SALTZMAN: Does Nintendo Switch 2 live up to the hype?

Article content

With much fanfare, Nintendo has just launched a sequel to one of the best-selling video game consoles of all time.

In fact, with 152 million units sold since 2017, Nintendo Switch is about to eclipse the number two console, Nintendo DS (154 million units), and will also likely dethrone Sony’s PlayStation 2, at 160 million units.

But how does a company release a follow-up that’s unique enough to justify the upgrade yet not mess with what made the original machine so sought after to begin with?

If my 24 hours with Nintendo Switch 2 is any indication, Nintendo has pulled it off. Everything has been improved across the board – like, everything – but it still feels remarkably familiar.

So long as the $629.99 price tag isn’t a deterrent – and some games that cost over $100 – the Nintendo Switch 2 is a veritable home run.

BUILDING UPON ITS VERSATILITY

In case you’ve never played Nintendo Switch, perhaps it got its name because you can “switch” from a handheld gaming console you can play anywhere to one that docks with your big-screen TV when at home, a friend’s place, or in a hotel room.

The dock and HDMI cable (which transmits the video and audio to the television or monitor) is in the box.

Nintendo Switch 2 offers the same premise – seamlessly switching from something to keep the kids quiet in the backseat (to reduce the “Are we there yet?!”) to a console you can play with someone beside you on the couch, while yelling at the TV.

SO, WHAT’S NEW?

The first thing you’ll notice is a much bigger and better screen.

Instead of a 6.2-inch display, it’s now 7.9 inches, and with twice the resolution (Full HD 1080p) and with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for better contrast, brightness and colour. When docked and played on a compatible television, supported games can deliver up to 4K resolution.

Adding to the experience is better refresh rates for smoother motion – important to render fast-paced games like first-person shooters, racers or sports titles – now topping 120Hz, doubling the standard 60 frames per second.

On each side of the screen, the Joy-Con 2 controllers now magnetically attach to the console, instead of having to slide them into a narrow groove like its predecessor.

While I didn’t get a chance to test this much yet (other than at a press preview in March), the Joy-Con 2 controllers can also double as a mouse when on a flat surface like a desk (or even a pant leg). This will be useful in upcoming games like Drag x Drive, a 3-on-3 basketball-style sports game that has robots speed around a court in futuristic wheelchair-like vehicles.

Other hardware improvements include a faster processor, eight times more storage (256 gigabytes instead of 32GB), a second USB-C port for charging or connecting devices (see below), and a bigger and sturdier kickstand to prop up the console.

‘GAMECHAT’ FEATURE IS GREAT

Another huge improvement over Nintendo Switch, the new console has a “C” button on the bottom right Joy-Con 2 controller, which launches “GameChat.”

Up to 12 people can communicate while gaming, whether it’s to strategize or trash-talk (or a bit of both), via the integrated microphone that also has noise-cancelling AI to block out any ambient sounds around you (so your friends can better hear you calling them a “n00b”).

Up to four friends can also share their screen, such as if you’re stuck, even in a single-player game, and need some help.

What’s more, Nintendo Switch 2 also supports an optional USB-C camera, sold separately, for video chatting during games.

Be aware, GameChat requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership ($24.99 a year for an individual membership), but it will be free until March 2026.

BEST GAMES TO PLAY

Parents can also breathe a sigh of relief knowing all existing Nintendo Switch games will work on Nintendo Switch 2.

For new games, Mario Kart World is the breakout star of the all-new titles. The accessible family-friendly racing game lets you choose to drive as, or against, your favourite Nintendo characters – like Mario, Yoshi, Princess Peach, or Baby Luigi – and tear around fantasy tracks to reach the finish line first.

Supporting up to 24 players, the game offers several (and in some cases, interconnected) modes, including Grand Prix (classic races to vie for various Cups); Knockout Tour (an elimination-style event); VS Races (with tons of route combinations to play around with); Time Trials (to beat you personal best); and others.

Not everyone will love some of the changes to a more open-ended approach to the modes and races, but I think it’s a refreshing twist.

I also love the crisp graphics and smooth animation, varied locations, weather effects and day-to-night cycles, and the ability to “grind” on rails, like a skateboarder.

While you’ll get months (or years) of play, Mario Kart World is expensive at $109.99, and so, if you can, try to find the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle, for $699.99, which means you save about $40 on the game if you were going to buy it anyway.

Coming July 17, another Nintendo exclusive is Donkey Kong Bananza, a third-person platforming action game that has you play as the primate protagonist. Smash, climb and swing across several outdoor areas in fully destructible environments, plus Donkey Kong can also pick up the stone boulders he breaks off and hurl them at enemies.

There are many third-party games at launch, too, including Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition ($99.99), Split Fiction ($64.99), Hogwarts Legacy ($79.99) and EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 ($89.99).

BOTTOM LINE

Price notwithstanding (of both the console and games), Nintendo Switch 2 is an extraordinarily powerful, versatile, and most importantly, fun handheld gaming system with a strong future.

Seasoned gamers will no doubt feel the magic within just a few minutes of holding and playing this new console.

In short, Nintendo has done it again.

– Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and author of 17 books, including Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley)