The Nintendo Switch was an excellent console, but it has one major downside that theNintendo Switch 2will hopefully address. The Switch was created to combineNintendo’s home consoles and handheldsinto one package. While it has been largely successful, it has somewhat fallen short of its goal of being a full replacement for Nintendo’s handheld consoles.
Although the Switch can play games from some ofNintendo’s previous handheld consoles, like the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, it is missing some of the company’s most popular titles. Sure, no system needs to be 100% backward compatible, but it is a shame that, at least for now,there are some great recent Nintendo games that players have no official means of purchasing anymore. Hopefully, theupcoming Switch 2can address some of these concerns.
The Switch 2 Should Port 3DS Games
The Switch 2 Porting 3DS Games Would Make It A Viable Replacement For Handheld Consoles
The first Switch did a good job being atransitional console from the Wii U. It got versions of late-stage Wii U games likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand a revamped version ofMario Kart 8. However,it didn’t do the same thing for Nintendo 3DS games. Suppose the Switch was meant to be a viable combination of both handheld and home console. In that case, one might expect the Switch to include some of Nintendo’s major handheld releases, likePokémon SunandMoon, whoseUltraeditions came out after the Switch.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal Is Breaking Records, Outdoing The Reveal Of The PS5 And PS4 Combined
The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal has shattered records with 20M views in 3 days, outpacing the PS5 and PS4 reveals combined, signaling a new gaming era.
Now, there’s no denyingthere were likely some obstacles to making side-by-side releases on the 3DS and the Switch. Orienting the device’s two screens on the Switch would likely have been one of the major hurdles. Still, the Switch has touchscreen capabilities, and there is likely a way to make the two-screen issue work. Many 3DS games also underutilized the console’s second screen, and it’s easy to imagine something like thePokémonorZeldagames working well with the second screen inputs largely removed or reworked for the Switch.
It would make some sense if Nintendo intentionally ignored bringing 3DS games to the Switch so as not to completely kill sales for the handheld. After all, the 3DS stuck around a while after the Switch was released and even got a new version as recently as 2021. However, now that the product line has been discontinued,it seems like the perfect opportunity for the Switch 2 to make some of its games available.
3DS Games Are Difficult To Find Now
The 3DS Shop Closed In 2023
Although the Switch not including 3DS games wasn’t originally a big issue, it has become one. As of July 22, 2025,Nintendo shut down the 3DS eShop. Retailers like GameStop have a limited supply of 3DS games and have already filed them under their “Retro Gaming” section. With 3DS games becoming increasingly difficult to find, it would be the perfect time for Switch 2 to include ports for these games when they come out.
While not all players will see the big deal about certain games becoming no longer publicly available, it’s worth considering how this affects games as an art form. It’s not all that difficult to find movies from the 1940s or ‘50s, but video games are a different case.Every year it gets harder to find working copies of older games through official channels. I think the Switch 2 should set a tone by helping preserve some 3DS titles, instead of letting them fade into obscurity.
Some 3DS Titles Deserve To Be Preserve
The Best 3DS Titles Shouldn’t Just Disappear
It’s unreasonable to expect Nintendo to be able to - or frankly even care to - preserve every game that was released for the 3DS by porting them to the Switch 2. After all, over 1600 games were released on the system. That said,some standout titles absolutely should come to the new console.
Every Nintendo Switch 2 Game Confirmed So Far
The announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 comes with many games in its library, but not all of them are actually confirmed, just hinted at.
One clear example isThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D. The originalMajora’s Maskis a beloved game, but there’s no denying it has some flaws and clunky elements.Majora’s Mask 3Dis easily the definitive versionof the game and also features some updated graphics that make it look stunning. Unfortunately, this is one of the 3DS games at risk of disappearing or becoming available only through the secondary market at inflated prices.
Deciding which 3DS games “deserve” to get preserved and which don’t isn’t an enviable task. Someone out there may hold a strong attachment to obscure games likeChibi-Robo Photo Finderand think it deserves to stick around just as much as something likeZeldaorFire Emblem. That said, it would be a real shame if theNintendoSwitch 2doesn’t keep at least a few versions of fan-favorite 3DS games alive.
Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor to Nintendo Switch, scheduled for release in 2025. Confirmed as backwards compatible, it will play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. A full reveal is pencilled in for August 20, 2025.
