3 Reasons Why the Nintendo Switch 2 Needed Backwards Compatibility

Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible with the existing gaming hardware line on the market. It’s a positive step forward for a company which has only previously flirted with backwards compatibility in home consoles on a number of occasions.

While no official Nintendo Switch 2 announcement has taken place yet, it’s an encouraging sign of what we can expect from the hotly anticipated hybrid video game console. For more, we’ve also speculated on why the Nintendo Switch successor is taking so long to be announced.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. A Massive Install Base
3. No Need to Port More Old Games Over
4. Games are Taking Longer to Develop
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs
7. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. A Massive Install Base
3. No Need to Port More Old Games Over
Show Full Guide
4. Games are Taking Longer to Develop
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs
7. References

A Massive Install Base

Let’s get the obvious thing out of the way first. With over 140 million Nintendo Switch consoles sold since its launch in 2017, Nintendo would have been leaving some serious money on the table by not including backwards compatibility. Whether you’ve got a base Switch console from years ago, the Switch Lite, or the flashier Switch OLED, chances are you don’t want to part with your collection.

We’ve seen a real shift toward hardware manufacturers finally supporting backwards compatibility in recent years with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2020. While it is arguable which of the two brands does it better (we’re leaning towards Microsoft, though), both the current-generation systems play almost all PS4 and Xbox One games, with the latter also boosting Xbox 360 and even original Xbox games, too.

Enter Nintendo at a crossroads. The Japanese hardware giant has flirted with backwards compatibility only a couple of times in the past. It was initially doing well on the home console front, as Gamecube owners could play the bulk of their games on the Wii, and the few Wii U adopters could run said games on the newer HD-enabled hardware. However, a radical change in architecture (from disc back to cartridge) obviously ruled out the Switch carrying things over.

Now, the Nintendo Switch sits just behind the Nintendo DS in lifetime sales according to its own metrics, as the system covers both a home console and a dedicated handheld. It’s in its lineage as a handheld console manufacturer that the company has done a much better job. Own a Game Boy Advance? Congratulations. You can play all eras of Game Boy now and upgrade to a DS, but don’t you have many games yet? No problem, slot those cartridges in the front, and you’re good to go.

This continued with the 3DS being able to play all DS games. Even though the 3DS failed to capture the same sales numbers, it meant you could upgrade the hardware without sacrificing on the software front. From the announcement, it’s clear that the Nintendo Switch 2 looks to be following suit, especially in unifying home consoles and handheld philosophies without burning the existing users.

No Need to Port More Old Games Over

One of the greater things about the Nintendo Switch 2’s backwards compatibility is the fact you won’t be forced to pay for games more than once. On one hand, you can’t necessarily blame Nintendo for re-packaging and selling ports from the ill-fated Wii U console. The manufacturer’s previous console sold just 13.56 million units in its lifetime and was considered a commercial failure, one which the Japanese company clearly course corrected.

The Wii U had some excellent first-party games, which made it worth investing in, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Bayonetta 2, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and Super Mario 3D World, just to name a few. While previously locked to Nintendo Wii U (with some ports more recent than others), the approximate 132.48 million more Nintendo Switch users could play these aforementioned games and many more.

But what if you were loyal to Nintendo during its darker moments 10 years ago? Chances are you purchased The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on its intended hardware, alongside some of the games I just mentioned. When making the switch, you probably put money down again to play that version, whether it meant just to have it on the go or to round out your collection.

Now, factor in a reality where 140 million people would be asked to re-purchase the confirmed total of 1.3 billion games sold. Some of the best Nintendo Switch games include Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pikmin 4, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Would you put money down at the Nintendo Switch 2 release date just to pay the same price (or more) for games you already own? Just like with the Gamecube to the Wii and the DS to the 3DS, you, thankfully, won’t have to.

Games are Taking Longer to Develop

This last point is a bitter pill to swallow, and that’s the fact that it simply takes longer to develop video games in 2025 than at any other time in the medium. It’s due to a combination of factors, including larger game worlds and prettier graphics, but it’s the end consumer who suffers the most at the end. For reference, we can look at the gaps between major releases.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was released for the Wii in 2011, with the next mainline entry not coming to the Wii U (and Switch) with Breath of the Wild in 2017. That’s a six-year gap and a similar timeframe to the successor game with Tears of the Kingdom from 2023. While the time between titles is similar, the gap feels larger in the latter, considering both Switch Zelda games share the same engine and many similarities.

We can also look at the New Super Mario Bros. series as well. The first title in the lineup debuted on the Nintendo DS back in 2006, with New Super Mario Bros. Wii coming just three years later in 2009. Enter the jump to HD four years later, with New Super Mario Bros. U released in 2012. So far, so good. However, it would be a full 11 years later until the next 2D Mario game in the form of Super Mario Bros. Wonder arriving in 2023. Nintendo Switch gamers had to contend with a port of the old Wii U game and the Mario Maker titles until then. Don’t get me started on Metroid Prime and Star Fox, too.

With Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility, you’ll be able to play the thousands of existing titles while waiting for new Nintendo Switch games to come out. This is something we’ve noticed with the Xbox Series X/S and the PS5, with both systems struggling with a real lack of exclusives, not that Nintendo has that problem. It’s possible Nintendo is working on a killer launch lineup for its long-awaited system, but even if it is on the weaker side, there will still be software to engage with.

The Bottom Line

The Nintendo Switch 2’s backwards compatibility means gamers will have a wealth of titles ready to carry over without the need to re-purchase titles again. This means both physical and digital games should be supported, as the Japanese manufacturer wants to continue the ecosystem without burning its 140 million strong install base. As Nintendo Switch games are taking longer to develop, at least you won’t be waiting to boot something decent up to play.

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