Why the Nintendo Switch can’t play 3DS games out of the box Differences in card shape and size I’ll also look at what alternatives are open to you for enjoying our 3DS games into the future. In the following sections, I’ll take a closer look at why Nintendo left out 3DS backward compatibility on the Switch. So sadly, the Switch can’t play 3DS games. Plus, it would cost Nintendo too much money to include backward compatibility with the 3DS. The Switch’s external hardware is incompatible with the 3DS. The Switch’s internal hardware is completely different. The reasons for this include: The 3DS cartridge is bigger than the Switch cartridge. This is what I found…Ĭan the Nintendo Switch play 3DS games? No, the Nintendo Switch can not play 3DS games. I dug out my Switch eager to get an answer. For example, the DS could play Game Boy Advance games.

It was home to some stunning games that worked in perfect harmony with the 3DS’ unique hardware.Īs I sit daydreaming a thought floated into the sky of my mind: does the Switch offer backward compatibility with the 3DS? After all, Nintendo does have a history of offering backward compatibility with its handheld consoles. To me, the 3DS XL was the pinnacle of handheld gaming. The other day, I was sat in my entertainment room, admiring all my retro gaming loveliness, when my eyes settled on my 3DS XL.

3ds emulation on switch