Nintendo Switch 2 Compatibility Updates: Mario Kart, Pikmin 3, and Metaphor
Nintendo is continuing its push to bring first-party and third-party titles up to speed on the Switch 2, with a wave of updates and announcements landing in early September 2026. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe received a headline-grabbing patch that adds Switch 2-specific features, including 8-player split-screen multiplayer and a mammoth 96-course VS Race marathon mode, making one of the best-selling games of all time feel fresh again on the new hardware. Meanwhile, Pikmin 3 Deluxe quietly became the 18th first-party Switch game to receive a free Switch 2 update, bringing improved visuals and GameShare support to Olimar's colorful adventure.
On the third-party side, Atlus opened pre-orders for the Switch 2 version of Metaphor: ReFantazio and released a new gameplay trailer showcasing how the acclaimed JRPG will look and play on Nintendo's latest console. Together, these updates paint a picture of a robust and growing Switch 2 library that bridges the old generation with the new, giving players compelling reasons to revisit familiar favorites while the platform's exclusive catalog continues to build.
Key Insights
- 1Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Switch 2 update introduces 8-player split-screen multiplayer and a 96-course VS Race mode, dramatically expanding local multiplayer possibilities.
- 2Pikmin 3 Deluxe is now the 18th first-party Switch title to receive a free Switch 2 update, signaling Nintendo's sustained commitment to backward-compatibility enhancements.
- 3Metaphor: ReFantazio's Switch 2 version entered pre-orders alongside a new gameplay trailer, marking a notable third-party push onto the platform.
- 4The cluster of updates arriving in a single week suggests Nintendo and its partners are accelerating the pace of Switch 2 compatibility rollouts.
- 5Free visual and feature upgrades for existing owners lower the barrier for Switch players to transition to the Switch 2 without repurchasing their libraries.
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