles are sold but might mean less people pay for upgrades ultimately. Personally I feel the upgrades are too expensive for what they offer and so have made the decision to invest the money in new games to me rather than minor visual updates for my older titles which I no longer play as much nowadays anyway.

Yeah, this certainly doesn't replace Switch 2 Editions and Switch 2 enhancement patches. In part because a lot of those also add stuff like improved textures, improved base framerates and higher resolutions when docked. Especially true when you consider the fact that a lot of Switch games didn't hit 1080p/60 docked anyways

The example of BotW, the original was 900p/30fps docked which doesn't really match with the 1080p/60 of the Switch 2 Edition handheld, and certainly not the 1440p/60 docked. Also there are some Switch 2 enhanced Switch games which hit 4K, or 120Hz, this boost mode doesn't give you that. And that's before you consider improved asset quality, better AA treatments, longer draw distances, better loading times etc. Not saying all Switch 2 enhanced games do these things, but some do and there's still a place for it

But what the boost mode does do is, with rare exception and ignoring the OLED model's improved display, largely negate the main advantage the Switch held over the Switch 2 playing Switch games. If you can play Switch games as if you were playing docked without being docked? Given the number of games that had to scale back for portable mode on Switch, that's a whole lot of games that now run much better on Switch 2. For no cost to the end user or the developer

Certainly a big win and it probably stops me wondering about whether Rhythm Heaven will get a Switch 2 Edition or when/if Smash Bros will get a patch. Probably even stops me having much interest in the SMB Wonder Switch 2 Edition TBH. But I don't think it kills the hype for Switch 2 Editions entirely. I'm still happy that Mina the Hollower will have a 120fps Switch 2 version, I'll still be hyped if Nintendo announces a Switch 2 Edition for Pikmin 4 or something

Upgrades are great when well done, but ultimately the massive Switch 1 catalog will have many games that never get updated. This feature is a huge win for consumers, who can at least get the best version of the vast majority of Switch 1 games.

I am disappointed Nintendo hasn’t included a per-game override to the global setting though. No one wants to dig through the settings menu to change this option for the games where it doesn’t make sense. Maybe in firmware v23.

I couldn't help noticing that one of the Xenoblade games is better on Switch 2 in docked Switch 1 mode than the Switch 2 upgrade. I realise this is going to be a very, very rare situation but just seemed funny in this instance paying extra money to get an inferior looking game. The frame rate is higher though but overall it is still seen as inferior because of the awful graphics.

Im curious if outside of the battery drain increase (which should still be okay since i dont imagine it would reach the levels of more intensive native switch 2 games) and the obvious inability to use the touchscreen if there is any known issues brought on by this feature in general such as overall input latency increase compared to just playing it normally on switch 2, i did see someone mention it but that was just in some comment thread on reddit so unsure if its something which is an actual issue with the mode or if they are just playing games which generally have input latency.

@Mgalens There's a known issue where attached Joy-Cons will be treated as a Pro Controller, presumably because you can't normally control a docked Switch with attached Joy-Cons. That means that if you want to use them as Joy-Cons, you'll need to detach them first, which obviously isn't convenient for handheld play.

This will increase latency slightly, but not any more than if you were using detached Joy-Cons to play on a docked Switch.

Other than that, I'd expect that there will be a whole load of quirks with individual games. Even with an extensive testing program, I doubt that much more than the first party games and a few of the higher profile third party games got much more than starting up and a few minutes of basic play, because the Switch library is so huge.

I would be curious to see how much battery life you'd get while playing Dragon Quest Builders 2 in boost mode. In my opinion, no other game taxed the Switch 1 battery as hard as DQB 2.

I ran a whole bunch of Switch 1 games in Boost Mode and took off-screen pics for reference.

Fire Emblem Three Houses

Pikmin 4

Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak

DOOM

Bayonetta 3

Xenoblade Chronicles DE

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Immortals Fenyx Rising

Nier Automata

Sniper Elite 4

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

And these were screenshotted from a video comparison.