The Nintendo Switch Lite is proving popular with gamers thanks to its cheaper price tag and portability – even if it can’t actually do the switching the product name implies, as you can’t hook it up to a TV.
We gave the Lite a solid four star review despite its incompatibility with some Switch titles. Despite this, it’s a great choice if you like handheld gaming, and it could also soon become a way to play Nintendo 3DS games too.
As spotted by TechRadar, the Wall Street Journal’s tech reporter Takashi Mochizuki said in a tweet that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa plans to bring 3DS games to the Switch Lite in order to widen its appeal and game library.
Furukawa made the announcement in a briefing call with media and analysts:
The result is encouraging for Pokemon games coming next month. Nintendo chief Furukawa said company would make more 3DS franchises available on Switch to convey appeal of Lite.
— Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj)
October 31, 2019
It makes sense given the Switch is now the dominant Nintendo brand, with any new 3DS hardware unlikely. If Nintendo can successfully port 3DS fans onto Switch and Switch Lite while still offering 3DS game compatibility, it would be viewed as a canny move.
It probably spells the end for new 3DS games but the appeal of old titles on new hardware is proven with backwards compatibility on PlayStation and Xbox a roaring trade, while the Switch has its own NES and SNES ports that are free to Switch Online subscribers.
It could also mean than Nintendo indulges in a little bit of re-releasing, something it has been a dab hand at to stoke excitement about franchises like Pokemon, Zelda and Metroid.
