Will Nintendo Switch games work on the Switch 2?

The good news is that the overwhelming majority of first-gen Switch games, including both physical cards and digital downloads, will be compatible with the Switch 2. There are a few caveats, however, which Nintendo explains in detail on its Switch 2 game compatibility page.

In essence, there are more than 15,000 Switch games compatible with the Switch 2. That includes 122 first-party Nintendo games, with only a single game that won’t work on the console; more on that a little later. 

That said, Nintendo has identified 114 titles with “start-up issues”, while 46 titles suffer “in-game compatibility issues”, and 49 have “issues that are planned to be addressed by launch or shortly after”. 

Still, that’s a relatively small drop in the ocean when the overwhelming majority of Nintendo’s 15,000 game-strong library will be available on the Switch 2 on day one. 

Which games aren’t fully optimised for the Switch 2 yet?

In total, Nintendo has identified 209 titles that are yet to be fully optimised for the Switch 2. There are far too many to list here, but we have found a few surprisingly popular titles that are yet to work well with the Switch 2. 

Popular Nintendo Switch games yet to be fully compatible with the Switch 2 include:

• Fortnite (Planned to be addressed by, or shortly after, launch)
• Doom Eternal (Planned to be addressed by, or shortly after, launch)
• Warframe (Start-up issues)
• Rocket League (Start-up issues)
• Nier Automata: The end of YoRHa Edition (Start-up issues)
• Mega Man Legacy Collection (In-game compatibility issues)
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (In-game compatibility issues)
• Dead by Daylight (Start-up issues)
• Pizza Tower (Planned to be addressed by, or shortly after, launch)
• The Jackbox Party Pack/Party Pack 2 (Planned to be addressed by, or shortly after, launch)

Will games that use accessories be compatible with the Switch 2?

You might assume that the vast majority of titles that require dedicated accessories, like the Ring Fit Adventure kit, won’t be compatible with the Switch 2, but that’s only half true. 

While the accessories aren’t compatible with the upgraded Switch 2 Joy-Cons – unsurprising given the tweaked design and new magnetic connectivity – they can still be used with the Switch 2 using the Switch 1 Joy-Cons. Simply pair your first-gen Joy-Con with the Switch 2.

Essentially, if you keep your old first-gen Joy-Con, you’ll be able to pair it with the new console and continue playing accessory-based titles like Ring Fit Adventure without issue. 

Which games aren’t backwards-compatible with the Switch 2?

As mentioned earlier, there’s only a single game not compatible with the Switch 2 – and it might be a surprising one. It’s Nintendo’s own Labo VR Kit. 

This is particularly surprising because other Labo kits will work with the Switch 2, as we’ve already covered. However, it seems to be more of a physical limitation than anything else, as the VR Kit is essentially a cardboard box with lenses that fits onto the original Switch to provide a VR experience.

As the Switch 2 has different dimensions and a larger screen, it’s simply not possible to fit the VR kit onto the new console. That said, if you are a fan of virtual reality, our list of the best VR headsets should point you in the right direction for a replacement. 

There are also five apps incompatible with the Switch 2 – AbemaTV, Crunchyroll, Hulu, InkyPen, and Niconico – but given that the Switch isn’t exactly a hub for streaming video services, it’s not a significant loss.