Nintendo
What happens if you put a Switch 2 cartridge in your old Switch? In some cases, there’s a surprise
Nintendo’s ingenious solution for transitioning between consoles.
The launch of a new generation of consoles inevitably raises questions about their capabilities. The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 gives us an improved console, but its cartridges leave us wondering what we can do with them. Eight years ago, we had doubts about the taste of these cartridges (which, yes, tasted bad to prevent people from putting them in their mouths). But now, with a console that is very similar in certain respects, something unexpected has emerged.
This is what the Switch 2 cartridges look like in the original Switch
If you have any physical Nintendo Switch 2 games, you’ll notice that the design is very similar to that of the original’s cartridges. This is a slight departure from the change we saw when the DS was replaced by the 3DS, when the cartridges for the new console could be used in the previous one. But let’s get back to the present. If you put a Nintendo Switch 2 game, such as Mario Kart World, into your regular Switch, what would happen? As you might expect, a screen will display an error message indicating that the software is not designed for this console.
However, there are other very special titles that come as a surprise. What about games carrying the ‘Switch 2 Edition’ label? These are titles that originally came out for the first Switch and are now receiving an upgraded version. Apparently, when these games were first introduced, they could run without the upgrades and extras one would expect for the Nintendo Switch 2.
This is something that Nintendo never communicated, and it seems to be doing something that another company does. Remember that Xbox has something similar: regardless of whether you have an Xbox One or an Xbox Series X/S, the game will run at its best depending on the console you play on. This means that if you haven’t bought Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom yet but plan to buy a Nintendo Switch 2, you can purchase the Switch 2 Edition of the game and enjoy the improvements once you have the console.
Follow MeriStation USA on X (formerly known as Twitter). Your video game and entertainment website for all the news, updates, and breaking news from the world of video games, movies, series, manga, and anime. Previews, reviews, interviews, trailers, gameplay, podcasts and more! Follow us now!