Nintendo Switch 2 Backward Compatibility Looks Better Than Expected

When Nintendo officially revealed the Switch 2 back in January, it confirmed long-standing rumors that the new handheld console would enjoy backward compatibility with the games from the original Switch—physically and digitally. Good news, but there was one disclaimer: “Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”

That sent some players into, if not a panic, at least a period of confusion. Given that the original Switch launched in 2017, many have built sizable collections in that time, and the uncertainty over which among them would continue to be playable on the new generation of hardware was cause for concern. But things are looking better than expected, with the Switch 2 supporting some of the most niche titles in the Switch library, even those that required physical peripherals unique to the original hardware.

In an update posted to Nintendo’s official site, the company revealed that nearly 100 percent of first-party games remain compatible with Switch 2 hardware, with “no issues found during basic compatibility testing” for 122 games published by Nintendo. On a bar chart, a tiny sliver of red, indicating “not compatible,” amounts to just one game.

That unfortunate outlier? Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit, Nintendo’s ambitious build-it-yourself virtual reality headset made of cardboard. The entire Labo line was aimed at kids, providing tactile experiences where you’d build steering wheels or robot suits, then play dedicated games built around the kit-bashed gadgets. The VR Kit took things to another level, providing the materials to build rudimentary goggles and a mock blaster. When constructed, the Switch tablet slotted into place while lenses split the onscreen image into a “My first VR”-level experience.

It’s that specific physical combination of console and cardboard that makes Labo VR Kit the only original Switch game incompatible with Switch 2. Nintendo explains that “the Nintendo Switch 2 console cannot be inserted into the Toy-Con VR Goggles accessory, so this game cannot be played.” That’s it. The Switch 2 simply doesn’t fit the headset, so VR Kit becomes the only first-party game jettisoned into the tides of gaming history.

Even other Labo games can be used on Switch 2, thanks to what may prove to be the new console’s secret weapon when it comes to backward compatibility—you can still use original Switch Joy-Cons on Switch 2. Nintendo says that if “you have Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers and connect them wirelessly to Nintendo Switch 2, you can play [select] games as you would on Nintendo Switch.” That’s great news, opening the doors for far more of the Switch’s software library to remain accessible than expected.

A Healthy Choice

Photograph: Julian Chokkatu

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Switch 2 will continue to support Ring Fit Adventure. When the new console was announced with that caveat about compatibility, I was sure Ring Fit would be cut from the roster, primarily because of hardware compatibility. The fitness role-playing game requires the right-hand Joy-Con controller to be physically slotted onto its Pilates-style ring peripheral, which uses a slide bracket that could not accommodate a new, magnetically connected Joy-Con 2 from the Switch 2.