Although the Nintendo Switch isn't fully backward compatible with Wii U games, and won't play the games in your existing Wii U games library, Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima confirms the handheld-console hybrid can indeed emulate Wii U games...and we could even see Wii U game "remasters" on the Switch.
When asked by TIME if the Switch would ever get Wii U game support, Mr. Kimishima confirmed that Wii U games must be "remade" to be playable on the Switch: "We can take games and bring them and make them playable on Switch. So they can be remade for Switch, yes."
The Nintendo President goes on to iterate that the games must be remade...however those remade Wii U games could get "enhanced" to benefit the Switch's beefier NVIDIA Tegra processor, similar to how older PS4 games get PS4 Pro enhancement patches to leverage the system's beefier hardware.
"That said, Switch is not backward compatible with games designed for other systems, and is not currently compatible with controllers designed for other systems. Support for certain controllers may be considered for a future update. In some cases, games from past systems may be re-released for the Nintendo Switch system as either enhanced or original versions."
I have to say it: Wii U Virtual Console when, Nintendo?
The Nintendo Switch will release on March 3, 2017 for $299. Check below for a massive catalog of everything we know about the console so far.
Everything we know about the Nintendo Switch:
- Nintendo Switch paid online service only costs $26 a year
- Nintendo Switch appeals to Japanese smartphone gamers
- New Zelda is based on three words 'climb, live, protect'
- EA: Nintendo listening to third-party Switch game devs
- First footage of Nintendo Switch's touchscreen in action
- Nintendo Switch games lineup: a visual guide
- Nintendo Switch replaces Wii U on Nintendo homesite
- Nintendo Switch battery life analysis
- Resident Evil 7 isn't coming to Nintendo Switch
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Hyrule is bigger than Skyrim
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild has an awesome physics engine
- Switch's 4310mAh battery takes 3 hours to fully recharge
- Could the Nintendo Switch's add-on processor box be the key to unlocking its full potential and boost CPU/GPU power via NVIDIA's cloud servers?
- Nintendo Switch will have 'steady pacing of content'
- Nintendo Switch's paid online subscription is specifically made to attract third-party devs
- Switch is all about 'playing games anywhere with anyone'
- Nintendo Switch will have 'steady pacing of content'
- Putting Nintendo Switch launch games into perspective
- Stock Nintendo Switch JoyConGrip won't recharge JoyCons
- The new Zelda game takes up nearly half Switch's storage
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild runs at 900p 30FPS docked, 720p 30FPS undocked
- Nintendo Switch supports 2TB Micro SDXC cards
- Nintendo Switch online chat requires smartphone app
- Here's why Nintendo Switch doesn't come with any games
- Nintendo will soon charging gamers to play online multiplayer via subscription service
- Nintendo Switch UI revealed, let's take a closer look
- Nintendo Switch touchscreen has haptic feedback tech
- Nintendo stock drops after Switch unveil event
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch runs at 1080p when docked
- Nintendo Switch hardware specs revealed
- Nintendo Switch costs $299, coming March 3
- Nintendo Switch battery life is 2.5 hours to 6 hours
- New Mario: Odyssey game won't be Nintendo Switch launch title
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Switch launch game