The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal and rollout has been a roller coaster so far this week. The Nintendo Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct that was held on Wednesday, April 2, had a largely positive reception, with fans excited about the new features and upgraded hardware. That positive quickly turned sour, though, as Nintendo and their lack of transparency about pricing angered the gaming community.
The relative lack of new games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 was also criticized. Now, Nintendo has another problem on its hands. They claim that Nintendo Switch 2 is built for backwards compatibility, but the current list of games that won’t work says otherwise.
Nintendo Switch 2 Is Theoretically Backwards Compatible, But…
One of the more exciting and beneficial features coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 is that it will be backward compatible with original Switch games. This meant that players could access both catalogs of games more easily, something that Nintendo has historically struggled with providing. The problem is that it appears that the struggle is still happening, even as they advertise it as a feature. Given their recent backlash on pricing, this certainly is not a good look.
Worst of all, there are two different categories of problems here. Nintendo has come out and shared these issues with fans, something they did not mention during their hour-long Nintendo Direct presentation, and it is worse than imagined. There is one class of games that will not load up at all with the new system in any capacity. The second class of games will start, but at some point in the gameplay or menu, it will stop working. Neither issue was explained in terms of what the problems entail, so the gaming community is left guessing.
The full list of all games affected on the Nintendo Switch 2 can be found at the end of the article, and boy is it a lot. The list is currently nearing 200 games that are not playable in their full capacity. To Nintendo’s credit, they claim they are attempting to resolve all issues before the Nintendo Switch 2 is launched. They may. Right now, though, the backwards compatibility that Nintendo touted in their presentation, seems to be more of a selection of games than a true catalog.
Final Thoughts
Nintendo Switch 2 is likely going to be a great console. There are tools in place to make it successful. It has everything that made the original Switch great, and it improved on everything that the original Switch struggled with. However, Nintendo needs to be more transparent upfront with consumers.
Backdoor announcing pricing, backdoor announcing issues with backwards compatibility, and announcing delays in pre-order only a day after the Nintendo Direct presentation are all choices that will erode trust in the gaming community. The company has work to do to repair its image before the Nintendo Switch 2 is released.
Games with start-up issues on Nintendo Switch 2:
112 Operator
A Boy and His Blob Retro Collection
Abyss Memory Fallen Angel and the Path of Magic
ACA NeoGeo Art of Fighting 2
ACA NeoGeo Samurai Shodown II
ACA NeoGeo The King of Fighters ’95
ACA NeoGeo The King of Fighters ’96
Airhead
Alchemy Garden
Another Crab’s Treasure
Arcade Archives Burger Time
Arcade Archives Crime City
Arcade Archives Dig Dug
Arcade Archives Gradius III
Arcade Archives New Rally-X
Arcade Archives Pac-Land
Arcade Archives Xevious
Astral Flux
Baron: Fur Is Gonna Fly
Batman: The Enemy Within
Beyond the Ice Palace 2
Boot Hill Bounties
Boot Hill Heroes
Botany Manor
Bus Simulator 2023: City Driver
Cats Hidden in Italy
Cats on Duty
Crazy Strike Bowling EX
Dadish 2
Darksiders Genesis
Dead by Daylight
Death Coming
DOOM: Eternal
Eggy Party
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
Everdream Valley
Everspace
Fables Mosaic: Snow White
Felix the Cat
fig.
Final Fantasy
Fitness Boxing
Floor Kids
Fortnite
FRAMED Collection
Gal Guardians: Demon Purge
Gang Beasts
Gas Guzzlers Extreme
GRID Autosport
Guns Gore and Cannoli
I Got Isekai’d Into A Shmup
Inferno 2
Island Flight Simulator
Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection
Kids vs Parents
Kill la Kill – IF
Korean Drone Flying Tour Jeju Island-1
Kosmokrats
Library of Ruina
Little Nightmares Complete Edition
Manticore – Galaxy on Fire
Mexican Train Dominoes Gold
Monster Loves You Too!
MODEL Debut #nicola
Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame
MUSYNX
NASCAR Rivals
NBA 2K18
NBA 2K25
Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet
Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition
Nobody Saves the World
Nova-111
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath
OK K.O.! Let’s Play Heroes
OMG Police – Car Chase TV Simulator
Onigo Hunter
Palia
Perserverance: Complete Edition
Pineview Drive
Pizza Tower
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
Raiden III x MIKADO MANIAX
Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles
RiMS Racing
River City Girls Zero
Rocket League
Roller Champions
Saviors of Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City Revisited
Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-a-fide Edition
Slayin 2
Soul Dog TD
South of the Circle
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Sportitions’24
Star Wars Episode I: Racer
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
Strania – The Stella Machina – EX
Summer Pockets
Super Mega Baseball 3
Super Neptunia RPG
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival
Taito Milestones
The Cube
The Jackbox Party Pack
The Jackbox Party Pack 2
The Journey Down Trilogy
The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition
Touhou Gouyoku Ibun ~ Sunken Fossil World.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
Tricky Towers
Trip World DX
Trouble Witches Final!
Trove
Trover Saves the Universe
TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3
Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[cl-r]
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi
V-Rally 4
Warface: Clutch
Warframe
Warp Shift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colussus
WolfFang 空牙2001 SkullFang 空牙外伝 Saturn Tribute Boosted
World of Tanks Blitz
Xtreme Sports
Victor Vran Overkill Edition
Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society
Closed Nightmare
Konosuba: Labyrinth of Hope and the Gathering Adventurers Plus
Senran Kagura Reflexions
Star Melody Yumemi Dreamer
Family Trainer
Beyblade Burst: Battle Zero
Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon
Undernauts Labyrinth of Yomi
Assault Suit Leynos 2 Saturn Tribute
Process of Elimination
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Meiji Katsugeki Haikara Ryuuseigumi -Seibai Shimaseu, Yonaoshi Kagyou-
Games with issues after start-up on Nintendo Switch 2:
Alan Wake Remastered
Alien: Isolation
Arcade Archives Ordyne
Arcade Archives Phelios
Arcade Archives Tetris The Absolute The Grand Master 2 Plus
Arcade Archives Tetris The Grand Master
Asphalt Legends Unite
Dadish
Dex
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Elderand
Factorio
Fall Guys
Family Chess
Games Advent Calendar – 25 Days – 25 Surprises
Godlike Burger
Harvestella
Hitman 3 – Cloud Version
Hot Wheels Unleashed
Just Dance 2019
Klondike Solitaire
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Matchpoint – Tennis Championships
Mega Man Legacy Collection
MotoGP 21
My Brother Rabbit
Noir Chronicles: City of Crime
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Pocoyo Party
Port Royale 4
Raiden IVxMikado Remix
Real Car Driving Simulator & Parking 2022 Games
S.N.I.P.E.R. – Hunter Scope
Saints Row 4: Re-Elected
SmileBASIC 4
Steven Universe: Save The Light
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
Stumble Guys
Uta no Prince-sama: All Star for Nintendo Switch
Uta no Prince-sama: Amazing Aria & Sweet Serenade LOVE for Nintendo Switch
Uta no Prince-sama: Debut for Nintendo Switch
Uta no Prince-sama: Repeat LOVE for Nintendo Switch
NicoNico
Pilot Sports
Puru-Chara Friends: Hoppe-chan and Sanrio Characters
Clockwork Ley Lines – Wandering Witch in the Heat Haze
Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars
Games that will never play on Nintendo Switch 2:
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit
