Skip to main content GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love Search GamesRadar+ View Profile Xbox Series X Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Tabletop Gaming Toys & Collectibles Retro Gamer Newsletters Total Film Gaming Magazines Why subscribe? Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99Subscribe now The Fantastic Four: First Steps Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 Starter Pack Recommended reading Donkey Kong The next big Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza is playable on Switch 1 after all, you just need a friend kind enough to share it to your dusty old relic of a console Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility explained Platforming Games Can you play Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 1? Nintendo Switch 2 One week of Switch 2 backwards compatibility: The good, the bad, and the bilinear-filtered ugly With hours to go until launch, Switch 2 has its very first firmware update enabling some of its core features Nintendo Switch's new Steam Families-like digital game loaning feature is here, but some are unhappy as functionality for an old sharing method has seemingly been ruined Ahead of Switch 2, Nintendo lays the groundwork for its local GameShare feature on the OG Switch in a huge new system update, but you can't actually use it yet Platforming Games Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong Bananza doesn't have Switch 2's latest firmware on the cart, which means there's still no way to play backwards compatible Switch 1 games without an internet connection Dustin Bailey 17 July 2025 Nintendo still isn't making it easy for offline gamers When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Nintendo) Donkey Kong Bananza is out today, and players already have physical copies in hand to verify one important fact: the game does not have the latest Nintendo Switch 2 firmware on the cartridge. That's a bummer, since it means there's still no way to play Switch 1 games on the new console without an internet connection. As you may recall, there was a minor controversy around the Switch 2 launch when it became clear that the system was not going to launch with fully functional firmware. Instead, you'd need to connect online and download a day one console patch to enable features like GameChat, GameShare, and the Nintendo eShop. Those features mostly require the internet to work anyway, so the online connection isn't a notable barrier, but there's one big elephant in this room. Switch 1 backwards compatibility is not enabled out of the box on Switch 2, so you need that firmware update in order to be able play old games on the new system. Switch 2 carts - at least the real ones, not the game-key cards - work without the updated firmware, but you can't plug, say, your old copy of Super Mario Odyssey into a Switch 2 and play it unless you connect online for the update. You may like The next big Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza is playable on Switch 1 after all, you just need a friend kind enough to share it to your dusty old relic of a console Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility explained Can you play Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 1? BIG story of today: #DonkeyKongBananza does NOT come with newer firmware compared to the launch games. Still runs on 19.1.0. No update prompt. Best bet for offline backwards compatibility now is Mario Party, since it makes use of the SW2 camera, which needs a firmware update.— @doesitplay.org (@doesitplay.org.bsky.social) 2025-07-17T17:41:17.657Z Generally, new physical games include a console's latest firmware updates, but it seems Donkey Kong Bananza won't solve the issue. The game "does NOT come with newer firmware compared to the launch games," as DoesItPlay, a physical media compatibility watchdog group, notes on Bluesky. "Still runs on 19.1.0. No update prompt. Best bet for offline backwards compatibility now is Mario Party, since it makes use of the SW2 camera, which needs a firmware update." This is a pretty narrow issue for now, since a pretty small number of people leave their consoles offline these days. But it does matter for that group, and it will matter to a much broader range of collectors in the future, when Nintendo will likely shut down the update services for Switch 2. Here's hoping that future physical games will offer an alternative path to the new firmware. One of these upcoming Switch 2 games has to have the firmware on-cart… right? Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more Nintendo Switch 2 News Nintendo eShop Nintendo Switch 2 Dustin Bailey Social Links Navigation Staff Writer Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. The next big Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza is playable on Switch 1 after all, you just need a friend kind enough to share it to your dusty old relic of a console Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility explained Can you play Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 1? One week of Switch 2 backwards compatibility: The good, the bad, and the bilinear-filtered ugly With hours to go until launch, Switch 2 has its very first firmware update enabling some of its core features Nintendo Switch's new Steam Families-like digital game loaning feature is here, but some are unhappy as functionality for an old sharing method has seemingly been ruined Latest in Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza finally confirms who voices DK in the Switch 2 era, and it's the exact Mario Movie actor we all thought it was Yes, you can play Donkey Kong Bananza with a set of Donkey Konga Bongos Nintendo icon Shigeru Miyamoto spent his time testing Donkey Kong Bananza "smashing and digging" in one spot, which tracks following his hour-long Breath of the Wild playtesting stint "just climbing trees" Donkey Kong Bananza's "rich and thick" hero isn't butt-naked this time around because Nintendo was "conscious" of how he looked "from the back" Donkey Kong Bananza doesn't use Switch 2's frame rate-boosting DLSS tech, joining Mario Kart World in dodging what we thought would be one of the console's defining features Donkey Kong Bananza Metacritic score not only makes it the highest-rated Switch 2 exclusive yet, it ties Donkey Kong 64 as the highest-rated game in the series Latest in News Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate's new "Weapons" armor stat might feel like a balance and buildcrafting disaster, but hold on, Bungie says one of the worst parts is bugged "Sounds like I'll be a millionaire soon": Steam error sends game wishlist numbers to the moon, indie devs take a moment to celebrate their new massive audiences before Valve fixes it Assassin's Creed live-action series greenlit at Netflix from Westworld and Halo showrunners: "We're committed to creating something undeniable for fans all over the planet" One heartbreaking detail in the Stranger Things trailer has fans hoping Eddie Munson will be vindicated in the Netflix show's final season It's Balatro all over again: a $5 plinko roguelike from a new solo dev is one of the top-rated Steam releases of 2025, and 10,000 reviews agree looking like a pre-installed Windows XP game is a plus Clearly not too busy with the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake, Avatar game, and more, Space Marine 2 devs are teasing something new, and fans think it's a Hellraiser title GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Donkey Kong Bananza Review: "Destruction isn't just a flashy gimmick for the Minecraft generation, it's one of the best inventions Nintendo has had in years" Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 review: "A nostalgic, must-play hit for fans" College Football 26 review: “Thanks to rivalries and dynasty, this is the greatest show on turf” Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy" Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse" Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber" M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion" 28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy” Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation" Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever" Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date" Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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