To update a game on Nintendo Switch 2, select the game on the HOME Menu, open its options, choose the software update command, and select the internet update option if shown. Menu labels can vary, so follow the console’s on-screen prompts and the game’s Nintendo Support page. A game update is separate from a Nintendo Switch 2 system update or the first-time download required for a game-key card.
Update a game from the HOME Menu
- Connect the console to the internet. A network connection is needed to check for and download an internet update.
- Highlight the game’s icon on the HOME Menu. If the game is running and the console says it must be closed before updating, close it and try again.
- Open the game’s options and choose the software-update command. Select the option to update using the internet when it appears, then follow the on-screen prompts.
- Wait for the download and installation to finish. The game’s icon or software information should reflect the available update once the console completes the process.
Nintendo’s general update instructions were not available in the support material reviewed here, so the exact command wording may differ by system version or region. Use the labels shown on your console rather than relying on a particular menu phrase.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2) | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Star Fox™ - Nintendo Switch 2 | $59.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2) | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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Check which update a game needs
Nintendo publishes title-specific update information, including version numbers, dates and release changes where provided. Search Nintendo Support for the game’s name and consult its software support entry for the current details. For example, Nintendo’s notice for Nintendo Switch 2 のひみつ展 lists Ver. 1.1.1 dated September 24, 2026; that version applies to that title, not to games generally. Nintendo Switch 2 software support and Nintendo’s title update notices provide game-specific information.
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Tell a game update apart from other downloads
Game update
A game update changes or adds data for an individual title. Some Nintendo Switch software needs downloaded update data to run on Switch 2, and some updates add a Switch 2-specific experience. Whether a particular game needs an update, and what it changes, depends on the title; check its Nintendo Support entry rather than assuming all games have the same requirement. Nintendo’s software support index links to game-specific details.
#1 Best Overall
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
Switch 2 system update
A system update changes the console’s system software, not an individual game. Nintendo says system-update data is automatically downloaded when the console is connected to the internet; the console can also be updated manually through System Settings. Use Nintendo’s system update instructions for that separate process.
First-time download for a game-key card
A game-key card requires an internet download of the software data the first time it is played, along with free storage space. That initial download is not the same as a later update to the game. Nintendo explains the requirement in its game-key card support information.
Rank #2
- Blast off on a high-octane adventure to save a star system from invasion
- Tear through space, soar across planets, and shoot loads of foes out of the sky at every step of the way
- A cinematic take on the Star Fox 64 story, featuring fully voiced dialogue, an epic orchestral soundtrack, and a complete visual overhaul for the Nintendo Switch 2 system
- Enter first-person mode to experience the action from inside the cockpit, and even use mouse controls to fly
- Invite a second player* to join you as a gunner using Nintendo Switch 2 mouse controls
If the update will not download or install
- Check the connection. Confirm the console is online, then retry the update using the game’s options on the HOME Menu.
- Check free storage. Nintendo notes that some game updates require sufficient space. Review available system storage and the game’s stated data size before considering other storage options. Nintendo also says some update data cannot be moved to microSD Express, and software data may be stored elsewhere after an update. See Nintendo’s data-management guidance.
- Check the title’s support entry. Confirm whether Nintendo lists update data for that specific game and follow any instructions or compatibility details there.
- Identify what the prompt is asking for. If it mentions console software, follow the system-update instructions. If it appears the first time you use a game-key card, it may be the required initial software download instead of a routine update.
Nintendo’s example Kirby update notice says sufficient free space in system storage or a microSD card may be required, and that saved data remains usable after update data is downloaded. That is title-specific guidance, so check the notice for the game you are updating. Kirby software update support.
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Rank #4
- Shape the world and build a cozy new life with Pokémon as a Ditto transformed to look like a human.
- Use other Pokémon’s moves, like Bulbasaur’s Leafage, to revitalize and navigate the world around you.
- Meet and befriend more Pokémon as you help nature flourish.
- Gather materials to create items and furniture, till the fields to grow delicious crops, build homes for the Pokémon you meet, and more—there’s so much to do!
- Experience a world with varied weather, real-time days and nights, and other surprises.
Rank #3
- Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!
- A brand-new 3D platforming action adventure starring Donkey Kong and Pauline
- Bash through just about anything in groundbreaking exploration! Crash through walls and carve tunnels—the more you smash, the more areas open up to you
- Pair up with Pauline to use Bananza Transformations: smash through obstacles with the raw strength of Kong form, gallop with incredible speed as a Zebra, and more
- Team up with a friend in two-player co-op as Donkey Kong and Pauline! Blast foes and terrain alike with Pauline’s voice as you explore together
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