Some Wii U games will make history thanks to Nintendo Switch 2

Dozens of Wii U games will be available in three consecutive generations of Nintendo consoles when the Switch 2 is finally released. This has never happened before in Nintendo history.

While the Japanese gaming giant hasn't always offered backwards compatibility, its efforts to focus on such features intensified in the mid-2000s. But the Switch broke this pattern as Nintendo's first home console since 2001 to be incompatible with its predecessor's game library. That's why some Song fans have long insisted that backwards compatibility is a must for the Switch 2 – a sentiment that Nintendo seems to agree with, seeing as how it recently confirmed that the next console will indeed offer this feature.

Family

Nintendo Switch 2 could have a huge Co-Op QoL feature on the couch

Nintendo seems to be working on a useful technology that could help the Switch 2 deliver a vastly improved sofa co-op experience.

A side effect of the Switch 2 backwards compatibility is that certain games from the Wii U era are now guaranteed to be available on three consecutive generations of Nintendo consoles. As originally noted by Game Files' Stephen Totilo, this has never happened before. Of the 12 consoles Nintendo has released since 1985, only half of them were backwards compatible with their immediate predecessors, and none could play titles from two generations of hardware. While the Switch doesn't offer any kind of backwards compatibility, it has received plenty of Wii U games over the years. This isn't because the Wii U performed strongly, so many of its titles were new to Switch owners.

At least 36 Wii U games will be available on Nintendo Switch 2

Game Rant has identified 35 Wii U games that were ported to Nintendo's successful hybrid console over the years. These include cross-gen titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and improved editions in the style of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. Although many of them are first-party games, there are many third-party offerings that LEGO City: Undercover and Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove have also been available across the last two generations of Nintendo consoles and are thus guaranteed to be playable on the Switch 2. They will be joined by at least one more game in the form of the recently announced Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionwhich is scheduled for release in March 2025.

All Wii U games ported to Nintendo Switch

Seeing as how some high-profile Wii U games are still missing from the Switch, there's a chance this list will continue to expand beyond just the new version of Xenoblade Chronicles X. And while Nintendo's track record suggests that its next console after the Switch 2 won't be directly backwards compatible with the Switch library, the fact that these games are about to make history by spanning three consecutive Nintendo console generations serves as a reminder that there is a first time for everything.

Nintendo

Date founded

September 23, 1889

Head office

Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Parent company

Nintendo

Expand