The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been revealed, and with it, there’s a lot of information to take in about the system, including what will happen to our Nintendo Switch library.
After all, the games industry doesn’t always guarantee backward compatibility with older systems, so many people want to know if Switch 2 will be backward compatible from launch before they buy the new system.
Can you play Switch games on Nintendo Switch 2?
Yes, the Nintendo Switch 2 is backward compatible with Nintendo Switch games, though there are some exceptions.
While Nintendo announced in its first-look trailer that Switch 2 can play Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch games, there were some exceptions to the rule. In a footnote on the trailer, Nintendo said certain Nintendo Switch games “may not be supported or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.
While Nintendo didn’t give a list of games that won’t be fully supported, we have to imagine that it is referring to games like Nintendo LABO and Ring Fit Adventure, which require the joystick to be a specific size or have peripherals that need the original Switch model to function correctly. Games that require original Joystick features like 1-2 Switch might also be on the chopping block.
Nintendo specified that the details of which games aren’t compatible will be shared on the Nintendo website later, likely in April when the Switch 2 Direct concludes on April 2.
If you plan to trade in your Switch for a Switch 2, there are a few healthy reminders about transferring safe data between both systems. We won’t know how Switch 2 will transfer Switch save data for older games onto the new console. Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons also require the installation of a specific app to transfer island data.
There are still a host of other details we need to confirm, but at least we know the majority of our Switch 1 library is usable on Switch 2, so most of us can trade in our older devices if we wish when the console launches sometime in 2025.
Published: Jan 16, 2025 09:23 am