Nintendo Switch 2 is here, and while a lot of people are already busy playing to their heart's content (and destroying me on Mario Kart World online), eight of us on the team are busy going hands-on to deliver a full review soon!
With the review embargo lifting on launch day, we were nervous, but quickly proven wrong by how much we love this console. However, to do a scored review quickly wouldn't give you the full picture of what the Switch 2 is like.
So instead, we're going to give you our impressions in-progress and answer some of your burning questions.
I've asked all the lucky Nintendo Switch 2 owners on our team for their thoughts, and we'll keep updating this with new discoveries and opinions as we go.
Nintendo Switch 2 restocks - quick links
- Walmart: check stock
- GameStop: check stock
- Target: restock confirmed for June 6
- Best Buy: check stock
- Nintendo: check stock
- Newegg: check stock
- Sam's Club: check stock
- Antonline: check stock
- BJs: check stock
- Amazon: check stock
- Dell: check stock
- Verizon: check stock
Beautiful hardware, familiar software
The Switch 2 is undeniably gorgeous hardware that makes the original look dated by comparison.
Nintendo has refined the design with thoughtful touches throughout: the Joy-Con controllers now snap into place with a satisfying click and feel substantially more robust, which clumsy gamers (like me) will appreciate. The overall aesthetic is sleeker and more premium than its predecessor.
However, launching with Mario Kart feels like playing it safe rather than showcasing what this new generation can truly do. While it's undoubtedly polished, the game doesn't feel like the next-gen showcase you'd expect from flagship launch software.
Visually and mechanically, it's more evolutionary than revolutionary, leaving you wondering what the Switch 2 is really capable of when developers push its limits.
The hardware improvements are immediately apparent and welcome, but the software side leaves room for Nintendo to prove this isn't just a prettier Switch. Those who bought at launch are essentially betting on future potential rather than the day-one wow factor I was expecting.
Better-looking, more ergonomic, overall stunning
I was on the fence about pre-ordering the Switch 2 but now that I've spent two hours with the review unit, I'm kind of regretting not getting it.
It's a beautiful, striking console, and I really like that it sports an all-black design (controversial opinion, but I was never a fan of the original red and blue Joy-Cons). I do wish the Switch 2 had an OLED screen but its current screen is still so bright, colorful and detailed.
I also like that the screen is much bigger than my OG Switch's — more room for me to appreciate the beautiful world of Hyrule when I (eventually) sink another 300 hours into the modern Zelda games
.I, of course, played a bit of Mario Kart World too and instantly fell in love with it, and I can't wait to play more of it — especially to review Switch 2 headsets and controllers. The Joy-Cons feel so much sturdier and the bigger size also makes them more ergonomic. I was on the fence before but I don't think I am anymore.
A familiar experience — for better and worse
So far my Switch 2 experience has not been all that different from playing the original Switch. A big chunk of my time was spent getting the console set up, consolidating data from 2 different consoles onto the new machine.
Then, thanks to my ongoing internet issues, downloading Mario Kart World took the better part of an hour — severely limiting my play time.
Still, the time I spent actually using the Switch 2 for its intended purpose felt incredibly familiar. Nintendo hasn't exactly reinvented the wheel here, and anyone with a passing familiarity with the first Switch will be able to jump straight in without any issues.
While there are some new aspects to be aware of, everything from the UI to the controls is more or less the same as before. Which, if you remember what happened to the Wii U, is undoubtedly a good thing.
Unfortunately I found that the Joy-cons are still as uncomfortable as ever. While I seem to have gotten used to the shape and feel of the originals, the newer and larger design on the Switch 2 is reminding me just how sore my hands would get playing Mario Kart 8.
Only this time it feels almost as though my right hand is starting to seize up after too many races. Time to add a proper controller to my wish list.
Meh-rio Kart World
I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about the Switch 2’s launch. I’ve been playing Nintendo hardware for as long as I’ve been able to speak in full sentences, but I wasn’t entirely convinced that Mario Kart: World was the killer launch app the Switch 2 needed.
Alas, seeing as I’ve already played a lot of the major titles available at launch on other systems, putting pedal to the metal was the only thing I wanted to do to put my shiny new console through its paces.
I managed to fit in a handful of hours on launch day… and I’m still not sure. That’s not to say Mario Kart: World has disappointed me; it hasn’t, it looks and plays great (especially as a primarily handheld Switch user), but I just wanted something a little meatier to dive into at launch.
I’ve enjoyed Knockout Tour and tackling missions or hunting Peach Medallions in Free Roam, and I’m looking forward to revisiting some of the updated best Nintendo Switch games, but I don’t think I’ll know whether I truly love my new system until Donkey Kong: Bananza rumbles onto the scene next month.
Even better on the big screen
After going hands-on with the Switch 2 at a Nintendo event back in April, pre-ordering the new console was a no-brainer for me, especially as there are plenty of Switch 1 games that will hopefully really shine on its powerful new hardware.
At the same time, being able to play in docked mode on a 4K monitor would likely look a whole lot better than the blurry images I get when doing so with the original Switch.
Following a few hours of waiting outside my local Best Buy, I had a Switch 2 in hand and was ready to test this out. While I transferred my games and save data to the console, I got the new dock in place and hooked everything up. I immediately noticed a major difference in image quality thanks to the Switch 2’s higher resolution and the addition of HDR really made the console’s more colorful new UI pop on the big screen.
Even though the Switch 2 is a brand new console, it has a familiar yet novel feeling to it. I knew how most things worked but with others — like Mouse Mode — I eagerly read through Nintendo’s on-screen tutorials. This is the same with handheld mode as you immediately know you’re holding a Switch console, though its larger size does make the Switch 2 feel much more comfortable in hand.
As for playing Mario Kart World and the Switch 2’s other launch games from the comfort of my own home, I still haven’t gotten that far due to the abysmal download speeds I’ve been experiencing so far. Good thing the new dock has an Ethernet port though.
I love it, but Nintendo frustrates me
Confession: I didn't pre-order a Switch 2. I did get to go hands-on for a couple hours (alongside going along to my local retail store to hog the demo machine), and just as I expected, it's a lot of fun to use.
The larger build feels better in the hand, the buttons and joysticks have a nicer, more tactile feel to it; the screen is bright and colorful and Mario Kart World would for sure be my next addiction.
...so why am I holding off? Part of me is thinking about Black Friday (got to save those pennies), but I'm rather annoyed by how I can't use that top USB-C port to use my AR glasses.
Ever since using them with my Steam Deck, it's been the only way I've played. My neck thanks me for not craning over and looking at a screen, and for some odd reason, Nintendo has chosen not to support the DisplayPort protocol needed to run them.
In a different world where I could've plugged my Viture Pro XR glasses in here, this would've been a day one buy. But we are where we are, and I'm frustrated by the big N's decision here.
Setting up is so simple
Setting up a brand-new Nintendo console is always easy, and that remains true for the Nintendo Switch 2. At a minimum, all you’ll need is a Nintendo Switch 2 and a reliable internet connection. You can either start fresh without transferring data from an old Switch or transfer your data to get you started faster.
Regardless of which method you choose, you’ll be up and running in less than five minutes. That gives you more time to play Mario Kart World and all the other awesome Switch 2 launch games. Thanks for making the setup process easy, Nintendo!
The new display shines
Out of the box, the Nintendo Switch 2 feels fresh and premium. It has a large 7.9-inch 120Hz display, Joy-Cons that magnetically attach to the system, and an improved stand offering various viewing angles.
The screen looks impeccable thanks to its VRR and HDR support, which makes games look awesome in handheld mode.
I got the Mario Kart World bundle since I wanted a game to play instantly. Right now, there aren’t a lot of games to play, so I think everyone should get this bundle, if possible. The Switch 2’s enhancements are great, but they won’t mean much if the software is limited.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
