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To update a game on Nintendo Switch 2, highlight the game on the HOME Menu, open its options, and choose the software update command. Select the internet update option if it appears. Menu wording can vary, so follow the prompt on your console and check Nintendo’s support page for that specific game if you need its current version or update details.

Update a game from the HOME Menu

  1. Connect the console to the internet. A game update may need an internet connection to download.
  2. Highlight the game on the HOME Menu. If the game is open and the console says it must be closed before updating, close it first.
  3. Open the game’s options and choose the software update command. Select the internet update option if shown.
  4. Follow the on-screen prompts. The console will indicate whether an update is available and what to do next.

Nintendo’s support index directs players to software support pages for title-specific update information. Check the page for your game to confirm its latest version and any release notes: Nintendo Support. Update notices are specific to each title; for example, Nintendo lists version 1.1.1 dated September 24, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2 のひみつ展 (Nintendo’s notice).

Why a game may need an update on Switch 2

Nintendo says some Nintendo Switch software needs downloaded update data to run on Switch 2. Other updates may add a Switch 2-specific experience. Requirements and changes differ by game, so check that title’s official support information rather than assuming every game has the same update or compatibility requirements (Nintendo Switch 2 support).

Check storage if the download will not proceed

An update may require enough free space in system storage or on a supported memory card. Nintendo’s guidance for a Kirby game update notes that sufficient storage may be required and that saved data remains usable after the update data is downloaded (Nintendo game update support).

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#1 Best Overall
Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2)
  • 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

On Switch 2, some update data cannot be moved to microSD Express, and software data may be stored in another location after an update. Check available space and the title’s stated requirements before considering a storage purchase; Nintendo explains these data-management limits here.

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Tell a game update apart from other downloads

Game update

This updates one game. Use the game’s software-update command and consult its title-specific support page for version details.

Rank #2
Star Fox™ - Nintendo Switch 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

Game-key card first-use download

A game-key card requires an internet download of the software data the first time it is played, along with free storage on system memory or microSD Express. That initial download is separate from routine updates (Nintendo game-key card guidance).

Console system update

A system update changes the console’s software, not an individual game. Nintendo says system-update data downloads automatically when the console is connected to the internet; you can also manually update the console through System Settings. Use Nintendo’s system-update instructions for the console procedure: System update support.

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Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2)
Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2)
Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world; Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
$79.00
Bestseller No. 2
Star Fox™ - Nintendo Switch 2
Star Fox™ - Nintendo Switch 2
Blast off on a high-octane adventure to save a star system from invasion; Invite a second player* to join you as a gunner using Nintendo Switch 2 mouse controls
$59.00
Bestseller No. 3
Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2)
Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2)
Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!; A brand-new 3D platforming action adventure starring Donkey Kong and Pauline
$69.00
Bestseller No. 4
Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2
Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2
Meet and befriend more Pokémon as you help nature flourish.; Experience a world with varied weather, real-time days and nights, and other surprises.
$69.00
Rank #4
Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2
  • 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
Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2)
  • 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

If the game still prompts you to update

  • Check the game’s Nintendo support page for its current version and any title-specific instructions.
  • Confirm that the console is online and has enough available storage for the download.
  • Check whether the prompt refers to a game update, a game-key card’s first-use download, or a console system update; these are different processes.
  • Follow the exact wording of the console prompt if it requests that you close the game or take another action.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.