Summary
- The Nintendo Switch 2 will have backward compatibility, allowing games from the original console to be played on the new one.
- Past Nintendo consoles like the GameCube, Wii, and 3DS also had backward compatibility features for older games, extending their lifespan.
- Other companies like Sony and Microsoft have also implemented backward compatibility in their consoles, allowing players to enjoy older games.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is on the way and features multiple upgrades, from 4K resolution to a larger screen for playing games such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza. However, one function that has many people excited is that games from the original Nintendo Switch are backwards compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2.
8 GameCube Games That Should Be On The Nintendo Switch 2
This handled console could give these games a second chance at life.
The Switch 2 is not the first console to feature backwards compatibility. Other Nintendo consoles have done the same for years, as have consoles from other companies. This allows games to have extended longevity rather than being locked to a specific console that future generations of gamers might not have access to.
7 GameCube
Handheld Games Could Be Played On TVs
- Launched: September 14, 2001
- Discontinued: June 15, 2009
The home of classic titles such as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and the Resident Evil remake, the Nintendo GameCube was the company’s first CD-based console, leaving behind cartridges. As a result, Nintendo 64 games couldn’t be played, but there was another option through the peripheral known as the Game Boy Player.
The Game Boy Player fits flush and blends in with the console, allowing Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games like The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap to be played on big screens. For the time in 2003, that kind of backward compatibility had rarely been seen before outside a similar device for the Nintendo 64.
6 Wii
No Accessories Were Needed For GameCube Games
- Launched: November 19, 2006
- Discontinued: October 21, 2013
For each generation of CD-based consoles, Nintendo remained loyal to their fans by allowing the previous console’s games to be backward compatible with the newest system. Any owner of the Nintendo Wii can enjoy titles like Wii Sports and Mario Party 8, with the big gimmick being motion controls alongside traditional controller-based options.
8 Nintendo Wii Games That Have Aged The Best, Ranked
Thanks to their unique gameplay and aesthetics, these Nintendo Wii games are still extremely fun and satisfying to play.
Fortunately, GameCube owners were not forced to leave their favorite games behind, even if their consoles had either stopped working or had been sold. Without any sort of peripheral, they could insert a GameCube disk and controller into the Wii and play their favorite games of that generation.
5 Wii U
Wii Games Felt Even Better On The Wii U
- Launched: November 18, 2012
- Discontinued: January 31, 2017
On the one hand, the Wii U was regarded as a lackluster console when it came out due to its over-reliance on the Gamepad, which eventually evolved into the Switch. Fans considered it more of an updated version of the Wii that happened to feature some strong titles that found new homes on the next-generation console.
On the other hand, the Wii U did provide even better ways to play Wii titles and, thanks to the Wii U being Nintendo’s first HD console, they looked and played slightly better. As such, a player could go from playing Super Mario 3D World to Super Mario Galaxy for double the 3D Mario adventures, all on the same console.
4 3DS
Nintendo DS Games Were Still Viable On The Handheld Console
- Launched: February 26, 2011
- Discontinued: September 17, 2020
Arguably, backward compatibility helped keep the Nintendo 3DS alive, as it was a console that nearly failed at launch due to a lack of games. Later, titles like Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D breathed new life into the handheld console, allowing it to thrive even into the era of the Nintendo Switch.
Fortunately, similar to the mainline consoles, the handhelds maintained a way for previous-generation games to be played. Since the original Nintendo DS had hundreds of titles, many gamers were thankful that they could revisit them on the 3DS, which offered a bigger screen and improved controls thanks to an analog stick instead of a D-Pad.
3 PlayStation 5
Sony's Fifth Console Completely Replaced The Fourth
- Launched: November 12, 2020
- Still In Production
Times have changed, and the Sony PlayStation 5 now has a massive games library, but when the console launched in 2020, the games were as scarce as the consoles themselves. Fortunately, the PlayStation 5 features one of the best upgrades, with the ability to play almost any PlayStation 4 title from the start and with better loading times and much quieter cooling fans.
As time has gone on, multiple PlayStation 4 titles have gotten PS5 upgrades—some for free, others for a price. Combined with newer titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and God Of War: Ragnarok, there was little to no reason to even keep old PS4 consoles around, especially when that console had zero backward compatibility outside of digital games.
2 Xbox One
Old Games Were Playable Through Discs And Xbox Game Pass
- Launched: November 22, 2013
- Discontinued: November 10, 2020
Microsoft has gone above and beyond to allow their players to keep playing their old games, and the best example was with the Xbox One. Not only could gamers play newer titles such as Dead Rising 3 and Halo 5: Guardians, but Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles could be inserted into the system for nostalgic players.
Best Xbox 360 Game From Every Year Of The Console's Life
Although production of the Xbox 360 stopped in 2016, the console still had a 12-year lifespan filled with beloved games that are classics.
While not every title was playable, it was still a viable option since there are games stuck on the Xbox and Xbox 360 that are still without any remasters or ports, like Batman: Arkham Origins, for example. Xbox Game Pass would also become a viable way to play older titles digitally, but physical collectors are thankfully not alienated.
1 PlayStation 3
Sony Created The Ideal Triple Threat Console
- Launched: November 11, 2006
- Discontinued: May 29, 2017
Like the Xbox One, Sony’s original PlayStation 3 console allowed for three generations of games to be played. One minute, players could be taking in God Of War 3 to enjoy the hack-and-slash action, the next, they could go back a generation to collect power cells in Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, and then enjoy Naughty Dog’s other mascot character with Crash Bandicoot for the PS1.
All three models of the PlayStation 3 were able to play original PlayStation titles, but strangely, only the original model was capable of playing PlayStation 2 games. Having all three options was perfect for collectors, since not everyone wants to get rid of their old games, and some older games are hard to find, even at retro game stores and pawn shops.
9 Underrated Open World Games On PS3
Open-world games on the PlayStation 3, like Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows and The Saboteur, deserve more appreciation from gamers.