Known limitations

Games#

• Live2D and 3D models (GLTFModel) are unsupported: there are no Switch libraries for them. A game that uses GLTFModel gets a clear error.
• Python modules missing on the Switch: ctypes (no libffi), ssl and _hashlib (no OpenSSL), sqlite3, mmap, subprocess spawning and multiprocessing. Games that need these will fail. Without ssl, a game cannot make HTTPS calls.
• Native code in a game (.pyd, .dll, .so, .dylib) cannot load.
• Non-ASCII file names: scripts and .rpa archives with such names stay loose and may not be found. See Non-ASCII file names.
• Chinese and Korean titles show boxes in the loader. The console’s font, which the loader uses, covers Latin and Japanese.
• Ren’Py sees the Switch as Linux (renpy.linux); screens use the pc variant.
• If a game ships .rpy files whose .rpyc are missing or stale, Ren’Py writes new .rpyc files into the game folder, as on a desktop.

Console#

• Applet mode is refused. Start with full memory; see Start with full memory.
• Chain-loading needs the Homebrew Menu. Start the loader from it.
• The emergency combo needs both + and −, so a single detached Joy-Con cannot do it.
• The runtime .nro is 55 MB. Its memory use and load time have not been measured on hardware.

Not built yet#

• The in-game loader overlay: pressing the left stick only shows a notice.
• An FTP server in the loader, and USB transfer (the Transfer milestone).
• A settings screen for the power saver.

Importer#

• No .tar.bz2 or .dmg: unpack them first.
• --recompile needs .rpy sources, and refuses games with .rpa archives.
• Windows is tested with Windows faked on macOS, not on a Windows machine.