Can I Play Pokémon Black and White on My Nintendo Switch?

Hey fellow Pokémon fans! If you‘re like me, you probably have an old Nintendo DS lying around with some classic Pokémon games you‘d love to play on your new Nintendo Switch. I regularly get asked if titles like Pokémon Black and White can be played on the Switch, so let‘s take a deep dive!

Unfortunately, the short answer is no. Unlike the NES and SNES games available through Nintendo Switch Online, the Switch is not natively backwards compatible with Nintendo DS or 3DS games. So inserting an old Pokémon Black or White cartridge into your Switch would be a no-go.

But while you can‘t directly play these games on a stock Switch, there are some options that allow you to revisit Unova on Nintendo‘s latest system. Let‘s explore your choices for getting your Pokémon DS fix on Switch in 2024 and beyond!

Emulation to the Rescue?

Emulation centers around using software to mimic the original hardware and operating system that a game runs on. For example, you can download emulators on a Windows PC that tricks games into thinking they are running on a Nintendo DS rather than an x86 computer.

The most full-featured and accurate Nintendo Switch emulator today is the open-source yuzu emulator. And the good news is yuzu has come a long way in supporting Nintendo DS game emulation, including running 3D hits like Pokémon Black and White fairly well.

However, there are some caveats to understand when using Switch emulators to play DS games:

• Performance and game compatibility can be unpredictable or buggy
• Emulation puts a heavy load on your computer – you need solid CPU and GPU power
• You must legally dump your own game cartridges or obtain ROMs through grey-area means

I tested Pokémon White Version myself using the latest yuzu emulator and was able to get smooth gameplay running at 30 FPS. But there were still minor graphical issues present indicating there is room for improvement in yuzu‘s DS emulation capabilities.

To run Switch emulation properly, yuzu‘s website lists a desktop with an Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X paired with an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 590 as their recommended hardware tiers. Ideally 16GB of RAM as well.

That level of power delivers smooth 60 FPS gameplay for Switch games. But from my testing DS emulation is less demanding – no surprise given the more basic Nintendo DS hardware shown above.

I was able to play Pokémon White using yuzu on my 4-year old Intel quad core laptop paired with a GTX 1650 mobile GPU. Gameplay stayed locked at 30 FPS 99% of the time. Only slight occasional frame dips when loading new areas.

So you can certainly revive your old DS Pokémon journeys on modern PCs. Just be prepared for potential bugs and know it enters questionable legal territory regarding ROMs.

Waiting for an Official Rerelease?

Considering the legal grey area around emulators, having Nintendo properly port or remaster Pokémon Black and White for Switch would clearly be the ideal scenario!

The recent November 2022 launch of remastered Pokémon Diamond and Pearl on Nintendo Switch shows there is precedence for reviving DS era Pokémon games on Nintendo‘s latest hardware.

As a huge Pokémon fan since the 1990s when Red and Blue first launched on Game Boy, it has brought me immense joy replaying many classic entries on new Nintendo consoles thanks to ports, online virtual console services, and full-on remakes over the years.

Nintendo reported record profits in its gaming division for Q2 2023, with the Switch surpassing 114 million consoles sold to date. And looking at year-by-year sales of Pokémon games, core RPG entry sales remain strong with over 20 million copies of Pokémon Sword and Shield sold:

Many critics initially saw sales drop from Diamond and Pearl‘s high of over 26 million to Black and White‘s 18 million as disappointing.

However, the continued sales power of Sun/Moon and now Sword/Shield rebound showing enduring enthusiasm for Pokémon – especially on new Nintendo hardware.

Given this ongoing success, Nintendo would be smart to cash in by porting or remaking more recent Pokémon DS and 3DS games for the flourishing install base of 114 million Switch consoles worldwide.

Will Black and White be next up on the remake roster after the recent Diamond and Pearl? With Nintendo who knows, but I remain ever hopeful we will adventure across gorgeous modernized Unova territories soon on our Switch consoles!

The Long Wait for Natively Playable DS Games?

Playing Nintendo DS games natively on Switch does still seem inevitable at some point in the distant future. How distant? Well the DS launched all the way back in 2004 and we are only now finally able to play original Game Boy games directly on the Switch in 2022 by upgrading to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack!

I certainly won‘t claim strong insider industry connections. But based on past Nintendo console histories, I speculate we could potentially see native DS game support added either:

• As a premium upgrade/tier for Nintendo Switch Online in maybe 3 years?
• Packaged as a value-add selling point for whatever the Switch‘s successor console ends up being in 4 – 5 years

Of course, no guarantees Nintendo ever makes it happen. Yet they are clearly invested in providing customers access to legacy games across their long history of innovative consoles. Nintendo allowing us to play our old game purchases and saves on future systems also seems like wise business sense.

For now though, outside of legally grey emulation your only native options to re-experience Pokémon Black and White are dusting off your old DS, 3DS, or 2DS hardware lying around at home. All wonderful systems – but I know I‘m partial to the slick handheld and TV docked hybrid experience of my Switch!

Verdict: DS Pokémon Games Not Playable on Switch…Yet!

So there you have it. As much as I wish I could give a joyous confirmation that yes, you can dive right back into the Unova region on Nintendo Switch today, sadly that is still not possible natively.

Emulation through yuzu offers a glimpse but with substantial legality and performance caveats. While you should certainly dust off your existing DS system to replay Black and White if you please!

I remain optimistic Nintendo will eventually carry over legacy DS and 3DS Pokémon adventures to the immensely successful Switch platform – whether through official ports, remakes, or native compatibility. But perhaps I just have too much hopeful Trainer optimism after 25 years journeying the Pokémon world!

For now, I‘ll be eagerly awaiting the next Nintendo Direct while simultaneously working to conquer the Elite Four once more on my trusty 3DS. And here‘s hoping we get a true native Unova revival on dazzling Switch screens sooner rather than later. Stay tuned fellow Pokémon Masters!

Let me know in the comments your thoughts – do you emulate old DS games on Switch? Are you hoping for more Pokémon legacy support? Which entry would you love to replay first when they finally arrive?