Switch 2 backwards compatibility is pretty comprehensive across console generations, but there are still some original Switch games that don’t work on Switch 2.
Although Switch 2 arrived June 5 with the new Mario Kart World, some ports, and the possibility of upgrading big games (like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom) to their respective Switch 2 versions, the launch lineup is relatively slight. As a result, you may lean on your original Switch backlog for things to play.
Below, we’ll explain how backwards compatibility works on Switch 2, plus include a list of all original Switch games that aren’t working (for various reasons) on Switch 2.
Switch 2 backwards compatibility, explained
You don’t need to worry whether you can play that long list of games in your backlog on Switch 2 or not, because Switch 2’s backwards compatibility covers most original Switch games, whether developed by Nintendo or other studios.
To play an original Switch game on Switch 2, simply download the game or insert the physical copy. You might have to load the Virtual Game Card if you were already playing the game in the original Switch.
According to data shared by Nintendo, almost 100% of Switch games work on Switch 2. However, while Nintendo says they are continually working on backwards compatibility in order to make every Switch game accessible across console generations, some Switch games aren’t working at all or don’t play as expected on Switch 2.
The reasons differ, but according to Nintendo’s data, the games that don’t work on Switch 2 can be broadly broken down into three categories:
- Games with issues to be resolved
- Games with issues that prevent progress
- Games that require the original Switch joy-cons
Below, you will find the games and in which category they fit among the ones that are having problems on Switch 2.
Switch games with issues to be resolved on Switch 2
This list of games is the most promising one, since Nintendo indicates they are going to eventually receive an update to solve the problems, implying that studios have identified the issues already.
- Abyss Memory Fallen Angel and the Path of Magic
- Beyond Enemy Lines – Remastered Edition
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Car Detailing Simulator
- Dadish
- Dairoku: Agents of Sakuratani
- Everyday Today’s MENU for EMIYA Family
- Genso Manège
- Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams – Owltimate Edition
- Go Vacation
- Godlike Burger
- Guardian Tales
- Kero Blaster
- LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition
- LIMBO
- MotoGP 21
- MotoGP 22
- MotoGP 23
- Nintendo Switch Sports
- Norn9: Var Commons
- Pikmin 3 Deluxe
- Redemption Reapers
- Retro Classix 2-in-1 Pack: Express Raider & Shootout
- Retro Classix 2-in-1 Pack: Gate of Doom & Wizard Fire
- Retro Classix 4in1 Pack: Sly Spy, Shootout, Wizard Fire & Super Real Darwin
- S.N.I.P.E.R. – Hunter Scope
- Skateboard Drifting with Maxwell Cat: The Game Simulator
- Sportitions’24
- Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
- Super Fowlst 2
- Super Neptunia RPG
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft
- Trials Rising Standard Edition
Switch games with issues that prevent progress on Switch 2
The issues in most of the games in this list are still being investigated. These games might present start-up issues or other kinds of problems that are interfering with your progression.
- 3 out of 10: Season One
- A Boy and His Blob Retro Collection
- A Long Way Down
- A Time Traveller’s Guide To Past Delicacies
- Aeons Must Die!
- Aeterna Noctis
- Afterdream
- Ainda In Danger
- Amanda the Adventurer
- Arcade Party
- Assault Suit Leynos 2 Saturn Tribute
- Astral Flux
- Bacon Man: An Adventure
- Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection
- Bloodshore
- Boot Hill Heroes
- Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition
- Botany Manor
- Chickens Madness
- Chronicles of 2 Heroes: Amaterasu’s Wrath
- CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION
- Clock Tower: Rewind
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
- Crypt of the NecroDancer: Nintendo Switch Edition
- Dark Nights with Poe and Munro
- DC Universe Online
- Dragon’s Lair Trilogy
- Dreamwalker
- Dust: An Elysian Tail
- Escape from Chernobyl
- fig.
- Flan
- Forgotten Memories
- Gang Beasts
- Gelly Break Deluxe
- GRID Autosport
- GUILTY GEAR XX ACCENT CORE PLUS R
- Happy Hotel
- Highrise Heroes: Word Challenge
- HITMAN 3 – Cloud Version
- House Builder
- In My Shadow
- Inferno 2
- INSTANT Chef Party
- Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection
- KarmaZoo
- KILL la KILL -IF
- Killing Time: Resurrected
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
- Laboratory Rat Escape Simulator Pro
- Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society
- Layer Section & Galactic
- Library Of Ruina
- Malignant Survivors
- Manticore – Galaxy on Fire
- MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
- Mega Mall Story 2
- Megaton Rainfall
- Mia and me – Magic Friends
- Minigolf Adventure
- MODEL Debut3 #nicola
- Mortal Kombat 1
- My Memory of Us
- NASCAR Rivals
- NEKOPARA Vol.1
- NEKOPARA Vol.2
- Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition
- NieR Automata The End of YoRHa Edition
- Ninja Five-O
- Ninjala
- Nobody Saves the World
- Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath
- OK K.O.! Let’s Play Heroes
- Otto
- Overcooked! All You Can Eat
- Overdriven Reloaded: Special Edition
- Overwatch 2
- Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
- Quell Memento
- Quell Zen
- Quick Race
- Radiation City
- Raiden III x MIKADO MANIAX
- Raiden IV x MIKADO remix
- Remothered: Tormented Father
- Retro Classix 2in1 pack: Bad Dudes & Two Crude Dudes
- RICO
- RiftTrax: The Game
- River City Girls Zero
- Roller Champions
- Root Double – Before Crime * After Days-Xtend Edition
- Saviors of Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City Revisited
- Secret Neighbor
- Skies Above
- SmileBASIC 4
- SNACK WORLD: THE DUNGEON CRAWL – GOLD
- Soul Dog TD
- South of the Circle
- South Park: The Fractured but Whole – Standard Edition
- STAR WARS Republic Commando
- STAR WARS: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
- Stranded Sails – Explorers of the Cursed Islands
- Strania – The Stella Machina – EX
- Stumble Buys
- Super Mega Baseball 4
- The Final Station
- The Mean Greens – Plastic Warfare
- The Wild Case
- They Bleed Pixels
- This War of Mine: Complete Edition
- Timespinner
- Tiny Lands
- Tokyo Xanadu eX+
- Tomba! Special Edition
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skate 1+2
- Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded
- Touhou Gouyoku Ibun ~Sunken Fossil World
- Trenga Unlimited
- Trip World DX
- Trove
- Trover Saves the Universe
- TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3
- TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD
- Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop
- Warface: Clutch
- Warframe
- Warp Shift
- WARRIORS: Abyss
- What the Dub?!
- Where the Bees Make Honey
- Wild Seas
- Wildfire
- WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship
- WRC 9 The Official Game
- Yomawari: Lost in the Dark
- ZikSquare
Switch games that don’t work with Switch 2 Joy-Cons
These games work on Switch 2, but only if you use the original Switch Joy-Cons. They do work on the new system – we tested them! However, Switch 2 can’t be used to charge these controllers.
- Ring Fit Adventure
- 1-2-Switch
- Everybody 1-2-Switch
- Game Builder Garage
- Nintendo Switch Sports
- WarioWare: Move It!
- Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit
- Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 02: Robot Kit
- Nintendo Lado Toy-Con 03: Vehicle Kit
