How much bigger are Switch 2 Editions than the Switch 1 version?
By Daniel del Moral Hernández · Updated October 7, 2026
Upgrading a game to its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition usually makes it bigger. Higher-resolution textures, new content and new modes all take space. We compared the official eShop sizes of the Switch 1 version and the Switch 2 Edition for 34 games in the GameSpecsDB database.
The short answer
In October 2026, of those 34 games:
- 29 grew by more than 5%.
- 4 stayed about the same.
- 1 shrank.
Many of them doubled or more. On average, the Switch 2 Edition needs a bit under twice the space of the Switch 1 version.
The biggest jumps
Among games that need more than 3 GB on Switch 2:
| Game | Switch 1 | Switch 2 Edition | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma | 6.1 GB | 18.1 GB | ×3.0 |
| Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 5.8 GB | 16.7 GB | ×2.9 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles 2 | 13.2 GB | 37.7 GB | ×2.9 |
| Sid Meier’s Civilization VII | 8.7 GB | 22.6 GB | ×2.6 |
| Disney Dreamlight Valley | 9.9 GB | 24.6 GB | ×2.5 |
| Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition | 13.7 GB | 33.8 GB | ×2.5 |
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder | 3.7 GB | 8.9 GB | ×2.4 |
| Super Mario Party Jamboree | 5.4 GB | 12.8 GB | ×2.4 |
| Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | 11.6 GB | 26.9 GB | ×2.3 |
| SHUTEN ORDER | 14.3 GB | 28.7 GB | ×2.0 |
In gigabytes, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the largest increase: 24.5 GB more, more than many complete games.
Barely any change
| Game | Switch 1 | Switch 2 Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | 26.3 GB | 27.7 GB |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | 10.6 GB | 10.8 GB |
| Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road | 29.2 GB | 29.3 GB |
| Factorio | 2.6 GB | 2.6 GB |
| Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea | 4.3 GB | 3.4 GB (smaller) |
Games that change little either already had high-quality assets on Switch 1, or the Switch 2 Edition mostly improves performance rather than adding new content.
Why some Editions grow so much
- Higher-resolution textures. Running at 1440p or 4K on a TV needs sharper textures, and textures are the largest part of most games.
- New content. Some packs add a whole new mode or story, like Jamboree TV for Super Mario Party Jamboree or Star-Crossed World for Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
Does the price tell you anything?
Not much. Some free upgrades grow a lot (Disney Dreamlight Valley ×2.5), and some paid ones barely change (Animal Crossing, $4.99, from 10.6 to 10.8 GB). Check the size on the game page, and the price in the list of every upgrade.
What it means for your storage
If you plan to upgrade several Switch 1 games, add up the difference before you do it. Upgrading Kirby, both Xenoblade Chronicles games and Civilization VII, for example, adds around 70 GB compared with the Switch 1 versions. The storage calculator helps you plan, and our guide on Switch 2 Edition, upgrade packs and free updates explains what each upgrade adds.
Common questions
Do physical Switch 2 Editions save space? Nintendo’s Switch 2 Editions in our database all have the full game on the cartridge, so they only store updates and saves. Some third-party Editions are a download code in the box and need the full size.
Sources: Switch 1 and Switch 2 Edition sizes from the official US Nintendo eShop listings, linked on each game page. Data: GameSpecsDB database, October 2026.