Nintendo Switch 2 Hands-On: Is It the Upgrade We've Been Waiting For?
The Nintendo Switch has been a massive hit, winning hearts and selling in their millions. Now, the question is: can Nintendo repeat the trick? Enter the Nintendo Switch 2. Rather than a wholesale reinvention, Nintendo appears to have adopted a more subtle route, presenting a console that's essentially an evolution of the first one. But is it enough to recapture the magic? I spent a few hours of hands-on time with the Switch 2 in Paris recently, and here are my initial impressions.
First Impressions: Familiar but Better
If you already have a Switch, picking up the Switch 2 will feel instantly familiar. The fundamental concept is the same – a hybrid console that you can play on the go or plugged into your TV. But almost all of it now seems ever so slightly improved. It is ever so slightly larger than the original but still small enough to hold and, incredibly, could even be lighter. The matte plastic rear looks high quality and hopefully not a fingerprint disaster – a welcome relief.
Small things count. The kickstand is more robust and flexible today, and the presence of the two USB-C ports hints at a wider range of potential accessories, like that fascinating new Switch 2 Camera. The dock, while mostly hidden from view, is said to have an active fan for cooling, which would mean better performance while gaming on the big screen.
Nintendo Switch 2 Console
Display and Design: Refinished, Not Transformed
The screen receives a bump to about 8 inches and 1080p, with decidedly thinner bezels. The sharpness is obviously better, finally keeping some of the pixelation present on the base Switch at the very least muted in handheld mode. That being said, the screen appears somewhat less bright and colorful than that of the OLED Switch. It’s a trade-off – sharper visuals for a touch less pop – and for someone who primarily docks their Switch, it's a compromise I’m personally okay with. Your mileage may vary if you’re a dedicated handheld player.
Overall, Switch 2 is a handsome piece of hardware. It's that "want to show it off" kind of thing. It's not completely overhauled in design terms, but it's definitely refined in all the right places. Just think of it as Switch you already recognize, but fully grown up now.
Joy-Cons: Getting Smarter and Growing Up
The Joy-Cons were perhaps the category most in need of improvement, and fortunately, Nintendo appears to have delivered. Though only a bit larger, they're much more substantial to hold in hand. The analog sticks are thicker and more solid, and even a Nintendo rep drops a hint that they've redesigned them to fight off the dreaded stick drift. Long-term toughness remains to be seen, but first impressions are good – they're sturdier and less delicate.
Other than build quality, the new Joy-Cons learn new tricks. An IR sensor allows you to use a Joy-Con as a mouse. I used this with games like Metroid Prime 4 and Mario Party Jamboree, and the experience was excellent. Holding the Joy-Con sideways in mouse mode actually felt surprisingly intuitive. Nintendo might still need to fine-tune the mouse controls, however, since some games still require you to press buttons on the "mouse" Joy-Con, which isn't always intuitive.
And for those who enjoy tactile gratification, the manner in which the new Joy-Cons magnetically click onto the Switch 2 is a vast improvement over the previous rail system. They feel extremely secure once clicked into place. Again, long-term durability must be tested, but the initial impression is very reassuring.
Power and Games: A Glimpse of the Future
Let's be honest, the original Switch was creaking in the power department. The Switch 2 seems to address this head-on, though Nintendo still isn't sharing the exact specs. What is certain is that there is a definite jump in graphical performance and quality. But, just as in the Wii U's early days, it seems like developers are still trying to determine how best to leverage this new feature. Launch games appear nicer than last generation's Nintendo fare, yet it felt as if we'd merely skimmed the tip of the surface as to how wonderful it would really look.
Games displayed categorized in some sort of categories: new major releases like Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Metroid Prime 4; enhanced Switch 2 versions of veteran fare like Zelda and Kirby; and kooky experiments built just to showcase some new facet of what this will look like.
The main-line games shined brightest. Mario Kart World is almost the next logical progression of Mario Kart 8, and while it isn't a gigantic graphical leap visually, being able to power the Switch 2 means being able to do bigger 24-player games and open world portions connected. Donkey Kong Bananza seems to be a fantastic do-over of the series, packed full of retro DK flair and hurdles. Metroid Prime 4, even on the slice that I played, was technically up to par, performing at a silky-smooth 120fps in performance mode, with some visual polish only occasionally seen on Nintendo games.
The upgraded Switch 2 renditions of older games were nice, but perhaps not quite as revolutionary as one might have hoped. Playing Zelda in 4K with a smooth framerate is nice, but wasn't quite the experience of playing an entirely new game. Kirby and the Forgotten Land was a highlight, though – already such a nice-looking game, it looks even nicer on Switch 2, and the addition of new Star-Crossed Worlds content is an unadulterated bonus.
The "quirky" games were a bit of a mixed bag. Mario Party Jamboree additions were fun but maybe not game-changers. Drag x Drive was a letdown. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, however, seemed like a safe bet as a fun and perhaps budget-priced gateway to the console.
Overcoming game-specific advantages and disadvantages, overall technical sheen across was impressive. Virtually every title performed at a silky-smooth 60fps or better. After all those years with the original Switch groaning under its constraints, such smoothness and definition was practically a revelation. Speculation as to what Nintendo will do with developers becoming increasingly at ease with the hardware is intriguing.
Final Thoughts: A Promising Iteration
Nintendo hasn't simply thrown the old out and started fresh this time. The Switch 2 is a thoughtful evolution, a "Super" upgrade in the style of the Super Nintendo. It's a welcome approach after decades of Nintendo reinventing the wheel with each console generation.
But this upgrade isn't free. At a claimed $450 console price and games maybe as high as $80, the "Should I just get it now?" math is more intimidating for some.
But if you've already jumped in on the Switch, then the Switch 2 is a fairly compelling upgrade. It's more aesthetically pleasing and nice to hold in your hands, the Joy-Cons are improved, and lastly, Nintendo games do pack some respectable oomph with them. Whether it replicates the stratospheric sales of the original Switch is anyone's guess, but titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza show Nintendo can continue to make the fun, pioneering games we've learned to anticipate. While the final judgment will have to wait on more time with the system, the Nintendo Switch 2 certainly appears to have all the pieces together to be another blockbuster.
Stay tuned for more in-depth hands-on impressions of individual Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza later on. The Nintendo Switch 2 drops on June 5th, with pre-orders starting April 9th.
