Switch 2 GameShare Launch: Why Survival Kids Stands Alone

Nintendo’s new GameShare feature on Switch 2 promised a nostalgic return to frictionless local co-op—no downloads, no extra purchases, just instant multiplayer. Yet at launch, only one game truly delivers: Konami’s Survival Kids. That’s exciting for fans of couch play, but also a bit maddening.

GameShare at Launch: Survival Kids the Lone Pioneer

• Solo support: Only Survival Kids implements GameShare on day one—a surprising gap in Nintendo’s big local-multiplayer push.
• Shared experience: Up to four players can drop in with one copy, each on their own console.
• Performance trade-off: The host renders the world, streaming to friends—60 fps with two players, 30 fps with three.
• Future hints: Konami teases more GameShare titles, but for now Survival Kids is carrying the torch.

How Survival Kids Makes It Work

The new Survival Kids is a co-op adventure for up to four players, built on the cult Game Boy Color classic (and its DS spin-off, Lost in Blue). One person owns the game; their Switch 2 does the heavy lifting, streaming compressed frames to friends’ consoles. You each get your own view and controls, and you can scavenge, craft and explore together—without everyone having to buy a copy.

That said, the tech isn’t flawless. With two players, gameplay stays at a silky 60 fps. Add a third system, and performance dips to 30 fps. It’s an early-days hiccup, but I’ll gladly accept a frame drop if it means spontaneous local multiplayer makes a comeback.

Family-Friendly Survival

Unlike its predecessor’s brutal permadeath, this version of Survival Kids is forgiving. You can respawn after mistakes, making it a more accessible, family-oriented co-op. It’s a welcome pivot from the current trend of hyper-hardcore survival games—sometimes you just want to build, explore and laugh together without fearing a one-shot game over.

What’s Next for GameShare?

History teaches us to be cautious—remember StreetPass and DS Download Play? Unless more developers, including Nintendo’s first-party teams, embrace GameShare, it risks becoming a gimmick. Imagine Mario Kart, Smash Bros. or Rhythm Heaven with this tech. For now, if you own a Switch 2 and a group of friends who miss true couch co-op, Survival Kids is your proof of concept. Buy it, play it, and maybe together we can convince the industry that local multiplayer still matters.

TL;DR

Switch 2’s GameShare revives real-world multiplayer by letting friends share one copy. Survival Kids is the only launch title to back it up—more support is needed to make GameShare a game-changer.

Feature	Specification
Publisher	Konami
Release Date	April 2, 2025
Genres	Co-op Survival, Family, Adventure
Platform	Nintendo Switch 2