Nintendo Switch 2 Review – Welcome to the Next Level

Launching a new console is not an easy process, much less topping the monolithic success of the original Nintendo Switch. Accomplishing that modest level of performance, paired with iconic Nintendo magic, has charmed millions since 2017. But when asked to make a follow-up to that console, what do you do?

Do you start over and make something fresh, like the Nintendo Wii? Or do you take what you mastered and improve like Super Nintendo? After spending a few days with the Nintendo Switch 2, it’s clear that this is a new Nintendo; one that still honors the creativity from the past, while promising to push tech forward in substantial areas.

The Upgrade – The Unboxing Experience

When the box is opened, you see the Joy Con 2s and the console itself. Picking up the console and attaching the Joy Con 2s for the first time feels fantastic. The magnets instantly connect with ease, and the system itself has a nice weight to it.

While it’s heavier than the original Switch, support from the larger Joy-Con 2’s helps. In addition, the console comes with an upgraded Dock. It has a proper Ethernet port and three USB ports. While the dock lacks any USB-C ports, the top USB-C port of the console itself can be used when docked. This helps connect accessories like the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera to the console.

The unboxing experience was enjoyable, coming home from the system’s midnight launch and being eager to play some games.

Lack of Protection – Issues with the Unboxing Experience

Even though everything was easily accessible after opening the console’s box, I noticed a distinct lack of protection for the console’s screen. While the box protects the Dock and other cables well, very little protects the console and Joy-Con 2s when you open the box.

If anything hits or punctures the front of the box, the screen can likely get damaged. Look no further than the infamous GameStop staple situation. It’s not a major deal, as the system has enough protection before opening it up, but something to be mindful of when getting your Switch 2.

Flipping the Switch – Menu & Interface

After opening up the system and seeing the initial boot sequence completed, Switch 2 offers an almost identical experience to Switch 1. While there are some new icons, specifically for features like the Chat function, it’s like putting on a well-worn glove.

It’s similar to the transition between the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X/S, with the same overall interface but faster and more responsive. While there are new features, like the options for TV resolutions, the main difference between Switch 1 and Switch 2 is the menu sounds.

Each icon on the home screen has a unique sound effect, adding charm to the console. The biggest improvement has to be the updated Nintendo eShop. Unlike on the Switch 1, where it lagged and took a long time to load up games, it’s instant on Switch 2. This makes navigating the digital storefront a positive experience.

It Feels Premium – Build Quality

While the OS side of the Switch 2 is a nice improvement, the console itself is a huge step-up over the Switch 1. While the original Nintendo Switch is a great handheld/console hybrid, the original 2017 model wasn’t perfect. The Joy-Con rails could sometimes get loose; meanwhile, the Joy-Cons themselves felt like cheap toys that could easily break if you were too rough with them.

Nintendo Switch 2 changes all of this. The console is heavier than the original Switch, but only slightly so. Holding it without the Joy-Cons, it feels like a proper premium tablet. Once you attach the updated Joy Con 2s, it’s a marked improvement over the original Switch.

Once attached, the console feels more unified, with the Joy-Con 2 magnets refusing to detach unless you press the lever on the back of them. This unified look and build quality ensures easy pick-up-and-play gaming, improving the original’s design.

Standing Up – The Updated Kickstand

The best build-quality improvement over the original Switch is a metal kickstand. The metal frame and strong build quality ensure you can prop your console at the perfect angle for tabletop gaming. On the original Nintendo Switch, the kickstand wasn’t very big and didn’t have many options for angles.

In addition, the Switch 2 has two USB-C ports (one on the bottom and one on the top). This is a big quality of life improvement, as on the original Nintendo Switch, the USB-C port to charge the device was on the bottom. Tabletop play meant you couldn’t charge the console. With the Switch 2 having a top port for the USB-C, you can enjoy long Mario Kart World sessions or grinding away levels in Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster in tabletop mode.

Scratching Metal

Even with the updated build quality, it is worth noting that the metal on the Joy Con 2s and the console’s backside can get scratches. It’s not a big deal, since you could get a grip or case to protect it, but it is something to be mindful of when playing in portable mode outside of home.

Vivid Colors – Screen Quality

Owning the original 2017 Nintendo Switch, the screen was average. While it was ‘good enough’ for portable play, the 720p display didn’t allow the vivid colors to pop. Nintendo offered an upgrade to this through the Nintendo Switch OLED model, which has a beautiful OLED display, looks great, and is a big improvement.

With the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo opted for a 1080p LED display that supports HDR and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is also 7.9 inches big, a marked improvement over the original Nintendo Switch’s 6.2-inch display.

As someone who never upgraded to the OLED model, this upgraded display is an upgrade for me. Games look stunning on the console. Games like Sonic X Shadow Generations and Mario Kart World are the best showcases for the 1080p screen. Playing Sonic Generations, I was blown away at the vivid greens and blues popping off the display, blitzing through Green Hill Zone.

But seeing the Switch OLED’s display through demo units in stores and having experience with an OLED handheld through the PlayStation Vita, I did notice the blacks weren’t as inky on Switch 2. Despite that, the display is hands-down one of the best screens Nintendo’s put in a gaming handheld since the Game Boy Advance SP and Nintendo DS Lite.

Getting that Protection – Screen Issues

One issue I didn’t expect to worry about this early into owning a Switch 2 would be scratches. These are common for all portable devices, but the plastic film Nintendo used for the Switch 2 easily got scratched within days of owning my console. They aren’t overly noticeable, but I instantly was pushed into getting a screen protector for my device.

While these can be inexpensive, Nintendo having one pre-installed on all Switch 2 units would’ve been a fantastic addition to ensure the device’s longevity.

You’re Playing with Power – Performance

One of the biggest issues with the original Nintendo Switch was game performance. While some games, like Super Mario Odyssey and Metroid Dread, showcased the system’s raw horsepower to great effect, more demanding games from the Big N had issues. Releases like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Pokémon Scarlet & Violet struggled to run well, with the latter running dreadfully badly on the Switch 1.

This carried over to third-party releases, with games like Doom 2016 and Witcher 3 running on the console but nowhere near matching their performance targets on rival platforms. With the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo has created hardware that eliminates these issues.

Playing updated Switch 2 releases of Tears of the Kingdom and updates for games like Scarlet & Violet transform the games, making them play how the developers intended them to on Switch 1. In addition, the entire Switch 1 library gets a major boost when played on Switch 2.

And when playing Switch 2 native releases, the results are astounding. Playing games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy and seeing them run at Series S-level visual quality at a stable 30FPS, for both handheld and docked, blew my mind.

A new, powerful Nintendo console is something everyone has desired since the Nintendo GameCube. Finally having that, and with little compromises out of the gate, is impressive.

The Joy to the Con

The original Nintendo Switch took concepts from the Nintendo Wii and Wii U to create the original Joy-Con controller. These detachable controllers offered motion controls and an IR Sensor for games. In addition, the initial feeling of sliding them into the Switch console felt great. However, the controllers had several issues.

Ranging from a small form factor that didn’t easily fit in bigger hands, the overall build quality left a lot to be desired, and the infamous analog stick drift issues meant these controllers were ones you only kept around for games that required them. Speaking for myself, I often used alternatives to the Joy-Cons as I didn’t like how they felt in my hands.

A Premium Grip – The Pros

With the Joy-Con 2s, Nintendo took the feedback to heart and made notable improvements. The original’s long battery life remains, with the bigger body feeling far more stable than the original Joy-Cons. In addition, the Joy-Con 2s’ magnet connection is an improvement over the original’s rail systems.

You ‘snap’ them into the console and they do not budge. Even with all my strength, I cannot take them out of the console unless I use the release lever on the back of each Joy-Con 2. The other notable feature of each Joy-Con 2 is the ability to use Mouse Mode.

Only a handful of Switch 2 games support that feature, but once you attach the Joy-Con 2 straps, they easily slide across any surface, even your leg. The biggest test for this will be the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Lastly, the analog sticks feel better to use. While the sticks themselves are the same as the original Joy-Con controllers, the colored grooves on each controller do something to help with character movement in games. Playing 3D platformers like Sonic Frontiers and Super Mario Odyssey felt better using the Joy-Con 2s than on the originals.

Drifting Down the Fast Track – The Cons

Even with all these improvements, the Joy-Con 2s aren’t perfect. While the sticks feel better, they use the same technology as the original. This implies that the infamous Joy-Con drift could rear its ugly head again. I thankfully did not experience this with my launch pair, and I’ve been extensively using the console for the past two or so weeks as of this writing.

Nintendo offers free controller repairs regarding this issue, but utilizing colored grooves underneath each analog stick, I feel more confident that this issue won’t happen as often.

In addition, I also noticed minor charging issues with my launch pair. My right Joy-Con 2 wasn’t holding above a 70% charge, though once I charged the console via USB-C cable instead of the dock, that issue was quickly resolved. It likely was a bug on the OS level, but something to be mindful of.

Lastly, the Joy-Con 2s lack analog triggers. Games designed for the Nintendo Switch platform are made with that in mind, but when other platforms offer analog triggers that feel great for shooters and racing games, it’s disappointing to see them not be included in the upgraded Joy-Cons.

Putting in the Memory Card – Storage

Unlike the original Nintendo Switch, the included storage for the Switch 2 is bigger. Going from a measly 32GB to 256GB of storage, on paper, ensures Switch 2 owners can start downloading games and not worry about running out of space.

However, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a more digital-focused platform than the original Switch, with more third-party publishers opting for Game Key Cards. These only give players the game license, letting them play the game offline once downloaded.

A big advantage of the original Switch is that many games were full on the cartridge. While some needed updates or DLC downloads, most Switch owners could’ve been fine with the base 32GB (or 64GB with Switch OLED) and a cheap microSD card.

The bigger push for digital means you will quickly run out of space for games with the included storage. While the cheapest option for additional storage is easily available, larger options are far more expensive. It would’ve been great if Nintendo included 512GB of internal storage, like the Xbox Series S.

It’s the only aspect of the Nintendo Switch 2 that doesn’t feel premium.

A Loose Charge – Battery Life

Being a portable platform, I’ve been taking the Switch 2 everywhere. So, putting the battery through its paces, it’s good enough considering the game it’s running. You can easily play up to two hours of a demanding game like Cyberpunk 2077, while games like Mario Kart World usually last three hours.

This mirrors the battery life seen in other PC handhelds, but it’s a downgrade from the Switch 1 revision and the Switch OLED (four and a half to nine hours). It’s on par with the original Switch, but later revisions could potentially increase the battery life for the Switch 2.

Entering the Modern Era – Closing Thoughts on Nintendo Switch 2

Despite having a deep love for the Blue Blur and all things SEGA blue skies, I grew up with Nintendo. Playing GameCube and Game Boy Advance as a child, getting the Nintendo Wii early in that platform’s lifecycle, and returning to Nintendo with the original Switch years later, it’s amazing seeing how they’ve grown.

The original Switch was a milestone platform for Nintendo, and even with its issues, the handheld/console hybrid inspired many years later. With the Nintendo Switch 2, the marked improvements for the system’s build quality and raw performance gains eclipse the console’s few blemishes with battery life and storage.

They retain the handheld crown they’ve maintained during the Nintendo Switch generation, and I can’t wait to see how this platform develops over the next few years.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

Pros:

• Improved Build Quality
• Stunning 1080p LED Display
• Performance Substantially Better Than Switch 1
• A Firm Metal Kickstand for Better Tabletop Play
• Improved Joy-Con 2 Controllers
• Snappy, but familiar interface
• Docked Play offers 4K Output

Cons:

• Limited Storage
• Joy-Con 2 Controllers Aren’t Future-Proofed
• Joy-Con 2 Controllers Lack Analog Triggers
• The Screen Can Easily Get Scratched
• Battery Life Lasts Only 2-6 Hours