Nintendo recently released its official first look at the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, revealing its components and new features. In the video you can see the console’s new look and features such as a support hinge similar to the OLED version of the Switch and new connectors for the Joy-Cons.

The focus of the teaser was mainly on the physical characteristics of the console, so very little was revealed in terms of software. Only a preview of what appears to be a new Mario Kart game was shown. The long-rumored backwards compatibility has also been confirmed. The last part of the video shows a message confirming the function. However, This compatibility may not be available for all console titles.

Nintendo Switch 2’s backwards compatibility comes with a limitation

Both physical and digital compatibility have been confirmed

Related

Nintendo finally introduces Nintendo Switch 2 (and it’s everything we hoped for)

Nintendo has officially unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 in a short video showing the changes compared to the original console.

The video states that the Nintendo Switch 2 will run both its own games and those of its predecessor. Additionally, backwards compatibility is not limited to physical cartridges, as digital games purchased for the original Nintendo Switch would also be playable on this successor. This system may work similarly to PlayStation, where digital games linked to an account can be downloaded on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

However, as confirmed by Nintendo’s official website, this has been announced “Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported or may not be fully compatible.”. It is not yet known which specific conditions games must meet in order to be compatible with the new console. However, more information about this may be revealed in the official Nintendo Direct prepared for April 2, 2025. More information will be released on Nintendo’s website at a later date.

Some specific gimmicks could be the reason why some games are tied to the original Nintendo Switch

Although there is no specific comment on what conditions determine whether a game is compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, many speculate that it could be a hardware issue, particularly with the controllers. Since its introduction The Joy-Cons were touted for their special featuressuch as accelerometers, gyroscopes and the IR motion camera on the right controller.

Related

Nintendo “very, very, very upset” about Switch 2 leaks ahead of its January 16 reveal

Leakers have caused big problems for Nintendo.

These same features would form the basis for some of the console’s more unusual experiments, such as this Nintendo Lab Series of games, or even the Ring Fit Adventure And Nintendo Switch Sport starts. It is very likely that changes to the technology of the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons, particularly the IR motion camera, could be the reason why some games cannot run on the new console.

In any case, The Nintendo Switch’s most popular games will likely be compatible with its successor. The preview confirmed the presence of Super Mario WonderFor example. Famous games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon Scarlet/PurpleAnd Pikmin 4 are also likely to receive the same treatment. With a library of more than 11,000 games available, it also stands to reason that some lesser-known titles may not port smoothly to new hardware.

Source: Nintendo