Just like with any Nintendo console, ensuring backward compatibility for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a major priority in its design. After the unveiling of its specifications, pricing, and additional features such as the Game Key cards, Nintendo has shared details on how the new system handles older games.
It appears that Nintendo has disclosed that certain original Nintendo Switch games may not function using the backward compatibility feature on the Nintendo Switch 2, with potential inconsistencies in actual compatibility. They have provided a list of games that will not work at all and another list detailing titles with compatibility problems.
Nintendo Switch 2 backward compatibility explained
After the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation, an online question-and-answer session clarified that the new system’s backward compatibility is different from how it worked on previous Nintendo consoles. Unlike the Nintendo 3DS which had DS hardware to play older games and the Wii U with Wii hardware, the new console doesn’t have any components from the original Switch for playing classic titles.
Keeping that thought in mind, backward compatibility allows for a blend of software and hardware simulation to convert data from Switch 1 into a format suitable for Switch 2. This process generally ensures good compatibility, but certain games may fail to operate or encounter problems when transferred onto the newer device.
“Switch 2 doesn’t contain any Switch hardware”
Console producer Kouichi Kawamoto
As we embarked on the journey of creating Switch 2, our primary goal was to beef up its hardware prowess, specifically by increasing its potential. To be honest, at the outset, making it compatible with a wide range of games took a back seat. You see, while earlier consoles like the Nintendo DS and Wii games were playable on their successors, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U respectively, achieving similar compatibility with Switch 2 was a challenge due to the fact that our hardware design philosophy differed significantly from those systems.
According to console manufacturer Kouichi Kawamoto, the “Switch 2” doesn’t include any traditional Switch hardware. Instead, it leverages a technology that falls somewhere between a software emulator and hardware compatibility to operate older games.
The company, Nintendo, has hinted that the collection of unplayable Switch games on the latest model may alter. This could happen through game updates within the software itself, system updates to enhance compatibility, or by purchasing upgrades specifically for the new device. Consequently, certain titles might become playable once more on the updated console.
For the latest console generation, it’s not the first instance where similarities have been noticed. Interestingly, the PlayStation 5 doesn’t support all PS4 games through backward compatibility, but almost all games are running smoothly on the updated system now.
On the Nintendo Switch 1, some fantastic titles like Alan Wake, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, and Wolfenstein II are currently exclusive. Here’s hoping Nintendo expedites bringing more games to their new device, but keep in mind there are no guarantees.
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2025-04-03 12:40