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Nintendo's Switch preview gave us a massive helping of information regarding the new console - what it looks like, what control options it has and the kind of games we'll be playing - but it also left some unanswered questions. Does it have a touchscreen? Can you add more memory via SD cards? What kind of battery life will it have?

Another question which perhaps didn't need answering so soon concerns backwards compatibility with physical 3DS and Wii U games. The unit clearly lacks an optical drive, and judging from a short clip shown in the preview, the Switch game cards are much thicker than 3DS ones. There's also the issue that the system's internal architecture is totally different from what has gone before, which means specially-coded ports of older titles will be required.

Despite all this, Japanese magazine Famitsu felt compelled to pop the question anyway, and got a predictable response. The Switch cannot play Wii U discs or 3DS cartridges. That doesn't rule out ports of existing games of course, but they would need rebuilt to suit the system's new internals. As for retro, that shouldn't be an issue - Nvidia's older Tegra-based tablets can run GameCube games via emulation with impressive levels of performance, and Switch should be even more powerful. Perhaps we will see Wii games via emulation in the future?

Famitsu also asked about what would be contained in the box, and was told that it would include the console, the Joy Con and its detachable controllers. No mention of the dock was made - which is odd, given that Nintendo is positioning this as a home system first and foremost - but it was added that full details will be revealed at a later date, so that could be subject to change. EDIT: The original source has now been updated to include mention of the dock.

Battery life was the final big question, and Nintendo didn't give much away, only stating that the system's stamina will allow people to play "comfortably" away from a plug socket.

What do you make of these comments? Were you hoping that you'd be able to use your old games on the new system?

[source perfectly-nintendo.com]