App from N64 on Switch 2 will have exclusive enhancements and new features

Nintendo has confirmed that the new generation of its console, the Nintendo Switch, will feature specific improvements in the Nintendo Switch 2 application, available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. The redesign brings new gameplay options and visual adjustments aimed at enhancing the experience of 64-bit classics — but not everything will be accessible to current Switch users.

Among the features that will remain exclusive to Switch 2 are the gameplay rewind function, allowing players to correct errors or replay key moments, and the new CRT filter, which simulates the look of a tube television, aiming to offer a more faithful representation of the original graphics of the time.

The customization of controls, something requested by players for a long time, will be implemented in both the current Switch and the Switch 2, ensuring at least one improvement shared between the two generations.

The Nintendo 64 application already allows access to various classic titles such as Super Mario 64, Ridge Racer 64, Killer Instinct Gold, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, among others, as long as the user is a subscriber to the higher tier of Nintendo Switch Online. There is still no information about adding new games with these updates, or if there will be technical adjustments in the emulator beyond the graphic filters and new control options.

The release of the Switch 2 does not yet have an official date, but according to recent industry rumors, the console may hit stores by early 2025. The information about improvements in the Nintendo 64 application may indicate an effort by Nintendo to strengthen the services associated with its new platform, possibly positioning the console as a more robust option for retro gaming enthusiasts.

However, the company has not yet confirmed whether other classic applications, such as those from Super Nintendo, NES, or Game Boy Advance, will also receive similar or exclusive features in the next generation. With competition between retro platforms and emulation services growing, it remains to be seen whether Nintendo will continue to limit certain improvements to the new generation, or if it will open up space for broader technical retrocompatibility — something that, so far, remains uncertain.