Nintendo Switch Will Not Play Wii U Discs and 3DS Cartridges: Nintendo

With Nintendo revealing the Nintendo Switch console via a slick three minute video, more details about the console are slowly being made public. In conversation with Japanese website Famitsu and translated by Perfectly Nintendo, the company confirmed that you will not be able to play Wii U and 3DS games.

(Also see: Nintendo NX Revealed as Nintendo Switch, Confirmed for March 2017)

However the company was keen to state that this applies to physical copies of Wii U and 3DS titles. This could imply some form of backwards compatibility when the device is made available. Perhaps through it's Virtual Console service. This makes the Nintendo Switch its first console not to support physical backwards compatibility since the GameCube.

In addition to this, the company claims it is not the successor to the Wii U, which old-timers would remember is what was said when it replaced the Game Boy Advance with the Nintendo DS. Furthermore, it will ship in Japan with the main unit, the Dock, the Joy Con detachable controllers (Left and Right), and nothing else. As for other inclusions such as the Joy Grip and the Pro Controller, Nintendo will make these known closer to launch. Each region can expect different bundles.

(Also see: Nintendo Switch Release Date, Specifications, Games, Controllers, and Everything You Need to Know)

On being asked if the Nintendo Switch can play smartphone games due to the presence of a Tegra chip, it said that it could not answer that question right now.

In terms of battery life Nintendo confirmed that it was designed for users to play as long as possible and "comfortably" even if there is no access to a power outlet. Specifics on battery life will be shared later.

With the Nintendo Switch due in March 2017, you'd think that every detail would be laid bare. But with the company playing its cards close to its chest, it's makes us wonder how close to completion it really is.

Are you picking up the Nintendo Switch at launch? Let us know in the comments.

We discuss everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch and whether it’s likely to come to India on Orbital: The Gadgets 360 Podcast. You can either subscribe to via iTunes or RSS or just hit the play button below.