Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 have been confirmed to use a hybrid emulation and native port setup on Nintendo Switch, much like the earlier Super Mario 3D All-Stars release. The discovery was shared by dataminer OatmealDome, who noted that while the games’ code has been recompiled to run natively on the Switch’s CPU, elements such as graphics and audio continue to operate through Nintendo’s Wii emulator, known internally as Hagi.
According to OatmealDome, the overall project is codenamed “Comet,” with Super Mario Galaxy listed under “Cosmo” and Super Mario Galaxy 2 under “Cosmo2.” This approach mirrors that used in the Pikmin 1 + 2 Switch ports, which also blend emulation with selective native elements to achieve smoother performance on modern hardware.
However, a separate issue has emerged for owners looking ahead to the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade. The preservation-focused Twitter account Does It Play has reported that the physical release of the Super Mario Galaxy bundle cannot be launched on Switch 2 hardware running firmware version 20.4.0 without applying a day-one patch. The account stated: “Nintendo did it again. Super Mario Galaxy Bundle is artificially blocked from playing off card on Switch 2 firmware 20.4.0.”
This restriction means that while the collection may function as expected on a first-generation Switch console, Switch 2 owners will need to connect online to download an update before the games become playable. The issue highlights an ongoing concern tracked by Does It Play, which documents physical releases that fail to run natively on newer systems without software updates.
For players eager to revisit Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, the Switch versions remain accessible, but the dependency on updates for Switch 2 compatibility adds another layer of frustration to the ongoing debate around game preservation and hardware transitions.
