Nintendo Switch 2's party trick is bringing the party to everyone, literally

Nintendo showed off a cool new feature called GameShare during yesterday's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. This handy tool lets friends play games together even if only one person actually owns the game.

With GameShare, up to three friends can join in on their own Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 systems without buying the game themselves. It works both when friends are in the same room and when playing online, bringing back memories of the "Download Play" feature that Nintendo DS fans loved years ago.

The GameShare logo itself is a nice nod to fans, resembling the old DS Download Play icon but with a modern twist - just like the feature itself.

Nintendo revealed several games that will work with GameShare when the Switch 2 launches, including Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker , Clubhouse Games , Super Mario Odyssey, and Big Brain Academy. More compatible games will be announced later.

Switch 2 owners can also use the new GameChat feature while using GameShare, letting players talk and video chat while playing shared games online. GameChat will be free until March 2026, after which you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online membership.

What's really nice is that while only Switch 2 consoles can host shared games, people with original Switch and Switch Lite systems can still join in on compatible titles.