With details about the Nintendo Switch 2 finally being revealed, everyone is eager to play their favorite Switch games on it. Getting a new Nintendo console is always an exciting time for Nintendo fans. But even though the Switch 2 is backwards compatible, some Nintendo Switch games may not be playable on it.

Luckily for fans thinking of picking up the console, Nintendo is aware of issues that might occur with some games. And it may not be as bad as we fear it could be. Here's why some Nintendo Switch games may not be playable on the Switch 2 after it releases.

Switch game start-up problems

Trouble from the beginning

According to Nintendo, some games have various issues on start-up when booting them on a Nintendo Switch 2. This can range from games not being able to play at all, to bugged instances when a game is started. While Nintendo has been vague about exactly what the issues are for games that fall into this category, they provided a list of known Switch titles that currently have problems. The potential problems here likely arise from different hardware configurations compared to the original Switch.

The list of games includes many big third-party publishers. As of now, more than 100 different games released on the Switch are mentioned across multiple regions. Some of the biggest games mentioned there include Fortnite, DOOM Eternal, NBA 2K25, Final Fantasy, and Rocket League. There are more games being added to the list as Nintendo continues to investigate. For some people, they may not be able to play some of their favorite games in their Switch game collection on the Nintendo Switch 2, at least until more updates are available.

Major games that may not be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2

Compatibility issues within games

Some problems may occur while playing...

At the same time, some Switch games are reported to have compatibility issues when running on a Switch 2 console. While the games can be played as normal, players might run into different issues as they run the game. Nintendo also wasn't clear about what players might find in specific games, but also confirmed that they were investigating the issue as well. They released a second list of known Switch titles that fall into this category.

While the list for these games is much shorter and doesn't include any Nintendo first-party games, there are still some noteworthy titles from third-party publishers. Games like Alien Isolation, Fall Guys, Mega Man Legacy Collection, and Alan Wake Remastered are among the titles mentioned. This may also change as Nintendo continues their investigation of more Switch games running on the Switch 2.

Major games with compatibility issues

• Fall Guys
• Hitman 3 - Cloud Version
• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• MotoGP 21
• Saints Row IV
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Edition

Requiring Switch Joy-Con

Needing the original controllers

Another unique problem with a simple solution are games that require using a Switch Joy-Con controller. Unfortunately, players won't be able to play games like WarioWare: Move It! and Ring Fit without using their Joy-Cons from the original Nintendo Switch. Everyone can still connect the joy-cons wirelessly to a Switch 2, and use them to play the games like normal. But different Switch titles have different reasons why this is going to be an issue for new Switch 2 owners.

On their website, Nintendo listed a total of nine games that will require the use of the original Joy-Cons. They also list the reasons why the Joy-Con 2 won't be suitable to play them. Most of the listed titles cite differences in the design of the Joy-Con 2 hardware, as they won't be able to fit into certain attachments to use them. This means Nintendo Labo titles that need to have the Joy-Cons attached to certain accessories won't be able to have the Joy-Con 2 as an option. It's possible that an update could be released at a later date to help make some of the listed games become compatible with the new Joy-Cons, but not all of them.

Games that require original Joy-Con on Switch 2

More testing required for Switch 2

Like any other new console launch, some problems are bound to show up when the Nintendo Switch 2 is released to the public. It doesn't take away the general excitement for the Switch 2, but it's good to know that the games you've purchased over the years will work on the new hardware.

At the moment, Nintendo has been open to its customers about investigating more of the Switch game library for any additional concerns. Out of the 122 Nintendo first-party games and over 15,000 third-party partner titles, not many problems have been discovered yet. But as the public gets their hands on their latest hardware in June, more updates about which games work for the console will continue to be shared.