After spending around a month with the Nintendo Switch 2, I can very confidently say that Nintendo has found a way to make the old feel new again. This is, by all accounts, a successor to the original Switch and when taken at face value, there’s a clear formula that they’re playing close to the chest. By eliminating the issues of the first console while beefing up key areas where it matters the most, the Switch 2 stands on its own as a subtle, but nonetheless impressive next-gen hybrid device. We have yet to see its full potential but the potential is there – this is the most on-track that Nintendo has ever been in the console market and the future is exciting.
1, 2, Switch
The Nintendo Switch 2 design is safe, familiar and it just works.
The design of the Nintendo Switch 2 is everything but risky. Nintendo decided to keep the general form factor of the original Switch in many ways – detachable joy-cons, this time by way of magnets (more on that in a bit), a hybrid system that’s capable of being handheld and docked as a traditional console when played on TV, and a sleek design that the PC handheld market itched to capitalise on. However, you won’t find a design quite as unique as the Switch and by extension, the Switch 2. Nintendo’s broader market appeal reflects in its excellent, sturdy, and eye-catching design.
Instead of the usual red and blue colour scheme present on the original Switch, Nintendo decided to coat the Switch 2 in a matte black coating with hints of the trademark red and blue found beneath the joy-cons. The console itself leans into the sleek black aesthetic for a more modern touch –almost demanding to be taken more seriously - but it hasn’t forgotten its family-friendly image either. The console’s design strikes a fine middle ground that I find really pleasant, even if the colours are less vibrant and iconic.
However, you won’t find a design quite as unique as the Switch and by extension, the Switch 2.
At 10.7 inches wide and .55 inches thick, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a surprisingly thin, lightweight console. After playing around with bulky PC handhelds for a while, it was refreshing to set my palms on a thin yet powerful console that didn’t sacrifice an ounce of quality, at least in its build. It’s sturdy and feels exceptionally premium – Nintendo put a lot of effort into making the unboxing experience incredibly appealing, as if unwrapping a device you know is of the highest quality in its field.
Turn Around, Bright Eyes
It might not be OLED, but the improved LCD display is a stunner.
The Nintendo Switch 2 packs a 7.9-inch LCD touch screen display which surprised me right out of the box. The screen isn’t a slouch either. Under the hood, it boasts VRR up to 120 Hz, 1920x1080 and HDR10 support. Putting it next to the Mario OLED Switch, the differences are immediately apparent. The LCD screen’s colours aren’t as vivid as the OLED but as far as comparisons to the screen quality of the base Switch goes, it’s absolutely night and day.
The smoothness of the LCD screen on the Switch 2 is apparent from start-up, making games like Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom burst at the seams with bright, eye-popping colours that’s visually crisp and easy on the eyes. The added hardware power boosts the visuals of these games to the point where even older titles can look and feel almost brand new – dare I say, almost appear remastered to a degree. I don’t know what technical wizardry Nintendo worked on the LCD screen to make it look so vibrant, but it’s stunning. With the larger screen size and less empty black frame space, you’re getting one of the best displays I’ve ever seen on a handheld device.
Joy-Con Division
The new Joy-Cons are a snap.
One aspect that I was a little let down in was the new Joy-Cons (or Joy-Con 2). Despite the sturdier build on the actual controllers, the sticks don’t feel like they’ve been improved all that much. In fact, they might also be prone to stick drift after a while – something that the original Switch was notorious for. It’s hard to tell after a few weeks of testing since they work relatively fine for now, but Nintendo made it clear that similar components were used in the making of the new Joy-Cons, which means there’s a good chance it will bring along all of the same problems as well.
However, mileage may vary and if you’re primarily using a Switch 2 Pro controller or any third-party controller, you probably won’t run into the annoying stick drift issues if the Joy-Cons will be snapped onto the screen 99% of the time. That said, the Switch 2 Joy-Cons are slightly larger to accommodate the larger screen size of the new device and honestly, they feel a bit more solidly built than its predecessor.
The Switch 2 has many slight but necessary improvements over the original Switch but if there’s one area where I feel Nintendo really went above and beyond, it’s the magnetised Joy-Cons.
However, its biggest selling point is that it’s now magnetised. Unlike the previous Joy-Cons which slid into the Switch’s screen, the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons snap onto the screen with magnets. They can easily be detached by applying a tiny bit of pressure to a small button at the back corner of each controller. I was initially worried that it would be difficult to wiggle them free but to my everlasting surprise, they’re very simple to attach and detach. They snap on with a satisfying click and detach without much hassle. The Switch 2 has many slight but necessary improvements over the original Switch but if there’s one area where I feel Nintendo really went above and beyond, it’s the magnetised Joy-Cons.
Of course, that isn’t the only improvement made to the new Joy-Cons. They now double as a mouse which can be used for a variety of games, though we imagine they might be used more frequently for first-person shooters like Metroid Prime or games with extensive resource management and menus like Sid Meier’s Civilization VII. Putting it to the test, it’s a great gimmick and it’s capable of smoothly gliding across most hard surfaces with very little latency, probably on par with a decent gaming mouse. Unfortunately, I don’t see myself using this feature a lot as it’s entirely dependent on the games.
Surgical Dock
The dock does its job and this time, you probably won’t damage your console with it. Probably.
The original Switch had a dock problem. Within a few months of owning the last-gen console, the dock has slightly damaged my screen every time I switched between handheld and docked mode. It got so bad, I had to almost surgically remove the Switch screen with steady hands for fear of putting another scratch on my screen. Of course, this problem could be remedied with a screen protector but creating a solution to a self-inflicted problem wasn’t a good look. Thankfully, Nintendo has put a bit of consideration into the Switch 2’s new dock.
It’s bigger to accommodate the larger screen and also slightly weightier, but the best addition is the smooth rubber strips on the inside of the new dock, ensuring less damage when sliding the screen into place. It’s so subtle but putting it side-by-side with the original Switch’s dock, it’s noticeable. The Switch 2 also comes equipped with a screen protector this time to prevent any potential damage or screen scratches, though you probably should get another one just in case.
You and I
The user interface gets very big improvements.
To understand how big of an improvement the UI is for the Nintendo Switch 2, you simply have to experience it for yourself. Unlike the original Switch which had jitters while browsing the main page and lagging when accessing the eShop, the Switch 2’s user interface runs buttery smooth by comparison. No jitters, no lag, no odd delays. It’s all wonderfully seamless. For the most part, it retains the same neat layout as its predecessor, now with a quick access button on the main menu to quickly jump into your Virtual Game Cards library.
Getting into the Nintendo eShop is also remarkably quick and smooth. Whereas the original Switch always took a few seconds to load into the online store, the Switch 2 almost instantaneously loads in, even with a relatively weak internet connection. With the added hardware power, you’re getting a much quicker user experience.
Power Up
What's under the hood?
Underneath the hood, the Nintendo Switch 2 packs a custom NVIDIA chip capable of DLSS upscaling and ray tracing, though it also seems to brute force performance upgrades for older games. For example, even though it wasn’t explicitly advertised, Bayonetta 3 seems to run at a higher, smoother frame rate on the Switch 2 than it did on the original Switch. This secret enhancement applies to several last-gen titles which have quietly gotten performance boosts. In my testing phases, sadly the Xenoblade Chronicles games mostly run the same, but other titles like Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster have seen a slight bump in performance. I’m sure the same applies to several other games that need to be tested.
It has a promising future and with the added power, potentially a longer lifespan than its predecessor should third-party studios take full advantage of its upgrades.
Like most consoles at launch, the Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t really showcased the full extent of its hardware power yet so it’s hard to gauge just how massive the jump is from the last generation, at least not at the moment. However, the brick work laid here is excellent and so far, what has been showcased of the console’s capabilities is very impressive. It has a promising future and with the added power, potentially a longer lifespan than its predecessor should third-party studios take full advantage of its upgrades.
Game Time
Mario Kart World is a strong launch title but older games get a great boost.
Let’s get to the exciting part: the games. After all, if your shiny new console doesn’t have a great selection of games at launch, what’s the point? It seems like the Nintendo Switch 2 is a bit of a special case in that regard. The only true launch title, at the time of writing, is Mario Kart World (with Donkey Kong Bananza around the corner). Yes, Mario Kart World is a fantastic launch game but, well, it’s one game. Not every Nintendo owner wants to experience the stress of getting hit with a blue shell. Sometimes, we want to go on a grand adventure or shoot some aliens.
Unfortunately, the Switch 2 is a bit of a let-down as far as launch titles go. Instead, Nintendo opted to push its “Switch 2 Edition” upgrades like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Nobody doubts these games’ incredible quality, but their value on the Switch 2 will entirely depend on if you’re willing to double-dip and replay them. That said, the boosted visuals and smoother 60FPS is immediately noticeable and I envy anyone who is playing these games for the first time on the Switch 2.
Yes, Mario Kart World is a fantastic launch game but, well, it’s one game.
There’s a good selection of third-party games available on the system that wouldn’t otherwise be possible on the original Switch such as Cyberpunk 2077, which is a testament to CD Projekt Red’s own technical wizardry to get it to run so well on the Switch 2. Some shortcuts were taken but you would not be short-changed at all if you decided to play the RPG for the first time on the Switch 2, which seems to be leagues above the PS4 version and a notch below the PS5 performance, still managing to output a mostly solid 60FPS.
As far as the gaming selection goes, the Switch 2 is still relatively early in its lifespan. There are plenty of opportunities for third-party publishers to bring their games over to the new system and thanks to the extra hardware power, fewer compromises will need to be taken to get it up and running on the console at a quicker pace unlike the original Switch, which sacrificed a bit too much quality in some cases (see Hogwarts Legacy or Mortal Kombat 1).
Cards on the Table
Virtual Game Cards open the door to the digital future.
Nintendo’s push into encouraging players to build their digital library starts with the new “Virtual Game Cards”, which allows for peer-to-peer game sharing (very much like game share on other consoles) for a limited time. Personally, I like that your digital game library has now been sorted into Virtual Game Cards, giving the illusion that digital titles hold the same share value as physical cartridges (and by all accounts, they should). Sadly, there’s a limit to how long another user is allowed to virtually “borrow” a game from another’s library and there’s no way to trade digital games either, which is a bit of a missed opportunity as that would’ve differentiated Nintendo from the competition.
Blue Shell in the Room
Let’s talk price.
The Nintendo Switch 2 currently retails for R12,499 (or R13,499 if you’re gonna pick up the Mario Kart World bundle). The console is fairly priced considering what it brings to the table as a next-gen device, upgrades and all. The tougher pill to swallow is the increased prices of its games. Mario Kart World fired the first shot at pushing AAA games to $80 or R1,799 while Switch 2 Editions of games can cost you upwards of R1,399 or more. This is a frightening future as it does drop a steel barrier of entry in front of casual players who have always championed Nintendo as the inexpensive option for gaming. Those days are long gone, sadly, and it began as early as the original Switch. The Switch 2 simply continues that strategy, maybe pushing the envelope a bit more than its predecessor. If you can afford it as a long-time Nintendo fan, you’re getting a great next-gen console here, but if you’re floating around the market looking for a new console, be aware of the Switch 2’s steep entry costs.
Final Form
It’s hard to go back to the original Switch after the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is less of a "new console" and more of an iteration on what already worked from the original Switch, simply polished and refined to glorious results. It's heavier, more firmly built, and boasts a terrific display with tons of potential for wider third-party support thanks to the more powerful hardware under its hood. Issues about the price of its games and probable Joy-Con drift aside, Nintendo have really delivered one of its best consoles with the Switch 2 and that's saying something considering the Wii, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance would comfortably sit in my top five favourite consoles of all time. Only time will tell now whether Nintendo puts in the leg work to truly make it one for the history books.
*Nintendo Switch 2 review unit provided by Nintendo | The Nintendo Switch 2 is available to purchase at Nexus Hub right here