As the launch of the Switch 2 approaches, here are some reminders of some quirks of it that are confusing to many people. I wrote this for Reddit but I think that people here might find this useful too.
Upgrading from Switch 1 to Switch 2
The game save data on your Nintendo Switch 1 can be found only on the system hardware.
You cannot transfer your game saves to another system via MicroSD card. If you take the MicroSD card from your Switch and place it in another system, it will not be recognized.
The proper way to transfer files from one system to another is to do a System Transfer. Instructions on doing so can be found here. A system transfer requires both systems to be on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
If you will not have access to both systems at the same time, you will need to upload a backup of your Switch 1 to Nintendo’s server for transfer. Instructions on how to do so can be found here.
You can also upload your save files to the cloud if you subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online. Some games do not support cloud saves. Here is a list of games that do not support cloud saves. Some noteworthy games that do not support cloud saves are:
- The Pokémon series
- Animal Crossing New Horizons (Requires a different process for backup outlined here)
- Splatoon 2
To back up these games you will have to use either a system transfer or the server backup mentioned above. If you have already sold your Switch 1 without doing a server backup, your save data for the above games is already permanently gone.
MicroSD Express
The Switch 2 only supports MicroSD Express cards for game data, not MicroSD cards.
MicroSD Express cards are:
- The same size and shape as MicroSD cards.
- More expensive than MicroSD cards.
- More widely available in smaller volumes.
- Have more pins than MicroSD cards for faster data transfer.
- They have this EX logo on them.
Do not confuse them with Sandisk’s similarly named line of “MicroSD Extreme” cards.
Japanese Switch 2
There is a Japanese Only version of the Switch 2 in Japan. It costs ¥49,980 (¥53,980 for the Mario Kart bundle).
The multi-language version costs ¥69,980 (¥73,980 for the Mario Kart bundle).
The Japanese language version is:
- Limited to Japanese only for games and for the system UI. Some games may have an option to change language in-game, but for anything that requires changing the system language, only Japanese will be supported.
- Limited to Japanese region accounts. You will not be able to sign in with an account from another region. You will not be able to purchase any games that are not available on the Japanese eShop. Physical games from out of region should work. The Japanese eShop only accepts Japanese credit cards and PayPal accounts.
Unless you understand Japanese and live in Japan it is highly recommended that you do not buy this model. You will not be able to purchase any digital games for it whatsoever, and it will be locked to Japanese only. Even though it’s significantly cheaper, it will not be worth your money.
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