As anyone who’s tried to use it knows all too well, the original Nintendo Switch eShop was a complete mess. Mostly built using web technologies and frameworks rather than as a native console app, the system was laggy to the point of being almost unusable, with many saying it was easier to buy digital games from Nintendo’s website than through the console itself.

It was a complete joke, especially in comparison to the version released later on the Switch 2.

But now things seem to be looking up for the original system. Why? Because in the latest update for the console, Nintendo have not only remade the Switch eShop app, but actually made it function well too. Here’s a post from Daniel Vukovic on Bluesky showing how much faster you can scroll through items:

Look at it gooooooo

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— Daniel Vuckovic (@vook64.bsky.social) 16 June 2026 at 02:45

As well as a useful video from Nintendo Life showing how much more quickly the system loads:

Yeah, it’s not perfect. There are definitely a few areas that lag a bit more than they should do, and it’s stylistically nowhere near as interesting as the Switch 2 version.

But it’s certainly a major improvement, that’s for sure. It actually feels like a console app now (despite still not being a native solution), and it makes buying digital games somewhat manageable on the console.

It also adds a few nifty new features too. Indeed, as per the patch notes in version 22.5.0, these are the changes Nintendo recently made to the app:

Ver. 22.5.0 (Released June 15, 2026)

• The Nintendo eShop layout has been redesigned.
  • The Nintendo eShop color will now reflect the theme color if your theme in System Settings is set to “Basic Dark.”
• User-Verification PIN can now be used to confirm when “Accessing Nintendo eShop” and “Using Saved Payment Methods.”
• Added the ability to rewind 10 seconds/advance 10 seconds with the ZL and ZR Buttons when watching a full screen video in News or Nintendo eShop.

So, if your console uses dark mode, the eShop won’t burn your eyes anymore. It’ll actually look consistent with the console’s user interface.

Regardless, that’s how the eShop has been updated on Switch 1. It’s now far better than it used to be, and actually functions as you’d expect a system like this to function.

Here’s hoping other parts of the console follow suit in good time!

Source:

The Original Switch eShop isn’t Awful Anymore (Nintendo Life)