The Nintendo Switch 2’s handheld boost mode feature is a literal game-changer for most indie games right now. We’ve obviously gone through a wealth of indies that only see Switch 1 releases, and while they play fine docked on Switch 2, many of them suffer from poor upscaling when played handheld on Switch 2. Until this month, I used to play more Switch 1 games on my Switch OLED just to have proper scaling rather than poorly scaled games on the Switch 2’s screen. Developers for games like UFO 50 took matters into their own hands by adding a pixel perfect option for handheld play, but the new boost mode that lets you play Switch 1 games in their docked profile while handheld on Switch 2 sorts out most things.
Given the sheer amount of quality Switch 1 indies, I’ve put together a list of the best Switch indie games to play on Switch 2 with handheld boost mode. This will include games that benefit from the 1080p rendering, those that aren’t getting a Switch 2 port, and basically just some of the best indie games in many years. This list is in no particular order and will likely be updated as I test more indie games. I also didn’t want to restrict this to just 10 since I will be updating it over time.
Endless Monday: Dreams and Deadlines
Endless Monday (link to review) was a fantastic experience on the original Switch, and while it played fine on Switch 2 (including sorting out any minor performance issues in a specific location), it could’ve benefited from proper 1080p for handheld play. Thanks to boost mode, it now looks better than before with proper scaling. It is now an even easier recommendation, but you will lose touchscreen support, so keep that in mind if you plan on playing it on the go and value touch inputs in a visual novel.
Thank Goodness You’re Here
Thank Goodness You’re Here is one of my favorite experiences in gaming in the last decade, and it was a shame to see it not be in a great state on Switch 1, thanks to regular performance issues. It ran perfectly on Switch 2 through backward compatibility, but it also looks perfect now, thanks to boost mode when played on Switch 2. It doesn’t look a bit soft like it did before.
Streets of Rage 4
Streets of Rage 4 is another game with stunning 2D art that gets a big visual upgrade on Switch 2 thanks to handheld boost mode. The art is now scaled perfectly on the Switch 2’s 1080p screen, and it joins the Steam Deck OLED as my favorite way to play Streets of Rage 4 on the go.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
I didn’t care for the original Yooka-Laylee until I played Replaylee, but Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was always an incredible 2D experience that also had a great Switch port. It ran at a 60 frames per second target, and I loved replaying it on Switch. Moving over to Switch 2, the 720p visuals handheld were very noticeable, and having handheld boost mode immediately elevated it to a great portable experience on Switch 2.
Transistor
Supergiant Games’ Transistor was one of my favorite indies to revisit on Switch, and it was a stunner on the Switch OLED. The aesthetic didn’t suffer too much on Switch 2 handheld, but having a crisp experience would’ve been nice. With no sign of a Switch 2 port, it is good to see handheld boost mode allow for a better visual experience on the go.
Absolum
When I reviewed Absolum (LINK), I covered how I wished for a Switch 2 native release so the art would look as good as it could on the 1080p screen. With no sign of an upgrade, handheld boost mode helps a lot, just like in Streets of Rage 4, to elevate Absolum on Switch 2 from a great to an amazing experience on the go.
OlliOlli World
Having played the first two OlliOlli games on PS Vita, it was a bit disappointing that the newest entry wasn’t in the best state on Switch when it launched. It isn’t bad at all, and the aesthetic was a perfect fit for the OLED screen, but playing it with its docked visuals on Switch 2 with boost mode is a much nicer experience, and there aren’t any performance issues in the levels I tested.
Caves of Qud
Caves of Qud already benefited a ton from having a more capable CPU on Switch 2, but there were some UI elements and other visual oddities when it was scaled up from the Switch 1 handheld 720p experience to 1080p on Switch 2. This wasn’t all noticeable given the game’s aesthetic, but having the docked Switch 1 experience perfectly scaled on the Switch 2 screen is a much nicer way to play Caves of Qud. Caves of Qud itself is a shockingly good RPG that should be spoken about alongside Disco Elysium and the likes.
UFO 50
When I first tried UFO 50 on Switch 2 handheld, I was disappointed with how the gorgeous pixel art was poorly-upscaled and very noticeably done on Switch 2 handheld. A patch allowed for a pixel perfect mode, but it still wasn’t ideal. With handheld boost mode on Switch 2, UFO 50 is now an incredible experience.
Spelunky
Portable Spelunky is one of the main reasons I wanted a PS Vita. It took ages to finally release on Switch, and it remains one of the best indies of all time. I kept hoping for a Switch 2 patch to get crisp visuals on Nintendo’s new hybrid console, but it never happened. Spelunky is also capped at 60 frames per second, so now it is literally perfect on Switch 2 via boost mode.
DUSK
New Blood Interactive’s boomer shooter remains one of the best games of the decade. I’ve been playing it quite a bit on Switch 2, and while the aesthetic doesn’t suffer too much from handheld upscaling, a native 1080p would’ve been good to have. It is now a reality with handheld boost mode, and you have no excuses left. The Switch 2 is now worthy.
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist looked great on the Switch OLED, but had some issues on Switch 2. Thankfully, the latter resolved any performance issues. With handheld boost mode, it looks and runs great on Switch 2 and is now an even easier recommendation.
Hopefully, this helped you find an indie to buy or revisit on Switch 2 with handheld boost mode. If you’re curious about a specific game or would like us to test something for inclusion, feel free to let us know in the comments.
