Game cards for Nintendo Switch 2’s ‘Edition’ game ports will also work on the original Nintendo Switch, it’s claimed.
That’s according to publisher Marvelous, which made the claim on its FAQ page for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition version of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma.
“The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a red 64GB game card that includes, in full, the Nintendo Switch game and the Upgrade Pack,” it states.
“There’s no need to download the full game: simply insert the card into either a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 console, and the correct version will launch automatically.
“Like most modern titles, there may be small updates or patches available at launch to provide minor fixes and improvements, but rest assured: the complete game is on the game card, ready to play from day one.”
If true, this would mean that Switch 2 Edition game carts would act similarly to Xbox’s Smart Delivery discs, automatically booting the correct version for two generations of platforms.
Nintendo previously stated that Switch 2 Edition games would contain both the Switch 1 game and its Switch 2 upgrade on the game card itself, but it wasn’t clear if it would run on both systems.
VGC has asked Nintendo for comment on this story and will update it when we receive a response.
Nintendo announced its line of enhanced Switch 2 Edition games during its Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation earlier this month.
While the vast majority of Switch games work on Switch 2 via its backwards compatibility feature, each Switch 2 Edition game includes improvements over the original Switch edition, such as better visuals or exclusive features.
So far six games have been confirmed to have Switch 2 Editions – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Super Mario Party Jamboree.
The Switch 2 Edition upgrades for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will be included for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members as part of their subscription, or can be purchased separately for those not on that subscription tier.
