Nintendo finally unveiled about everything there is to know about their upcoming console during their Switch 2 focused Direct. Within that presentation, it was also revealed that Kirby Air Riders is set to be released sometime in July 2025, which means that we’ve still got at least a few years of waiting ahead of us until the next Super Smash Bros. entry for the Switch 2.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Super Smash Bros. won’t be immediately playable on the Switch 2. Leading up to this showcase livestream, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa told fans and investors that certain games from the Switch will be backwards compatible on the Switch 2.
As it turns out, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be among the games that will be backwards compatible. During the Nintendo Direct presentation, it was stated that there are three types of games that will be playable on the Switch 2.
The first type of game are games that are exclusively for the Switch 2. Games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are among these sort of games. More than likely, Kirby Air Riders will also be a Switch 2 exclusive.
There will also be “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” games that will effectively act as rereleases of games from the Switch on the Switch 2. Upgrade packs will be available that will enhance certain aspects of the game specifically for the Switch 2.
Games included in this category are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Mario Party Jamboree.
Unfortunately, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is not one of those games. Instead, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is simply being listed as being a “compatible Switch 1 game” for the Switch 2. Notably, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was displayed at the front and center while this was being revealed.
For now, it would seem that Nintendo has no plans to port an enhanced update of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to the Switch 2. There aren’t any additional features being added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that we know of.
Having said all of that, there’s always the possibility of that changing in the future. Being that Kirby Air Riders is slated for a 2025 release window, we have to imagine that it’s nearly done. It also doesn’t seem like the type of game that will necessarily require DLC.
Once Masahiro Sakurai is finished with that project, he’ll likely be ready to move on to a new game project. Before then, he might consider working on a few enhancements for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate specifically for the Switch 2 to tide fans over.
However, I think the more likelier possibility is that Sakurai will simply move forward with the next Super Smash Bros. entry on the Switch 2 while observing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a finished project. Ultimately though, we’ll just have to see how things play out from here to find out.
Source: Event Hubs
