Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, but according to publisher Marvelous, the same cartridge will also work on the original Nintendo Switch. Even the “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” of the game will work on the original Switch — you just won’t receive the upgraded version with graphical enhancements.
“There’s no need to download the full game,” writes the team on Guardians of Azuma’s FAQ page. “Simply insert the card into either a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 console, and the correct version will launch automatically.” The game is launching on both consoles, but the only difference in the game cards is that the Nintendo Switch 2 version contains the Upgrade Pack in addition to the game.
If you purchase the Nintendo Switch version, it will also work on the Nintendo Switch 2. You’ll just need to pay for the $10 upgrade. As for what the includes, Marvelous says to expect “higher resolution visuals for a crisper, more immersive world; faster frame rates for smoother gameplay; and support for the Joy-Con 2 controllers’ new mouse functionality.”
It isn’t clear whether the other cross-generation titles will have interchangeable game cards. While Nintendo Switch games are largely confirmed to work on the Nintendo Switch 2, the reverse remains unclear — but this news from Marvelous shows that it is a possibility. The feature sounds similar to Xbox’s Smart Delivery, in which the correct version of the game launches depending on the console it’s played on.
We know of at least six Nintendo Switch games confirmed to have a Nintendo Switch 2 edition: Super Mario Party Jamboree, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Metroid Prime 4, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Pokemon Legends Z-A. Hollow Knight: Silksong will also be a cross-generation launch, according to developers (although it likely won’t have a physical game cart.)