Back in November 2024, Nintendo officially confirmed that the upcoming Nintendo Switch successor, tentatively called the Nintendo Switch 2, will be backwards compatible. In other words, we should be able to play many of the best Nintendo Switch games right out of the box when the console finally arrives. This is fantastic news, as it means that you won’t be left without a massive library of games to play if you decide to pick up the system on day one.
This is just an educated guess for the time being, but I’m expecting the Nintendo Switch 2 to offer some serious performance upgrades in older games. We know that Nintendo has been developing AI upscaling technology, which could be applied to previous releases in order to increase visual fidelity, boost resolution, or smooth out frame rates. The Nintendo Switch 2 is also likely to be more powerful than the original Nintendo Switch, which will hopefully finally address some of the biggest performance issues in existing games.
With all that in mind, these are the backwards compatible games that I’ll be playing first when I have the Nintendo Switch 2 in my hands. I’ve picked a mix of titles that I think are not only quality, but also could benefit the most from the new hardware.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
I love almost everything about The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. This adorable remake recreates one of my favorite Zelda games, the 1993 Game Boy banger of the same name. It was beautiful on the original Nintendo Switch, with a stunning art direction that means the open world looks like something like a miniature diorama populated by cute figurines. That said, the visuals came at a massive price.
Performance in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is pretty dire, with constant frame rate drops as you explore. It’s honestly got to be up there as one of the worst running games that Nintendo has released throughout the Nintendo Switch generation, which is why I think that it’s a prime candidate for a new playthrough on the Nintendo Switch 2. The beefier specs would presumably reduce the number of stutters, making traversal that much more enjoyable.
That aside, it’s not like the Nintendo Switch 2 could help the already attractive game look even better. I definitely wouldn’t say no to a boosted output resolution to help things appear even crisper, especially when playing on a larger screen in docked mode.
2. Fortnite
The ability to jump off the battle bus whenever and wherever I want is an absolute blessing. Seriously, squadding up with friends has never been easier than when Fortnite came to Nintendo Switch as everyone can sit in the same room with their own systems.
While the game first launched in a pretty good state, I do have to say that the experience has noticeably worsened over the years. Every new season brings new features and graphical enhancements, which is great unless you’re still playing on a handheld console from 2017.
The chunky low fidelity versions of in-game objects that this version uses are very unpleasant to look at and the horrifically long loading times mean that even my friends on the relatively low-power Xbox Series S are getting into matches a good minute or so ahead of me.
Recently, I’ve found that even the menus have become unbearable. Switching to other modes like Lego Fortnite takes ages and can even crash the game entirely. This all leads to an experience that would undeniably be improved on the Nintendo Switch 2, even if that just means shorter loading screens and fewer crashes.
3. Splatoon 3
I’m seriously looking forward to diving into Splatoon 3 on the Nintendo Switch 2, thanks in no small part to one rumored feature. The latest leaks suggest that the new Joy-Con controllers might have an optical sensor, potentially allowing them to be turned on their sides and used on a flat surface like a mouse.
This might seem pretty weird at first, but this feature is actually already present on the Lenovo Legion Go handheld PC – so we know that it’s not only possible but can work quite well. If this turns out to be the case, I think Splatoon 3 is comfortably going to benefit the most from its implementation.
Anyone who has tried Splatoon 3 knows that motion control is the optimal way to play. The right thumbstick is good for general aiming, but if you want to be truly precise you really need that added motion control movement for fine adjustment. It can give you the edge in the fast-paced matches and is absolutely essential in ranked play.
That could all change with the Nintendo Switch 2. A mouse-like control scheme would be even better, offering an incredible shooter experience. It could be much more intuitive for first-time players who might be coming over from PC games, while giving everyone else a truly viable alternative to motion controls.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The most ambitious game that Nintendo released for the Nintendo Switch could also be a brilliant showcase for the power of the Nintendo Switch 2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is brilliant, taking the expansive open world formula of its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and transplanting it into a significantly expanded version of the original map.
That’s not all, though, as it also introduced a comprehensive suite of building tools through the new Ultrahand abilities. With Grab and Attach, you can stick objects from the world together to create your own contraptions. If you were on social media back when the game launched, you would have almost inevitably seen videos of everyone sharing their unique creations ranging from the practical, like fast-moving vehicles or useful puzzle solutions, to the downright absurd.
It was incredibly impressive to see something with this level of mechanical complexity running on Nintendo Switch, but no matter what you were building the limitations of the system were clear. Restrictions prevent you from having too many objects on screen at the same time and the framerates are noticeably impacted if you try and make something big. The increased power of the Nintendo Switch 2 could make these frustrations a thing of the past, giving you even more freedom to experiment.
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Nintendo Switch port of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was incredible for its time, but is still far from the ideal way to experience the landmark RPG if you haven’t played it before. A lot of concessions were made to squeeze this hundred hour experience onto the handheld console, especially in the visual department. Environments look pretty barren, with little in the way of proper foliage, and everything has this slightly out of focus, low resolution look. Edges are super jagged and lighting effects have been massively scaled back.
It’s even worse in docked mode, where the blown up image makes the quality reductions even more apparent. Frame rates are pretty solid at least, but the Nintendo Switch 2 could easily improve everything else. Even just bringing the visuals up to a similar level as the PS4 or Xbox One would be massively beneficial, while the console’s rumored AI upscaling tech could help create a much sharper picture overall.
6. Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker 2 is another game that could benefit hugely from that alleged mouse-like control scheme in docked mode. The Wii U gamepad was a massive help in the first Super Mario Maker, as it gave you the ability to drag and drop game objects on the TV straight from the comfort of your sofa. It was simply impossible to recreate that feeling on the more traditional Nintendo Switch controllers, but the new Joy-Con could very well be used to do exactly that.
It’s hard to overstate just how much this could improve the game, finally addressing one of my biggest complaints with this sequel. It would make it much easier to construct more elaborate stages, meaning even the players who prefer to run through levels rather than make them would benefit from a better selection to try.
Even in handheld mode, the Super Mario Maker 2 experience on Nintendo Switch 2 could be a bit better. The handheld is rumored to have a much larger screen, giving you more space to design your courses and making some of the smaller elements, like the many blocks and power-ups, a little easier to see.
Honorable mentions
Of course, it’s important to bear in mind that all of these picks have been selected based on speculation. We know the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible, but whether or not old software will be visually enhanced, or work with the new features, is yet to be seen. Still, I think that it’s a very viable possibility.
There are also a few titles that I really want to play, but didn’t quite make this list – so consider these some honorable mentions.
First up, there’s Bayonetta 3 which would really benefit from a smoother frame rate in some of its more intense moments. I also want to try Kingdom Come: Deliverance on the Nintendo Switch 2 as, much like The Witcher 3, it’s an ambitious port that would be elevated by a big resolution boost. Finally, I’m raring to replay the superb Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club purely because a bigger screen would help its beautiful hand-drawn visuals look even better.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
