Nintendo has yet to announce the Switch 2 console, but if it's backward compatible with the original Switch, it has the chance to be the ultimate Super Mario gaming machine. The Nintendo Switch successor console has not been announced at the time of this writing, but many are confident that Nintendo will reveal and release the device at some point in 2024.

For what it's worth, Nintendo has denied the Switch 2 rumors, pushing back against the claims that it's demoed the device at industry events and has sent out dev kits. Despite Nintendo's denials, rumors have been swirling about the Switch 2 and the features it could bring to the table, like backward compatibility.

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Switch 2 Rumor May Reveal More Details About Nintendo's Next Console

A new rumor might shed some light on the rumored Nintendo Switch successor's graphical capabilities and support previous claims of its horsepower.

Nintendo has a spotty track record when it comes to backward compatibility. The Super Nintendo was not BC with the NES, the Nintendo 64 was not BC with the SNES, and the GameCube was not BC with the N64. However, the Wii was fully capable of playing GameCube games, and the Wii U was BC with the Wii. The Switch was not BC with the Wii U, but there is already some evidence to suggest that the Switch 2 could very well be backward compatible.

Switch 2 Being Backward Compatible Would Make It the Dream System for Mario Fans

Nintendo has already suggested that Switch Online accounts will carry over to the Switch 2 console, or whatever the next system ends up being called. Presumably, this would mean that the classic games associated with Switch Online would be carrying over as well. Since some Switch Online benefits are tied to existing Switch games, the assumption can be made that the Switch 2 will most likely be BC with Switch games, though it should be stressed that nothing to that effect has actually been announced at the time of this writing. This is all speculation and should be treated as such until Nintendo decides to offer concrete details.

In any case, the next Nintendo console having access to the Switch Online's library of classic games would give fans access to a wide variety of Super Mario games, from the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES to the ground-breaking Super Mario 64. If the next Nintendo console is fully BC with the Switch, most of the classic Super Mario games will be readily available to fans at that point, though some will still be missing from the lineup.

On the 2D side of things, fans will still be missing access to Game Boy game Super Mario Land, Nintendo DS title New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and the 3DS' New Super Mario Bros. 2. If the next Nintendo console is fully BC with the Switch, it will have access to almost all the 3D Super Mario games except for Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario 3D Land. Otherwise, every other 3D Super Mario game is playable on Switch in some capacity.

List of Super Mario Games Playable on the Switch

• Super Mario Bros.
• Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
• Super Mario Bros. 2
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Super Mario World
• Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
• Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
• Super Mario 64
• Super Mario Sunshine
• Super Mario Galaxy
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
• Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder

There are clear paths for these missing Super Mario games to come to the next Nintendo console. For instance, Nintendo is running out of games to add to the currently-represented consoles on Switch Online, so perhaps it will extend the service to include classic Nintendo DS, Wii, or 3DS games. This would solve the problem, but Nintendo may be tempted to sell some of these Mario games as premium experiences instead of adding them to Switch Online. Releasing a new collection of Super Mario games could be the way to accomplish that, or the games could be re-released through a Virtual Console-style service.

Of course, it's entirely possible that the Switch 2 will not be backward compatible with the Switch. If so, it may not have any Super Mario games playable on it at all for a while, though there are rumors that an open world Super Mario game is in active development for the new system.

Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. is one of the biggest names in gaming. The first Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985, a game that helped the industry claw its way back from its crash in 1983.

The series is still going strong today, with new entries consistently performing well critically and commercially.