Impressions - Nintendo Switch 2

My feelings after getting a Switch 2

So, as I’ve said on my social media and my latest newsletter update, I got a Nintendo Switch 2. It was more money than I wanted to pay for a Nintendo system, considering that Nintendo usually sells their systems at a lower price than others, but hey, blame the stupid trade wars. Either way, I knew this would be the main way to play Nintendo, as both an admitted Nintendo super fan and someone with a video game substack, I felt I needed one. Plus, the Donkey Kong Bananza direct completely sold me more than the previous directs. It was a reminder that all of the exciting mainline Nintendo titles were coming here, not the original Switch. So, after a week how do I feel about it?

The Switch Pro

So, I mean this in the best way, but so far the Switch 2 feels like a Switch Pro. Let me explain. This all starts from the moment you open the system. The unboxing experience can set the tone for a console pretty quickly and the Switch 2 did that by essentially mirroring the experience from its predecessor. The box art design, the packaging, and the materials were all similar to those of the Nintendo Switch. The boot-up process was similar, requiring you to do it in handheld mode, although they had a transfer feature, which I actually found somewhat annoying. The user interface is essentially an evolved version of the Switch’s, with a more curved design language. It runs significantly faster than the Switch, and it feels like the system has been perfected.

The games that have updates run as they were most likely going to in the cancelled Switch Pro. The Zelda games not only perform so much better, but they look better as they don’t have that misty, washed-out look that I tolerated. The illumination, in particular, looks great, making the games even more beautiful at night. Titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario Odyssey, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land appear and feel better as they eliminate the annoying aliasing that Nintendo seems to overlook in their games. Like I said, it feels like a Switch Pro or the way the Switch should have been. You don’t technically need any of the exclusive Switch 2 games to see how much better and cleaner this system is.

That being said, that seems to be what new consoles are going to feel like now. I remember feeling the same way when I got my Xbox Series X. What it comes down to is that these new systems don’t have hard stop generations anymore so they roll the UI and experience over, so the new hardware feels similar to how getting a smartphone now does, it’s exciting new tech but not that entirely new feeling we used to have. Compare that to the PS5, which did feel like a new box, thanks mostly to its different operating system and UI. Still, while it doesn't replicate the special feeling of unboxing it, a system that starts as a Switch Pro isn’t bad, considering how dated the original had become.

Mario Kart World

I got the Mario Kart World bundle because I wanted to save money, and it had been a while since I owned a game in the series. While I’m not a multiplayer guy, I do like and appreciate Nintendo’s multiplayer focused titles because they have an accessible pick-up and play aesthetic to them that makes them so much fun. As for Mario Kart World, I have had a reasonable amount of time with it, and I have to say it’s easily the best Mario Kart game made, in my opinion. Now, part of this is because it can easily copy what the past ones did best, and there are a lot of tributes and easter eggs from past titles that are fun to look out for. The tracks and cups are a little different because you’re going through the open world in race tracks, and because of that, some of them are longer and don’t have repeat laps. The character selection is truly insane, with some of the most “what the hell!” characters as options. Plus, almost all of the characters have different versions that you can unlock through challenges and power-ups. Rainbow Road is a showcase of the game’s art style, engine, and imagination, and it’s easily one of the best tracks in the entire series’ history.

The free-roam mode is disappointing. There are plenty of challenges and collectibles to deal with, but it’s not Forza Horizon level like it seemed in the lead up to launch. Now, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun or relaxing. If you need to blow some steam off but don’t have much time, you can play this in free roam mode and cruise through the world to relieve stress, similar to Forza Horizon. I’m not ready just yet to do a review because I want more time to make up my mind on it, but even with some of the disappointment in the world, there are a lot of other things that it nails. The soundtrack is a delight, featuring callbacks to past songs in the series, and the animation and art style are filled with personality. Like I said, it’s headed to be my favorite entry in the series.

The Future

There’s plenty of things going for Switch 2 that I have to be excited about, although some of that is in theory. When we do get the next Nintendo Direct, I expect there’s going to be some exciting announcements. I refuse to believe the next 3D Mario game isn’t close considering its been eight years since the last one released. While I don’t expect a mainline Zelda any time soon, I do think we will get something from the franchise. A surprise like a new Star Fox game or the next Luigi’s Mansion could always pop up from around the corner. So yes, I’m excited to see what the next Direct could show us.

Until then, we have Donkey Kong Bananza releasing in a couple of weeks and I think this game is going to be special. There’s even a chance it makes a run at nominations for Game of the Year awards and is discussed as one of the best games in the character’s history. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is my most anticipated game as a Metroid super fan, all I need is a release date. So there’s a good amount coming for the system for me to be excited about.

Conclusion

Overall, I like my time with Switch 2 so far, even if its sort of been as a Switch Pro. The games should get going here soon and I do expect either a Direct this month or a really freaking good one in September. Once the big boys start to get announced over the course of the next months and year, the system will start to carve out its own path and that’s when it becomes something more than just for Nintendo fans like me. The Switch 2 is a better Switch, and quite frankly that’s all I needed.

---

Be Nice to All