Pikmin 3 Deluxe Update 1.2.0 Adds GameShare and a Sharper Image, but Only on Switch 2
Nintendo has pushed Pikmin 3 Deluxe to Ver. 1.2.0, and the whole update lands on one console. On Nintendo Switch 2 the game now renders at a higher resolution for the system's screen and for high-resolution televisions, and it picks up GameShare support for Bingo Battle. On the original Nintendo Switch, Nintendo's own patch notes say the same thing twice over: no changes have been made.
That is a strange thing to see on a game that came out in October 2020, and stranger still on one that started life as a Wii U release in 2013. It is also the clearest sign yet that Nintendo is quietly working back through its Switch catalogue rather than charging for every upgrade.
What the Pikmin 3 Deluxe Switch 2 update actually changes
Nintendo lists three items, all of them Switch 2 only:
- Support for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution televisions, for a sharper image in both docked and handheld play.
- Support for GameShare.
- New "Local Play" and "Via GameChat" options under Bingo Battle on the title screen.
Nintendo has not published an output resolution figure, so the exact pixel count is unconfirmed. What it has confirmed is the scope: this is a free software update delivered through the normal Software Update menu, not a paid Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade of the kind Nintendo has sold for some of its bigger first-party titles.
One caveat buried at the bottom of the support page: the free demo has not been updated. "Pikmin 3 Deluxe Demo ver." is still on Ver. 1.1.3, so anyone testing the game before buying will not see the sharper image or the GameShare options.
How GameShare changes Bingo Battle
GameShare is the Switch 2 feature that lets one owner temporarily hand a game to a nearby console that does not own a copy. Adding it to Pikmin 3 Deluxe means Bingo Battle — the competitive two-player mode where each side races to collect a row of assigned items — can now be played off a single purchase.
The two new title-screen entries split that by distance. "Local Play" covers players sitting in the same room. "Via GameChat" sends the shared session over Nintendo's online voice and screen-sharing layer, which is where the Switch 2's Nintendo Switch Online requirement comes in. Players on the Pikmin subreddit were already swapping friend codes for online Bingo Battle within hours of the update going live.
Which consoles get it, and which do not
Switch 2 owners get everything above the moment they install Ver. 1.2.0. Original Switch and Switch Lite owners get the version bump and nothing else — the patch notes for that hardware are a single line saying no changes have been made. There is no Switch 2 Edition to buy, no separate SKU, and no upgrade pack.
The update is small enough that Nintendo has not quoted a download size, unlike the far heavier Switch 2 ports the site has covered — Oblivion Remastered's 61.5GB download on Switch 2 sits at the other end of that scale entirely.
Part of a wider Switch 2 back-catalogue pass
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is not an isolated case. Ver. 1.1.2 and Ver. 1.1.3, both from June 2025, existed purely to fix a Switch 2 screen-flicker bug that appeared when the game ran on the newer hardware. Nintendo has spent the months since patching older Switch software into better shape on Switch 2 rather than leaving it to backwards compatibility alone, and third parties have followed — Mojang's Minecraft closed beta on Switch 2 more than doubled render distance on the same principle.
The franchise itself is in reasonable health on the new console. Nintendo's other Pikmin-adjacent Switch 2 release has performed well, with Pokemon Pokopia clearing 5 million sales in just over four months. Switch 2 hardware pricing, meanwhile, has moved the other way in some regions, with a confirmed Switch 2 price increase in the UK taking the console to £419.99.
How to install it
Highlight the Pikmin 3 Deluxe icon on the HOME Menu without launching the game, press the + or − button, then choose Software Update followed by Via the Internet. The version number under the software title should read Ver. 1.2.0 once it is done. Both players need the same version to play together, which matters more than usual now that Bingo Battle reaches people who do not own the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pikmin 3 Deluxe have a Switch 2 upgrade?
Yes, and it is free. Ver. 1.2.0 adds support for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution televisions, giving a sharper image both docked and in handheld mode. There is no paid Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Pikmin 3 Deluxe to buy — the improvements arrive through the standard software update.
What does the Pikmin 3 Deluxe 1.2.0 update change on the original Switch?
Nothing. Nintendo's patch notes state plainly that no changes have been made when playing on Nintendo Switch. Switch and Switch Lite owners will still see the version number move to Ver. 1.2.0, but the resolution boost and GameShare support are exclusive to Switch 2 hardware.
How does GameShare work in Pikmin 3 Deluxe?
GameShare lets a Switch 2 owner temporarily share the game with another console that does not own a copy, so Bingo Battle can be played from a single purchase. Two new options appear under Bingo Battle on the title screen: Local Play for people in the same room, and Via GameChat for sharing over Nintendo's online chat layer.
How big is the Pikmin 3 Deluxe 1.2.0 download?
Nintendo has not published a download size for this update, and it is a small optimisation patch rather than new content. To install it, highlight the game on the HOME Menu without launching it, press the + or − button, then pick Software Update and Via the Internet.
Did the Pikmin 3 Deluxe demo get the update too?
No. Nintendo notes that the update data has not been released for Pikmin 3 Deluxe Demo ver., which remains on Ver. 1.1.3. Anyone trying the demo on Switch 2 will not get the sharper image or the new GameShare options until Nintendo distributes a demo update.
