Full Breakdown
Nintendo Switch 2 Backward Compatibility Update Expands Game Support
6/28/2026, 11:49:22 AM
Historical Backward Compatibility in Nintendo Consoles
Nintendo’s hardware lineage has periodically included backward-compatibility features. The Game Boy Advance could run Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles; the Nintendo DS played Game Boy Advance games; the 3DS supported DS cartridges; the original Wii ran GameCube discs; and the Wii U was able to play most Wii games. The Switch 2 marks the first recent console generation to re-introduce this capability for Switch 1 titles.
Games Now Fully Compatible on Switch 2
The latest update adds full compatibility for seven Switch 1 games: Artifact Seekers, Landing Hero Haneda×787, Raiden IV x Mikado Remix, RICO, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, Skateboard Drifting with Maxwell Cat: The Game Simulator, and Strania – The Stella Machina EX. Among them, *Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove*—a 2019 spin-off from Yacht Club Games—has been highlighted as the most notable addition.
Newly Identified Audio Issues and Unsupported Titles
The update also surfaces fresh problems. Audio glitches have been reported in Bar Stella Abyss (Japan release) and Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook. Additionally, Nintendo confirmed that a subset of games remain fully unsupported due to progression-related issues, though the specific titles were not disclosed.
Nintendo’s Official Position on Compatibility Efforts
Nintendo states that it is “working diligently to ensure every Switch 1 game can be played on their next-gen hardware without issue.” The company emphasizes that the recent patch “improves backward compatibility, fixing a handful of games that previously had significant problems running on the Switch 2.” Nintendo also notes that updates are released without prior announcement, “dropping them randomly,” and that the firm “has discovered new compatibility issues” as part of its ongoing testing.
Timing of Future Compatibility Updates
Historical release patterns show a sporadic cadence: an update arrived in May, the preceding one in January. Based on this rhythm, analysts anticipate the next patch could appear in July or October, though a later release is deemed unlikely because “the holiday season kicks in, and Nintendo staff will be out of the office.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the update lists newly compatible and problematic titles, the documentation of fully unsupported games is incomplete; no specific progression-issue titles are provided. This omission leaves a gap in understanding the full scope of incompatibility on the Switch 2.
Verbatim Quotes
- “A new Nintendo Switch 2 update has been released by Nintendo, but it does not require a download from Nintendo users.” — ComicBook.com
- “The standout here is no doubt Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, a 2019 spin-off of the popular indie game Shovel Knight from Yacht Club Games.” — ComicBook.com
- “Since the Switch 2 released, Nintendo has been working diligently to ensure every Switch 1 game can be played on their next-gen hardware without issue.” — GoNintendo
- “Based on these past two updates, the next could arrive in July, but it could also arrive in October.” — ComicBook.com
