Backward compatibility when a new console like the Switch 2's June 5th release.

However, backward compatibility isn't always as simple as putting the old game into the new console. It can be complex, particularly with Switch games, as there are some fundamental differences between the original console and its up-and-coming successor. This is one problem that Nintendo has been hard at work to solve, so you should still be able to play most of your favorite Switch games when the Switch 2 comes out.

Nintendo Switch 2 Doesn’t Share Original Switch Hardware

Upgrading Performance Means Making Changes

One of the biggest complaints about the original Switch was its poor performance in a few areas, namely frame rates and resolution compromises. Particularly faster-paced (or poorly optimized) games like Overwatch 2, Fortnite, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet featured rough performance, leaving players to complain that they just weren't worth the money. While the hardware made sense for an affordable 2017 handheld release, it certainly hasn't held up perfectly in 2025, and Nintendo took this problem seriously when deg the Switch 2.

Now, the new console is set to up to 120 FPS and already boasts intensive third-party ports like Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws, hopefully providing players with a smoother gameplay experience without losing out on battery life. However, packing such a large upgrade in performance into a handheld requires radical hardware changes, making bringing Switch games to the Switch 2 much more difficult. However similar the two consoles may look, they're two completely different systems on the inside.

In an Ask the Developer interview with Nintendo, developer Tetsuya Sasaki explains that "the process of converting game data for Switch to run on Switch 2 is performed on a real-time basis as the data is read in" in order to make backward compatibility possible.

Both the 3DS and Wii U shared some hardware with their predecessors, making it possible to use hardware emulation to run DS and Wii games with games natively. Consequently, the only games with any compatibility issues were those that made use of physical features no longer present, like DS games that used the GBA cartridge slot for accessories.

With the Switch 2, however, the distance between itself and the Switch is so wide that developers had to use technology similar to emulators to make it possible, but they describe it as something between emulation and hardware . Emulation itself takes quite a bit of processing power, as it simulates both a digital version of the console as well as the game, requiring more complex methods for porting games to a console that relies on battery rather than wall power to maximize battery life.

Switch 2 Backward Compatibility Has Some Limitations

Some Switch Games Require Unique Accessories

Beyond hardware incompatibility, the other main issue for backward compatibility between the Switch 2 and Switch is the variety of peripherals involved. While none of the Switch's games required anything as complex as, say, the Wii Balance Board, there are a few that relied on slotting the Joy Cons into spots in which the Joy Con 2s would not fit. This causes an issue with compatibility in some of the original Switch games, requiring the use of original Joy-Cons with a Switch 2 system.

On the list of games with compatibility issues for Switch 2, a lot of them are limited by the changes made to the Joy-Cons. If you keep your Switch, this won't be an issue, but those only planning on having the Switch 2 will need to get their hands on a set of Joy-Cons to play certain titles.

For instance, the Nintendo Labo software is fully playable, but the cardboard pieces that come along with it don't have enough space for the newly-redesigned Joy-Con 2. Another game with this problem is Ring Fit Adventure, where the ring has the same issue. Games like 1-2-Switch and Game Builder Garage both require IR Motion Cameras, which the Joy-Con 2 doesn't have, making them impossible to fully play without the original Joy-Cons. The one game that's wholly incompatible is Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit, which depends on the size and shape of the original console rather than just the Joy-Cons.

Imperfect Backward Compatibility Is Much Better Than None

Among The 10,000 Titles On The Console, Many Of Them Will Have No Issues

In the same dev interview from Nintendo, Senior Director Takuhiro Dohta explained that "Switch 2 is a system with new strengths in the sense that it adds value to Switch games that players already own." Not only will many of the Switch's games be available for play upon the Switch 2's release, they'll run smoother and more quickly thanks to the Switch 2's upgraded hardware capabilities. Some might balk at the console's $449 price tag, and while this is a hefty chunk of change, being able to still play the games you own should help ease the sting a bit.

Unlike with previous Nintendo consoles, a concerted effort had to be made with the Switch 2 to make backward compatibility possible. It's the bare minimum for developers and designers to consider the consumer in this way, so Nintendo has stepped up at least this much. While there's already discontent around the Switch 2 thanks to choices like Nintendo making the tech demo a paid game only, I'm hopeful that the continued for the console will outweigh the elements that feel more like cash grabs.

After the Nintendo Direct regarding the Switch 2, there's a lot to be said about the console. New releases, old releases, and everything in between have hit fans all at once, and everyone has their own opinion about how the console's release and promotion should be handled. However, everyone can agree that both the hardware upgrade and backward compatibility were critical changes. With those two things working against one another, it's great to see that Nintendo is still working on making backward compatibility possible.

Source: Nintendo (1, 2)