The Nintendo Swap 2 was first introduced within the Nintendo Direct on January 16, 2025. On April 2, Nintendo lastly revealed the specs and pricing of this next-generation console, together with its launch date. Because the authentic Swap has a catalog of over 10,000+ video games, many want to know whether or not the Swap 2 helps backward compatibility.
Whereas the Swap 2 will help video games from the Swap, it should take a distinct route than regular. This text will shed some mild on whether or not you may play authentic Swap video games on the Swap 2.
Does the Nintendo Swap 2 have backward compatibility?
You’ll be able to play authentic Swap video games on the Swap 2. Nonetheless, that is doable not due to backward compatibility. As a substitute, the latter makes use of a brand new type of expertise that could be a hybrid between backward compatibility and real-time emulation.
In case you attempt to play an authentic Swap recreation on the Swap 2, the console’s software program converts the info of the outdated recreation in real-time. That is just like online game emulation, which makes older video games playable on newer {hardware} (together with fully totally different consoles). The backward compatibility within the Swap 2 is generally hardware-oriented since it may possibly learn knowledge from the unique Swap discs.
Learn extra: Nintendo Swap 2 Expertise hands-on demo occasion introduced: Timings, tips on how to register, and extra
Many may marvel why native backward compatibility isn’t supported. Fortunately, all solutions will be present in Nintendo’s “Ask the Builders: Quantity 16” Q&A session printed on April 2, 2025.
Because the Swap 2 has an expanded reminiscence and quicker processing energy, it might’ve bricked older video games. Subsequently, as an alternative of native backward compatibility, they combine it with emulation. That is carried out to stop the upper battery drainage synonymous with emulation.
Learn extra: All confirmed Nintendo Swap 2 video games up to now
Whereas the Swap 2 can have backward compatibility, the builders are nonetheless testing out all older video games. As such, all Nintendo-developed video games (The Legend of Zelda, Mario, Metroid, and so forth.) will be performed on the Swap 2 with out a hitch.
Nonetheless, all third-party video games are being examined to make sure they run easily on this new console. As such, some older video games may not work correctly on the Swap 2 launch, however will after a while as optimization progresses.
For extra associated articles, test these out:
