When the Nintendo Switch 2 was announced and appeared to be a traditional successor in all the ways we didn’t expect, I was taken aback. This wasn’t the Wii U, which aimed to reframe a console all about motion controls into a bewildering second-screen experience, or the Nintendo 64 eager to cling onto bulky cartridges just as its fellow competitors were willing to evolve.
It’s another Switch that essentially looks, plays, and feels exactly the same. That’s not a bad thing. If anything, it’s exactly what it needed to be, but it also leaves us asking lofty questions about exactly what the future might hold. After selling over 3 million units in its first week of release, it’s a future that already looks bright.
Console
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a refinement of everything that came before. It feels like Nintendo looked at the original console and most general complaints and sought to create a successor that felt more sturdy, appeared more premium, and beneath the aesthetics, was more capable and powerful.
The Switch 2 is also a little heavier, weighing 534g compared to the Switch OLED at 420g. I’d describe it as a halfway house between the original console and a Steam Deck.
While the display downgrades OLED to LCD, at 7.9 inches with a wide range of colour and HDR doing the heavy lifting, you hardly notice the difference. Throw in the 1920x1080 resolution and the majority of games I’ve tested look incredible. There is a notable blur in titles like Hitman or Cyberpunk 2077, which could be a product of more demanding visuals being ported, although it’s significantly less noticeable in docked play which is capable of outputting a 4K image.
Claims that the majority of titles supporting a full 4K resolution are exaggerated, however, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see many peaking at 1440p or making decent use of dynamic resolution while docked. No matter how you slice it, though, it’s wonderful to see our new and existing Switch titles look so incredible. It’s a step forward that makes the previous iteration seem borderline prehistoric. When jumping between Mario Kart World, Tears of the Kingdom, and Deltarune, it felt like hardware built to accommodate so much without ever breaking a sweat. It’s just a shame it’s presented in such a familiar way.
I adore the blue and orange accents found within the thumbsticks and outer layers of each Joy-Con. This adds a vital piece of personality to an otherwise drab black design.
Aside from a few new additions such as the GameChat button, which can launch you directly into a call with friends or a second USB-C port on the top of the console, much of the design remains identical. Face and directional buttons haven’t changed, although they do feel better, while the kickstand is both more durable and capable of presenting at more angles than previously attainable. Like I mentioned earlier, there is an element of refinement to the Switch 2 that screams satisfying yet familiar.
The dock has also received a design overhaul, now supporting a more stylish curved look that makes it easier to insert the console without accidentally stabbing the screen against sharp edges. The Switch slides in smoothly, charges, and immediately outputs to the display of your choice. I don’t think there were many faults to address in the previous iteration, but this is still an improvement with more accessible USB ports and an adjustable door that doesn’t fly off every single time you try to insert a cable.
Interface And Features
While the console itself is a massive improvement, the user interface has hardly changed at all. Icons now have rounded edges and feel more slick as a result, but the layout of icons and options are pretty much identical except for the introduction of GameChat. This is the same template you’ve been using for the past eight years.
There’s no getting around the fact that this underwhelms, and despite feeling like I can slide into this ecosystem without fear of being lost or overwhelmed, I still crave something new. A daring and fresh and exciting way for my games to be presented instead of taking the safest route we’ve ever seen Nintendo take before.
I performed a system transfer when I received my review unit and within minutes I was playing on the Switch 2 like I’d owned it for years. It doesn’t want you to have the usual teething issues that come with a new console, which is a blessing and a curse when it comes to feeling truly enamoured by it.
You also have Mouse Mode, which is either going to be the best thing this console has going for it or will be forgotten about in a matter of weeks. By detaching the Joy-Con from and then placing it on a flat surface it will immediately transition into a mouse, with a cursor appearing on the screen and serving the same purpose it would on PC. You can navigate the interface and play a select number of games - or in some cases, minigames - that support it. It’s neat how seamless the transition is and the accuracy of your movements being reflected directly on screen, but it will be up to developers to take this feature to the moon.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond plays like a dream in mouse mode, while Bravely Default brings with it a couple of excellent minigames that could easily be stretched out into full games. I want to see franchises like WarioWare or Fire Emblem use it in creative ways that aren’t possible elsewhere, or independent developers using the feature to bring experiences to console we might not be used to seeing. There’s potential here, but at launch it seems like a gimmick.
Camera
Speaking of gimmicks, for an extra $50 you can purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera. It exists primarily to support GameChat, and by plugging it into the top of the console you can chat with friends or even transpose yourself onto your own gameplay in a video call. I would put the quality of the camera and its field of view on-par with the PS5 camera, which fits a similarly small number of use cases.
The camera also comes with a privacy shutter, allowing you to shut off access to the device when you aren’t actively using it. You can also use pretty much any camera with a USB-C camera if you so fancy.
You can make use of it in Mario Kart when playing locally or online to superimpose your face to other players, or the upcoming Super Mario Party Jamboree: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is set to feature new modes that make direct use of the peripheral. A cool extra, and the Switch 2 camera is likely going to receive more and more capabilities in the future, much like mouse mode, but right now it’s something only more enthusiastic gamers will benefit from picking up.
Online
The big draw of online membership with the Nintendo Switch 2 is the long-awaited arrival of GameCube titles. Following in the footsteps of NES, SNES, Sega Mega Drive, and Game Boy Advance, you can now install a bespoke application that grants you access to a growing selection of GameCube titles.
At launch, you can only access Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2, or F-Zero GX, but myriad classics like Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Luigi’s Mansion, and more are on the way. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo DS support is also implemented in the future, but it’ll take a while considering the snail’s pace Nintendo moves at when adding new games to the service.
As for how these GameCubes look and feel to play - all of them are great. You’re stuck with the original 4:3 presentation, which can be uncomfortably small in portable play, but sudden freedom to remap controls and apply suspend states makes up for it. I can’t wait to see such support grow with time now Virtual Console purchases are a thing of the past, because the GameCube library is one that desperately deserves a second lease on life.
Nintendo Switch Online can also still be used to earn unique icons and complete missions in exchange for coins, while features like GameChat and Nintendo Music alongside titles Tetris 99, F-Zero 99, and select game trials can’t be accessed without an active subscription. It’s a lot cheaper than PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass, even with the expansion pack option.
Library
To be blunt, the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t have a lot of games right now. This hasn’t been a factor considering how many consoles have already been sold, but if you’re holding out for a more extensive exclusive library, this machine isn’t worth your money just yet.
The Nintendo eShop no longer runs like garbage, which is a godsend when searching for digital games and picking them up.
I have no doubt that prominent third-party ports like Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, and Elden Ring will gradually redefine what it means to own a Nintendo console. They are still going to lag slightly behind other versions on PS5 and Xbox, but now the differences are much less substantial. In a couple of years, you should be able to pick up major games on Switch 2 and no longer feel like you’re having to compromise so drastically.
Should I Buy Or Wait For Nintendo Switch 2?
Whether the console is worth picking up right now will depend heavily on whether you’re looking to benefit from the increased horsepower and how it influences your existing library or if you’re instead after new blockbusters you can’t find anywhere else. Because right now, most new features and a sturdier design aren’t enough to swing it.
The Switch 2 is easily the most capable console that Nintendo has ever made with the hardware to prove it, while a cut and dry approach to backward compatibility means most physical and digital titles will work right out of the box and likely look and feel better than ever before. You have increased potential for third-party blockbusters, a smoother user interface, and an easy transition to a new generation that almost makes up for its banal and predictable delivery.
It’s a fundamental improvement in terms of build quality, performance, and ease of use; but without exclusive games to back it up, it’s not the dominating force it could be just yet. Soon that ambitious vision will become a reality, and I’ll be ready and willing when it does.
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