Switch 2 game cartridges will work if you launch them on the original Switch. The experience won't be exactly the same in each case, though. We'll explain.
It's a constant with the launch of each new console: with it come games that are exclusive to it. If you have the previous version of the machine, they simply won't work on it. A two-speed backward compatibility that's understandable from the manufacturer's point of view (they have to encourage people to buy the console), but annoying from the player's point of view, as they weren't planning on investing. Nintendo's Switch 2 is no exception to this rule.
We know that we'll be able to play our Switch 1 cartridges on it. However, to enjoy Switch 2 Edition games, you'll logically need to have the latest version of the console. But what about the other way around? Can you insert a Switch 2 title cartridge into a Switch 1 and start the game? The answer is yes, with a few caveats that are worth highlighting. The details come from publisher Marvelous in their presentation of Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma. You'll be able to play some Switch 2 games on the Switch 1, but there's a catch.
Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will be released alongside the console on June 5, 2025. It will have a physical Switch 2 Edition version, a 64GB red cartridge that includes the console's own enhancement pack. This is the one you can pay €10 for on the e-shop if you already own the original game or, as here, its Switch 1 version to be released at the same time.
Read also – Does Nintendo want to do away with physical games? Some Switch 2 games won't be on the cartridges you buy
Marvelous then adds, speaking of the Switch 2 version: “There's no need to download the full game: simply insert the card into a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 console, and the correct version will launch automatically.” In other words, putting the Switch 2 cartridge into the Switch 1 will launch the game, but without its enhancement pack. It is currently unclear whether this will work in other titles released on Nintendo's latest two consoles. The company has not said anything about this.
Source: Marvelous Games
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