Switch 2 is almost upon us (and in some territories, actually upon us), and with its arrival comes Nintendo’s much-touted day one update. We already knew it was an important one, unlocking a significant amount of the console’s basic functionality, but Nintendo’s patch notes make it clear you won’t be doing much of anything right out of the box on launch day without it.

Switch 2’s 20.1.1 patch is available to download now (not especially useful in the UK at the moment, of course), and opens up a whole raft of fairly fundamental features you otherwise won’t have access to, including ability to play a significant number of games.

Once installed, your inert electronic Nintendo lump will be positively transformed, now capable of running Switch software, accessing Switch Online features including Game Chat, opening Nintendo’s eShop, and more. Notably, the update is also required to use MicroSD Express cards and to run Switch 2 software shipped on a game-key cards – which seems to be the vast majority of third-party physical releases right now.

You’ll be prompted to install the update as part of Switch 2’s set-up process, otherwise you’ll later see the prompt when trying to access any of the features it’s used for. Nintendo’s hasn’t explicitly revealed its download size, but early word suggests it’s pretty svelt – you might just be able to fit in a cuppa while you wait, though, if you turn the kettle on quick. Patch notes!

Will Switch 2’s 20.1.1 update turn Nintendo’s latest console into a must-have machine? It’ll be a little while before Eurogamer’s ready to share some conclusive thoughts, but you can at least read our review of Nintendo’s other controversial, expensive handheld. As for Nintendo’s launch day games, Mario Kart World left Eurogamer’s Chris Tapsell wondering if its there might be more to see after some underwhelming first impressions, while Welcome Tour, conversely, has proven to be an unexpectedly welcome surprise. Even if it does cost £8.