Nintendo went live with a compatibility lookup website on November 9, 2025 letting Switch 2 owners search if their original Switch games work on the new system. The tool reveals consistent behavior, known issues, or full incompatibility for both physical and digital games. Since the Switch 2 launched in June 2025, Nintendo has rolled out patches and system updates to improve backward compatibility, but tracking which games received fixes required checking multiple PDFs and update notes scattered across support pages until now.
Why This Website Matters
When Nintendo announced Switch 2 backward compatibility earlier in 2025, they clarified that not every Switch game would work at launch. The phrasing was deliberately vague: certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. This created anxiety for Switch 2 buyers who owned extensive digital libraries or physical collections wondering which games would transfer smoothly.
The new compatibility website eliminates that uncertainty. Users simply type a game title into the search bar and immediately learn whether the game works consistently with Switch behavior, has known issues that affect gameplay, or is completely incompatible. The results cover both physical cartridges and digital downloads, providing comprehensive information regardless of how you purchased games.
For the overwhelming majority of Switch games, compatibility is not an issue. Most titles work perfectly on Switch 2 without problems. However, exceptions exist. NieR: Automata, widely praised as an excellent Switch port, is currently broken on Switch 2. Other games may have minor issues like audio glitches, graphical anomalies, or performance problems that Nintendo acknowledges through the website while working on fixes.
How the Search Tool Actually Works
The interface is straightforward. Navigate to the compatibility website, enter a game title or even a general search term into the search bar, and review results. Each game page displays one of several status categories. Supported games work consistently with expected Switch behavior. Games with issues include detailed explanations of what problems players might encounter. Unsupported or incompatible titles will not function on Switch 2 at all.
The website includes apps in addition to games, recognizing that Switch owners use their systems for more than just gaming. Streaming services, utility applications, and other software receive the same compatibility treatment as retail games. This comprehensive approach ensures users can verify every piece of Switch software they care about.
Some entries include information about recent patches or updates that improved compatibility. This transparency helps users understand whether problems are permanent limitations or temporary issues awaiting fixes. For games not yet compatible, players can bookmark specific pages and check back periodically to see if updates have resolved incompatibility.
The Patches Keep Coming
Nintendo has released multiple waves of compatibility updates since Switch 2 launched in June 2025. These patches address incompatibility issues through a combination of game-specific updates, system firmware improvements, and emulation layer refinements. The company maintains multiple update lists documenting which titles received compatibility fixes, though tracking these lists became cumbersome before the website launched.
The pattern suggests Nintendo prioritizes high-profile games and popular titles when allocating engineering resources toward compatibility fixes. First-party Nintendo games naturally receive immediate attention, while third-party titles depend on publisher cooperation and technical complexity. Some games may never achieve full compatibility if underlying technical barriers prove insurmountable or if publishers decline to invest in patches for older titles.
This ongoing process means the compatibility landscape constantly evolves. A game marked incompatible today might work perfectly after next month’s system update. The website serves as a living document reflecting current status rather than permanent declarations about what will or will not work forever. This dynamic nature justifies regular checking for games you want to play but cannot currently access.
What Does Not Work Yet
While Nintendo has not published comprehensive lists of incompatible games, community reports and early website searches reveal several notable titles with problems. NieR: Automata represents the highest-profile example, given its status as one of the best third-party ports on original Switch. The game’s incompatibility on Switch 2 despite working beautifully on weaker hardware highlights how backward compatibility involves complex technical challenges beyond raw processing power.
Other reported incompatibilities include certain indie games, older eShop titles, and software that used specific Switch features in unusual ways. Games heavily dependent on touchscreen functionality, motion controls, or other hardware-specific features sometimes encounter problems when those features behave differently on Switch 2. These edge cases affect small portions of the library but matter significantly to players who specifically purchased games relying on those functionalities.
Physical cartridge games face additional considerations. Some early Switch cartridges used different manufacturing processes or contained firmware that assumes specific hardware configurations no longer present in Switch 2. While Nintendo designed backward compatibility with physical media in mind, practical execution sometimes reveals unforeseen issues requiring case-by-case solutions.
Why Backward Compatibility is Complicated
Casual observers might wonder why every Switch game does not just work automatically on more powerful hardware. The reality involves significant technical complexity. Switch 2 uses different system architecture, updated components, and modified firmware that changes how software interacts with hardware. Games that made assumptions about timing, memory allocation, or component behavior on original Switch sometimes break when those assumptions no longer hold true.
Nintendo faces choices about how to implement backward compatibility. Perfect hardware-level emulation ensures every game works identically but requires expensive custom silicon that increases manufacturing costs and console prices. Software-layer emulation using translation or virtualization reduces hardware costs but introduces compatibility gaps requiring ongoing patch support. Nintendo chose the latter approach, accepting that comprehensive compatibility demands iterative improvement over time.
Third-party cooperation complicates the process further. Nintendo cannot unilaterally patch games they do not own. Publishers must authorize updates, allocate engineering resources, and validate that fixes do not introduce new problems. For games from defunct studios or titles that sold poorly, publishers may decline to invest in compatibility fixes, leaving those games permanently broken on Switch 2.
The Broader Context
PlayStation 5’s backward compatibility with PS4 provides instructive comparison. Sony achieved near-universal compatibility through custom hardware and extensive testing, but they also had advantage of using similar x86 architecture across both generations. Nintendo’s transition from Tegra X1 in Switch to updated Tegra architecture in Switch 2 created more technical barriers requiring software solutions rather than hardware compatibility.
Xbox Series X/S offers another model, with Microsoft investing heavily in backward compatibility extending back multiple console generations. However, Microsoft’s approach requires curating which games receive compatibility support rather than attempting universal compatibility. They select titles, apply custom fixes, and sometimes remaster games entirely. Nintendo’s strategy falls somewhere between PlayStation’s hardware approach and Xbox’s curated method.
The compatibility website represents consumer-friendly transparency rarely seen from platform holders. Nintendo could have hidden incompatibility issues, relying on users to discover problems through trial and error. Instead, they created a tool providing upfront information about what works and what does not. This pro-consumer approach builds trust even when delivering news that some games do not work as expected.
What This Means for Switch Owners
For original Switch owners considering whether to upgrade to Switch 2, the compatibility website provides crucial decision-making information. If your favorite games work perfectly, the upgrade path is clear. If key titles remain incompatible, you might delay purchasing until Nintendo resolves those specific issues. The transparency lets consumers make informed choices rather than gambling on compatibility.
For Switch 2 owners, the website becomes an essential bookmark. Before purchasing new Switch games on sale or digging out old cartridges from your collection, check compatibility to avoid disappointment. The tool saves money by preventing purchases of games you cannot actually play, and it saves frustration by setting appropriate expectations about what works.
For the broader gaming community, Nintendo’s website represents best practice that other platform holders should emulate. Backward compatibility matters enormously to consumers who invested thousands of dollars and countless hours into previous-generation libraries. Providing clear, searchable compatibility information respects that investment and helps preserve gaming history as hardware evolves.
FAQs About Nintendo’s Compatibility Website
When did Nintendo launch the Switch 2 compatibility website?
Nintendo launched the compatibility lookup website on November 9, 2025, approximately five months after Switch 2 launched in June 2025. The website provides searchable compatibility information for original Switch games running on Switch 2.
How do I use the Nintendo compatibility website?
Visit the compatibility website and enter a Switch game title into the search bar. Results show whether the game works consistently on Switch 2, has known issues, or is incompatible. The tool covers both physical and digital versions of games.
Do most Switch games work on Switch 2?
Yes, the overwhelming majority of Switch games are compatible with Switch 2. However, exceptions exist where games have issues or do not work at all. Nintendo continues releasing patches to improve compatibility over time.
What happens if my game is listed as incompatible?
Games marked incompatible will not function on Switch 2 currently. Check the website periodically as Nintendo and publishers release updates that may resolve compatibility issues. Some games may never achieve full compatibility depending on technical limitations.
Can I still play incompatible games on my original Switch?
Yes, incompatibility only affects Switch 2. Original Switch systems continue running all Switch games normally. Keep your original Switch if you have games that do not work on Switch 2.
Does the website include both physical and digital games?
Yes, the compatibility website covers both physical cartridges and digital downloads. Search results apply regardless of how you purchased the game.
Why does NieR: Automata not work on Switch 2?
NieR: Automata is currently broken on Switch 2 despite being an excellent Switch port. The specific technical reasons have not been publicly disclosed, but Nintendo and Square Enix are presumably working on a compatibility fix.
Will Nintendo fix all incompatible games eventually?
Nintendo continues releasing compatibility updates, but universal compatibility is not guaranteed. Some games may remain broken due to technical barriers, lack of publisher cooperation, or low priority relative to other titles.
Conclusion
Nintendo’s November 9 launch of the Switch 2 compatibility website provides the transparency Switch owners needed since June when the new system launched. Instead of relying on scattered PDFs, update notes, and community reports to determine which games work, users now have a centralized search tool that immediately reveals compatibility status for any Switch title. The website acknowledges that backward compatibility is ongoing work rather than a solved problem, with Nintendo and third-party publishers continuously releasing patches to improve support for more games. For the vast majority of titles, compatibility is not an issue, but high-profile exceptions like NieR: Automata demonstrate that even excellent Switch ports can face unexpected technical barriers on new hardware. The tool represents consumer-friendly practice that respects the investments players made in Switch libraries and helps them make informed decisions about upgrading to Switch 2. As Nintendo continues releasing system updates and game patches, the compatibility website will serve as essential reference for millions of Switch owners determining whether the time is right to embrace the next generation or whether they should wait until their favorite games receive compatibility fixes. In an industry that often obscures technical limitations until after purchase, Nintendo’s decision to provide upfront searchable compatibility information deserves recognition as the right approach to handling backward compatibility challenges.