How to Play Original Switch Games on Switch 2
Around November of last year, when readers were certainly not paying attention to anything else , Nintendo briefly announced that the Nintendo Switch 2 would be backwards compatible with games from the original Nintendo Switch . Fast forward to this year, and it turns out things aren’t so clear cut. According to Nintendo, the vast majority of Nintendo Switch 1 games can be played on Switch 2, but there are some caveats to keep in mind.
Switch 2 uses emulation for Switch 1 games
As Nintendo posted on its website yesterday and confirmed at a developer roundtable I attended, the Switch 2 doesn’t have any of the Switch 1 hardware inside. This means that, unlike the Nintendo DS with Game Boy Advance, it can’t play Switch games “natively,” meaning it can’t run them exactly the same way they could on the original hardware. Instead, it uses what Nintendo says is a combination of hardware compatibility and software emulation to essentially trick these games into thinking they’re running on the original Switch.
This has both disadvantages and advantages. The upside is that since the Switch 2 has a more powerful architecture than the original Switch, you may see some small benefits from simply running the game on the new console, such as faster loading times. Problems start to arise when checking game compatibility.
It turns out that not every game works well with such a transfer to a new device. According to Nintendo, the vast majority of Switch 1 games should run without issue , and some games receive free patches to help get them up to par, but the company is experiencing issues with more than 120 games , some of which won’t even launch . These include popular games like Doom: Eternal and Rocket League , so if you depend on your Switch to play them, don’t expect the new console to be able to immediately replace your old one. It will likely take some time for Nintendo to figure out all the intricacies.
Games for Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
So how does Nintendo solve these problems? Well, in addition to painstakingly reviewing every Nintendo Switch game (over 10,000) one by one, the company is also releasing new versions of some Switch 1 games that are built from the ground up to run on Nintendo Switch 2.
These Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will essentially be enhanced ports of some Switch 1 games, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ; The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ; Kirby and the Forgotten Land ; Super Mario Party ; and even unreleased games like Pokémon Legenda: ZA and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond .
Switch 2 Edition games will feature improved graphics, higher resolutions, and much smoother frame rates, as well as new content like Kirby and Mario Party . You’ll also get new control modes where applicable, as Metroid Prime 4 will be able to use Switch 2’s mouse controls .
The catch: you have to pay for these updates. While your Switch 2 should play the above games just fine, if you put a Switch 1 cartridge in it, you won’t get any upgrades that will allow you to take advantage of its extra power unless you spend the money and instead play through the same emulation as every other Switch 1 game.
Luckily, if you already own the Switch 1 version of the game, you can get an upgrade pack (available either at select retailers or through the Nintendo eShop) to get the Switch 2 Edition at a discount, rather than purchasing the Switch 2 Edition at full price (which is, of course, also possible). Even better: Nintendo has confirmed that your remastered game will still be playable on Switch 1, just without the improvements included in Switch 2 Edition. Additionally, Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers will receive at least both Zelda updates included with their plan.
Official pricing for these Switch 2 editions or their upgrade packs has not yet been revealed, but keep in mind that when you buy a Switch 2, you don’t necessarily have to expect the system to be able to “play your Switch 1 games, but better.”
How to Play a Switch 1 Game on Switch 2
Now that I’ve covered the ins and outs of backwards compatibility on Switch, let’s talk about how to actually play Switch 1 games on Switch 2.
The first method is quite simple. If you have a compatible physical Switch 1 game cartridge, you can simply insert it into your Switch 2 and start playing on it just like the original console.
Alternatively, if you want to move all your game saves, Wi-Fi data, parental control settings, and digital games to your Switch 2, you can use the System Transfer feature to do so. Specific steps for the transfer system haven’t been released yet, but you’ll be able to use it to conveniently move almost anything from your Switch 1 to Switch 2 in one fell swoop.
Finally, for a more step-by-step approach, there are virtual game cards . This is a new way to categorize digital games and will be released in April. Essentially, it will add a new icon to the Switch home screen where you can see your digital games as a series of “virtual game cards.” You can then immediately download these maps and play them on the system you’re currently using, or click “Download to Another System” to move them to another console linked to your Nintendo Account. Thanks to this, you can transfer your games from Switch 1 to Switch 2 on a case-by-case basis.