SALTZMAN: Hands-on with soon-to-be-released Nintendo Switch 2 – is it worth it?

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After months of speculation, leaks and teases, Nintendo has confirmed its next-generation videogame console will debut just in time for graduation or Father’s Day (hint hint).

Launching June 5, Nintendo Switch 2 ($629.99) is the successor to the popular but eight-year-old Nintendo Switch, a gaming system lauded for its vast assortment of high-quality and (mostly) family-friendly games – as well as its versatility, as you can play on the battery-powered device itself or dock it into its base, connected to a TV, to play on a big-screen.

As the name suggests, Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t mess much with what made Nintendo Switch so successful, but if my hands-on time with the system is any indication, it improves the experience on all levels.

A handful of Canadian journalists, including your truly, was invited to play for a day – so here’s what to expect from the new machine.

UPDATED VISUALS

Compared to Nintendo Switch’s 6.2-inch display, Nintendo Switch 2 boasts a 7.9-inch LCD screen – and with roughly twice the resolution of the original (1080p HD instead of 720p). The result? Graphics are noticeably sharper.

The improved display also supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) for better contrast, brightness and colour, and when docked and played on a compatible TV, supported games can deliver up to 4K resolution.

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

You really can see and feel the difference with the flagship launch title, Mario Kart World, when you’re zipping around racetracks.

CHATTING FEATURES

Chatting during multiplayer games isn’t the most intuitive on Nintendo Switch, as you need an external microphone or a smartphone app. Nintendo Switch 2, however, addresses this pain point with a dedicated “C” button, which launches a service called GameChat and initiates the embedded noise-cancelling microphone.

The mic won’t just be used to strategize (or trash-talk) during games – supporting up to 12 simultaneous people – but up to four friends can also share their screen, such as if you’re stuck in a game and need some help.

(GameChat can be disabled or limited by concerned parents via the updated Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.)

Nintendo Switch 2 includes two USB-C connectivity ports (top and bottom) instead of one, which now supports an optional video camera, for those who don’t just want audio chats.

JOY-CON IMPROVEMENTS

Also updated are the controllers on each side of the console, called Joy-Con, which now magnetically attach to the Nintendo Switch 2 instead of needing to slide them into a narrow slot, as with the original system.

What’s more, the newly redesigned and larger Joy-Con 2 controllers on Nintendo Switch 2 can be used like a mouse by sliding it on a surface (like a table, desk, or on a pair of jeans) for those games that could benefit from it – like more precise aiming in a first-person shooter.

A FEW OTHER DEETS

While Nintendo Switch 2 supports game cards – and yes, it will play older Nintendo Switch titles, too – many people now digitally download opposed to buying physical media, and so Nintendo Switch 2 offers eight times the storage as the original system. The internal storage is now 256 gigabytes instead of 32GB.

If you still run out of room to install new games and other content, you can always buy microSD expansion cards, but they’ll need to be high-speed microSD “Express” cards going forward.

To prop Nintendo Switch 2 up on a flat surface, the kickstand on the back is sturdier than the flimsy Nintendo Switch solution.

While this wasn’t tested in our playtime, Nintendo Switch 2 is said to deliver more immersive 3D sound when wearing headphones.

FIRST BATCH OF GAMES

Tough gig, I know, but I spent some time with many of the Nintendo-made and third-party launch titles.

Fans of Mart Kart will no doubt fall for the charm in Mario Kart World, a system exclusive, which lets you and a couple of dozen friends (or enemies) race across several game modes. Two standouts: Knockout Tour, where you’ll be eliminated if you don’t make it to each checkpoint; and Free Roam, allowing you to drive anywhere in the game (off-track) to explore areas and even snap virtual photos with other drivers at scenic spots.

A Nintendo Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World will be sold for $699.99.

Coming July 17, another Nintendo exclusive is Donkey Kong Bananza, a third-person platforming action game, which 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.

Also at this Nintendo Switch 2 event were several third-party games that looked and played well – some better than others (at this point). Hades II proved to be smoother than Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, for example, but there is still time before launch.

Plus, Nintendo Switch 2 will offer upgrades to many older games for an as-yet-announced fee, such as adding new modes and minigames to titles like the fun party game Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV (launching July 24), while also supporting mouse-like controls.

SO, IS IT WORTH IT?

Reviewing a game system two full months before it comes out isn’t exactly fair – plus it’s impossible to assess things like battery life on a device plugged in the entire time – but assuming all that checks out, it appears Nintendo has yet another hit on its hands.

So long as the price won’t be an obstacle given the shaky economy – with games rumoured to be as much as $100 in Canada (based on announced U.S. prices) – Nintendo Switch 2 looks to live up to the hype, for both kids and kids at heart.

Expect a full review by launch date.

– Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and the author of the book, Apple Vision Pro For Dummies (Wiley)