Whereas Nintendo had confirmed that the Swap 2 permit gamers to play Swap video games by backwards compatibility, the corporate has now revealed extra particulars on how this works. In an Ask the Developer Q&A, Swap 2 director Takuhiro Dohta revealed that backwards compatibility on the upcoming console isn’t the results of it that includes {hardware} from the unique Swap.
For context, the Nintendo 3DS was in a position to play video games made for the DS attributable to it together with among the older handheld’s {hardware}. The PS2 equally was in a position to make use of embedded PSOne {hardware} to play older titles. In keeping with Dohta, technical issues made it tough for Nintendo to strategy backwards compatibility in the identical approach on the Swap 2.
“Once we first began Swap 2 growth, the main focus was on enhancing its efficiency as {hardware}, specifically, increasing its capability,” mentioned Dohta. “So, compatibility was a decrease precedence. For instance, Nintendo DS video games had been playable on Nintendo 3DS, and Wii video games had been playable on Wii U, nevertheless it was tough to realize the identical degree of compatibility with Swap 2, as a result of the {hardware} design strategy was totally different from these techniques.”
Swap 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto added on to the assertion, explaining how backwards compatibility labored in Nintendo’s earlier consoles. The Swap 2, alternatively, doesn’t embody any of the {hardware} from the unique Swap.
“Merely put, these techniques had been appropriate as a result of Nintendo 3DS contained Nintendo DS {hardware} and Wii U contained Wii {hardware},” mentioned Kawamoto. “Nevertheless, Swap 2 doesn’t comprise any Swap {hardware}.”
Dohta describes the strategy to backwards compatibility on the Swap 2 as being “one thing that’s someplace in between a software program emulator and {hardware} compatibility.” Via this, the brand new console is ready to persuade a sport into pondering that it’s working on the unique Swap. For its half, the Swap 2 converts the sport’s Swap information in real-time as the sport is working.
At the moment, Nintendo has revealed that round 122 of its personal video games, together with greater than 15,000 third-party video games can be playable on the Swap 2 by backwards compatibility. There are additionally some Swap video games that might face compatibility points with the Swap 2 owing to the required devoted {hardware}. This consists of titles like 1-2-Swap, Ring Match Journey, and Recreation Builder Storage, amongst others, attributable to quirks of the Pleasure-Con and Pleasure-Con 2 controllers.
Dohta had beforehand talked about that working Swap video games on the Swap 2 would additionally result in higher efficiency and stability for the video games owing to the upcoming console’s stronger {hardware}. He famous that, even when a participant doesn’t purchase the Swap 2 Version improve packs, they’ll nonetheless get pleasure from a greater expertise with the video games on the brand new console due to options like GameChat.
Swap 2 Version improve packs, alternatively, will provide improved experiences for a number of Swap video games, together with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Tremendous Mario Celebration Jamboree. The improve packs may even usher in new content material for some video games, whereas others will solely get efficiency and determination boosts.
The Nintendo Swap 2 is slated for launch on June 5. Try our protection of the latest Direct for extra particulars.
