I've been gaming for over two decades, and the Nintendo Switch 2 genuinely impressed me from the moment I picked it up.
Those magnetic Joy-Cons are far more secure than the original's flimsy rails. The 1080p screen is gorgeous, and performance improvements eliminate the stuttering that plagued its predecessor.
Having lived through every major console launch since the Sega Dreamcast, the Switch 2 is clearly more than an incremental upgrade — and that's not up for debate. But here's what ultimately let me down: Nintendo has delivered what feels like their most conservative game lineup in years.
It's a frustrating contradiction. Nintendo has built their most capable console yet, but the company has been playing it safe with familiar franchises and games in circulation for years. The Switch 2 is undeniably impressive, but whether that's enough depends on what you're looking for.
The hardware completely delivers on its promise
Let me start with what Nintendo absolutely nailed. The Switch 2 feels like a premium device in ways the original never did. The larger 1080p screen supports HDR and up to 120fps, while docked mode can output 4K at 60fps. But the real game-changers are the details you don't see in spec sheets.
Those magnetic Joy-Con controllers are genuinely revolutionary. Nintendo originally wanted magnets for the first Switch but couldn't make them work. They've clearly solved that problem — these controllers snap on with satisfying precision and feel rock-solid during gameplay.
Nintendo's banner first-party game, Mario Kart World, looks far and away better than anything the old Switch could offer. The visual improvements are immediately apparent, and seeing games like Cyberpunk 2077 running reasonably well on a Nintendo handheld still feels surreal.
But where are all the new games?
Here's where my enthusiasm starts to wane. For all the hardware prowess, Nintendo's approach to the launch lineup feels conservative to the point of disappointment. Mario Kart World is the next Mario Kart game, touting an open-world racing adventure, but it's essentially the only major new Nintendo exclusive at launch.
Compare this to the original Switch launch, which gave us the perfect game: Breath of the Wild — a genuinely revolutionary game that redefined what Zelda could be. Mario Kart World is good, but it's still fundamentally Mario Kart with some open-world elements tacked on.
The rest of the launch library is dominated by ports and upgraded versions of existing games, like Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy. This is great for people who haven't played these games, but if you've played them elsewhere, it's disappointing — and I say this as someone who considers Cyberpunk a masterpiece.
Even more frustrating is the timing of Nintendo's other big games. Donkey Kong Banaza and Metroid Prime 4 feel like games that could have been launch titles but were deliberately held back.
The missed opportunity that stings
What really gets me is that this hardware could handle so much more. The Switch 2 has significantly more storage (256GB vs 64GB) and support for faster microSD cards. According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the Switch 2 chip features the most "advanced graphics ever in a mobile device".
This is a system that could have launched with a new 3D Mario, a fresh Zelda adventure, or something completely unexpected. Instead, we get Mario Kart World and a paid tech demo called Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
The backwards compatibility is excellent, the vast majority of the old Switch catalog works seamlessly, but a $450 console shouldn't just run existing games slightly better. This hardware begs for new games that showcase its capabilities.
Incredible potential, uninspired execution
The Switch 2 sold 3.5 million units in its first four days, making it Nintendo's fastest-selling console to date. Those sales figures suggest consumers recognize the hardware's potential — they're buying into what this system could become, not necessarily what it is right now.
Nintendo had the perfect opportunity to debut games that could only exist on this more powerful hardware. Instead, they delivered the same cautious approach that prioritizes familiar franchises over boundary-pushing experiences.
The Switch 2 represents a significant hardware leap that deserves software to match. Those that purchased at launch are betting on its future potential rather than present reality.
While that bet will likely pay off eventually, the current library feels like a missed opportunity to showcase what this impressive hardware can truly do. On the bright side, my existing game collection has never looked better.
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