The Best Switch RPGs to Play Using Switch 2 Handheld Boost Mode
After testing dozens of games following the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 in my backward compatibility features, I usually lament how most Switch 1 games scale on the Switch 2 screen when playing in handheld mode. Today's system update added handheld boost mode to run Switch 1 games as if in TV mode when playing on Switch 2. This is a massive upgrade for the platform and it also will dramatically improve how many games look on the go when played on Switch 2. With how notable some of the upgrades are, I've put together a list that I will maintain and update over time to cover the best Switch RPGs to play using Switch 2 handheld boost mode. As for the games featured, I've included any relevant games that we have covered on RPG Site so far including the likes of Ace Attorney so it will not be pure RPGs.
Note: Before getting to the actual games, I initially used Switch 2 handheld capture which is still capped to 720p (and does not use PNG images) for Switch 1 games. This meant the comparison images in the initial set of games I tested in March 2026 will not give you the full picture, but they still showcased some good upgrades. I recommend loading all the images below fully and zooming in to see differences in resolution, clarity, edge smoothness, and in some cases even visual settings that I describe in the text. For new games tested from April 2026, I have a better way to showcase improvements. This article has been updated on April 14, 2026 to add more games.
The best Switch RPGs to play with handheld boost mode on Switch 2
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim already benefited from the Switch 2 backward compatibility with performance boosts to the combat sequences that had major issues on Switch 1. On Switch 2 using boost mode in handheld, you get a higher resolution experience, but it isn't game-changing outside of select locations. 13 Sentinels has always looked good even on Switch 2 with how its aesthetic scales, but the boost mode's major change is in having all the font and UI elements also crisp now.
Ace Attorney Trilogy
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy on Switch 1 was my favorite version of the game. It unfortunately looked soft when played on Switch 2 through backward compatibility since it was using the 720p Switch 1 handheld profile on Switch 2 with its 1080p screen. With boost mode, you get a full 1080p image, but lose out on touchscreen support. That may or may not be important to you, but I value touchscreen support in the Ace Attorney games a lot (whenever implemented). Touchscreen aside, this is a good boost to playing handheld.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dragon Quest Builders 2 notoriously ran poorly on Switch 1. When I covered it via Switch 2 backward compatibility, I noted the performance boost. While it wasn't 60fps locked, it was a huge improvement over the game on Switch 1. When using boost mode, you get a bump in resolution making it look perfectly crisp on the 1080p screen in the areas I tested, but the frame rate takes a hit with noticeable drops even early on. I'm not sure if VRR is enabled and working, but I could tell the frame rate was fluctuating. I would stick to playing this without boost mode in handheld mode right now.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Dragon Quest XI S was a great port on Switch despite its image quality and other cuts. It had a subnative resolution both docked and handheld on Switch 1. When played on Switch 2, it didn't suffer from any performance issues, but the handheld Switch profile did not look even close to good on the Switch 2's 1080p screen. Using boost mode, you get quite a big bump in resolution taking it above 720p now. It was quite a bit below 720p when played on Switch 1 and without boost mode on Switch 2. With the higher resolution in boost mode, I also noticed distant objects in the environment resolve better as you can see in the image below.
Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection
The Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection had no real issues on Switch 1, but when playing the remasters on Switch 2 on the go, there were some elements like portraits and other images that weren't as crisp as they should be. When using boost mode, not only is everything crisp, but even the backgrounds look a bit nicer. There is one downside though. When using boost mode here, the touchscreen is disabled. If you played with a stylus for the map, you will not be able to do that when boost mode is enabled.
Fire Emblem Warriors
Fire Emblem Warriors back on Switch 1 offered a 720p 30fps target when handheld and 1080p 30fps or 720p 60fps options when played docked. On Switch 2, it already always ran at the frame rate cap, but now with boost mode, you can get access to the 720p 60fps performance mode while playing handheld or opt for a crisp 1080p 30fps experience. The docked profile for Fire Emblem Warriors was a big upgrade over handheld play back when it debuted, and it is great to see it available now on Switch 2 handheld via boost mode.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes was a subnative resolution release both docked and handheld on the original Switch. It also ran at an uncapped frame rate. With Switch 2 backward compatibility, it was a nice 60fps experience both docked and handheld, but the image quality handheld wasn't great. With boost mode, it looks crisper handheld with 1080p UI, but I noticed some regular dips early on while testing in a few locations. I will revisit this over the coming days and play more to see how it holds up performance wise. The lack of good anti-aliasing is still very noticeable, but the resolution bump is definitely welcome using boost mode. There are also other changes like texture filtering and shadows with some of it being visible below:
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses was a fantastic game that was quite rough technically. Not only did it have performance issues, but the raw image had a lot of jagged edges and shimmering throughout. When played on Switch 2, it ran fine with a 30fps target, but the visuals left a lot to be desired. Using boost mode on Switch 2 handheld, you get a much-nicer image, though it still has jagged edges. It is a big improvement as far as I'm concerned even during conversations let alone in battles.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate on Switch had a 720p 30fps target handheld and 1080p 30fps target docked. The UI used lower resolution assets though for some 2D elements. When played on Switch 2, it didn't look bad, but was a bit soft handheld. With boost mode, it is a proper match for the panel screen and is now the best way to play one of the best Monster Hunter games out there.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Monster Hunter Stories 2 was not a great experience on Switch 1 with its uncapped and very variable frame rate both docked and handheld. When played on Switch 2, it got a nice boost to hitting its frame rate cap at all times whenever I checked. With boost mode, not only do you get the performance boost via backward compatibility, but also a much crisper experience. The Switch 1 release wasn't a full 1080p throughout, but it does look very good (despite the lack of proper anti-aliasing on Switch 1 docked) when played on Switch 2 handheld using boost mode.
NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition
NieR: Automata on Switch 1 was a very impressive port all things considered. When playing on Switch 2 via backward compatibility, it saw more stable performance, but nothing notable beyond that. Using boost mode, you get a much nicer handheld image with a 1080p target, but there is still a lot of shimmering and the low resolution textures from before are still very visible even when using boost mode handheld. If you do plan on playing this on Switch 2, boost mode is definitely the way to go though.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was a great-looking remake already, but when playing it handheld on Switch 2, the 720p didn't scale up as well as I had hoped. It didn't look bad, but I kept hoping for a Switch 2 upgrade. With boost mode, not only are the characters crisper, but the UI is now a proper match for the handheld panel. While it isn't the 60fps upgrade I wanted, boost mode is more than enough of an upgrade for me to replay this remake.
Persona 4 Golden
Persona 4 Golden now looks a lot better handheld with it matching the 1080p panel. There is also less shimmering while moving around since it isn't a 720p game running at 1080p anymore, though the lack of good anti-aliasing results in some shimmering even with boost mode enabled. The UI and other 2D elements are also crisp now across the board.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Pokemon Legends: Arceus on Switch 1 ran at a good resolution for Switch 1 games, but it had no anti-aliasing resulting in an experience that had jagged edges and shimmering. When played on Switch 2 handheld, the jagged edges are more noticeable with it running at the Switch 1's 720p profile, but this sees a nice increase using boost mode to the dynamic 1080p experience the game featured docked. It still has jagged edges, but there are less issues than before when playing on the go. There are no other improvements to the game's visuals on Switch 2.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Tales of Vesperia already saw a big boost to performance when played on Switch 2 as I covered in my Tales of series feature. The visuals when played handheld were not great though. With boost mode, you get much better image quality and the same boost to performance making this a fantastic way to play Tales of Vesperia on the go.
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-
The Hundred Line has issues with how it scales portraits on both PC and Switch, but it suffered even more when rendered on the Switch 2 handheld screen when it came to portraits. With boost mode using the docked profile while playing on the go, not only do you see stable 30fps, but also portraits and other 2D elements look a lot better than before. It is now a much better handheld experience on Switch 2 and I still hope we see a 60fps official native release in the future.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure
Both Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure on Switch were already better than the PS4 versions thanks to PH3/Durante handling the Switch ports. These ports had the PC-specific features and visual improvements over PS4. They also rendered at a native resolution on Switch docked and handheld. When played on Switch 2, they were 720p handheld, but are now 1080p with boost mode. This applies to not just the 3D models and effects, but also the UI and portraits that look nicer with crisp fonts.
Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlord was already essentially perfect on Switch OLED with native (or close) resolution with a 60fps target. On Switch 2 with boost mode, Unicorn Overlord gets a similar upgrade as 13 Sentinels with crisper visuals. I've not noticed anything out of the ordinary here and having all the text and UI elements look better when playing handheld is a welcome change.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition was already a nice upgrade over Xenoblade 2 and Torna when it comes to the image you see on the console both docked and handheld. With boost mode, not only do you get an increase in resolution when playing handheld, but also screen-space reflections from the Switch 1 docked mode while playing handheld on Switch 2 using boost mode.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Torna
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is notorious for how it looked handheld and with boost enabled, you see improvements right from the title screen. While it obviously doesn't look as clean as newer Xenoblade games, boost mode helps a ton with post-processing making characters look less oversharpened as you can see with Mythra in the image below. The UI in Xenoblade 2 is also now properly 1080p when playing handheld. Torna also benefits from boost mode, though it already improved on what Xenoblade Chronicles 2 did visually.
April 2026 Update
For the comparison images below, I've used off-screen photos and the Switch 2 accessibility zoom options to properly show the differences given the handheld capture limitations on Switch 2. While this is obviously not how you will see things on the console since they will not be as zoomed in, it is a great way to showcase the differences and visual improvements using handheld boost mode.
XCOM 2 Collection
XCOM 2 Collection for Switch was already very interesting on Switch 2 through backward compatibility since it ran with a 60fps target now. While not the same, it is similar to how the original Mario + Rabbids game felt like a 30fps target game on Switch 1, but it runs well above that on Switch 2. XCOM 2 rarely hit a solid 30fps with it mostly well below that, but also a bit above sometimes. It never felt good. On Switch 2, it is a much better experience basically nearly topping out at its resolution and frame rate caps. I noticed the frame rate drops a bit more with handheld boost mode enabled though on Switch 2, but you do get improved resolution, textures, foliage, and filtering.
NEO: The World Ends With You
NEO: The World Ends With You was quite a rough experience on Switch 1 with lots of jagged edges and an unstable frame rate. It already improved considerably on Switch 2 through backward compatibility improving the frame rate. With handheld boost mode, it also looks a lot better when playing on the go. While it still isn't as clean as it should be, this is a big improvement and I can now recommend playing it on Switch 2 without big caveats.
SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions
When SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions finally released in the West, I remember being disappointed with the constant hitching on Switch 1. It ran worse on Switch than it did on a much older iPhone I tested on back then. Thankfully, the performance issues were sorted via Switch 2 backward compatibility. With handheld boost mode, not only do you get the solid performance, but also improved visuals across textures, character models, and the UI matching the screen resolution. Since it is unlikely that Square Enix will ever revisit this, I'm glad to have a good portable version I can recommend on Switch 2, especially since this has a physical release as well that I bought in Asia.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance benefited from Switch 2 backward compatibility with stable performance and more as I covered here. Using handheld boost mode on Switch 2, you get better resolution (but not by too much) and a native UI match for the 1080p screen. I've included two comparison images for this one to show the bump in resolution and for the UI:
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox was not even close to a good experience on Switch and it was just about playable on base PS4 when it released. It saw improvements via Switch 2 backward compatibility already as I covered here, but still looked quite bad handheld. With handheld boost mode on Switch 2, you get a good visual upgrade. I've included two comparison images to show the resolution upgrade, but it also helps with UI and other aspects.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana suffered from a lot of shimmering and flickering issues on Switch both docked and handheld. It also had performance issues that got sorted when played on Switch 2 via backward compatibility as I covered here. When using handheld boost mode, the resolution increase is very good, but there is still a bit too much shimmering and flickering in the foliage and shadows for my liking. This is still a good improvement over the Switch version handheld. Hopefully PH3 and NIS America do a native Switch 2 release for both Ys VIII and Ys IX in the future.
Fate/Samurai Remnant
Fate/Samurai Remnant gets one of the biggest upgrades through handheld boost mode on Nintendo Switch 2. Not only is the resolution improved, but a lot of foliage that was cut for handheld mode is now present when playing on the go. It also has a better level of detail compared to before. Hopefully Koei Tecmo can do a native Switch 2 release with 60fps though. I've included three comparison images below. Two of them are zoomed in, but one uses handheld capture.
Etrange Overlord
I have not tried the PS5 version, but Etrange Overlord on Steam Deck was excellent with the highest settings and locked performance going well above 60fps as well. The Switch port on Switch 2 looked rough, but handheld boost mode gives it a notable image quality upgrade. It still could use better anti-aliasing and a 60fps target instead of being capped right now to 30fps, but this is now a solid way to play Etrange Overlord on the go.
The DioField Chronicle
The DioField Chronicle was a competent experience on Switch when I first played it. It was capped at 30fps, but ended up being my preferred way to play it on the go back then. With Switch 2's handheld boost mode, the resolution is notably better alongside improvements to textures and shadows in certain scenes when playing handheld. Hopefully we get a sequel in the future and a Switch 2 patch for 60fps.
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG on Switch 1 targeted 60fps both docked and handheld with native resolutions, but there wasn't any anti-aliasing. With handheld boost mode on Switch 2, you get a 1080p 60fps experience with no drops like on Switch 1. This is a bare-bones upgrade, but it is great for portable play. The comparison below shows the resolution upgrade when using boost mode, but ignore the color differences as I ran into a lighting issue taking a photograph of the screen.
Pentiment
Pentiment already was a great Switch port delivering a native resolution both docked and handheld on the original Switch. On Switch 2, it looked a bit soft, but boost mode makes it perfect. There isn't anything else of note here. It is an incredible portable experience now.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
Monster Hunter Rise and Sunbreak had regular drops below 30fps when playing online, with even solo play suffering in maps like the Flooded Forest. On Switch 2, the frame rate got sorted with it hitting the 30fps cap, but the image quality was not even close to great when playing handheld. With Switch 2 handheld boost mode, it runs at a higher resolution, but it isn't close to the panel's 1080p, barring the UI. It also lacks anti-aliasing so you have jagged edges regardless of how you play Rise on Switch or Switch 2. This is still a welcome upgrade since Capcom appears to not be interested in revisiting Rise.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story on Switch wasn't a bad experience, but it was a lot better on PS5 even over PC. Square Enix released a high resolution video pack post-launch for PC, but the Switch version was always capped to 30fps and 1080p. For a game like this, that was not a huge issue, but it did look quite soft when it comes to the 3D elements and UI on Switch 2. With handheld boost mode, this is no longer an issue and it is now worth playing on Switch 2 portably. Hopefully it gets a Switch 2 upgrade with 4K video and 60fps gameplay support though.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails was notable for being Falcom's first internal Nintendo Switch port ever. It was a competent port, but the draw distance and lack of good anti-aliasing were disappointing. With handheld boost mode on Switch 2, it looks a lot better when played handheld thanks to the resolution boost, but could still use good anti-aliasing to remove the jagged edges since there is some shimmering while running around.
Transistor
Supergiant Games' amazing Transistor was one of my favorite indies on Switch. I had only minor complaints with the performance, but it looked amazing on the Switch OLED. The Switch 2 already sorted the performance issues via backward compatibility, but handheld boost mode makes the handheld experience much better.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was already a big step up over other Xenoblade games on Switch when it comes to image quality, and this helps with how much better it can look using handheld boost mode on Switch 2. While both docked and handheld saw boosts to performance by reducing the drops almost completely, it now also looks a lot better handheld. To showcase the difference, I used two different scenes featuring the most important character in the game.
This article will be updated when I finish testing another batch of games and will be maintained to cover notable Switch 1 RPGs that don't get Switch 2 native releases. If you want me to test a specific game, feel free to reach out. I aim to have about 10 to 15 or so tested for every update.