The day had finally come. I got to play on Nintendo's new Switch 2 – the console that's now got all eyes on it for its June 2025 launch, after many months (years, even) of rumours.
From Mario Kart World in both multi-player and single-player modes, to Donkey Kong Bananza solo missions, and Super Mario Party Jamboree's Nintendo Switch 2 Edition version with mouse-controlled levels – I played them all.
But there's a problem: great as all the above titles were, I immediately went to ratify my pre-order – which I'd made early on ShopTo, but have since been told I'm not front of the line – but it's all sold out.
I've created a Switch 2 pre-order stock tracker on T3, however, as it's clear that Nintendo's new handheld console is going to be one hot ticket this year.
Having now played with one, I can see why. Fighting for a pre-order is well worth it, in my view, as these key ways that the Switch 2 improves on the original make it a day-one instabuy. Here's why – and not all reasons are as obvious as you might think.
1. The screen is actually better
There's been a lot of focus around the display. Why? Because it's not OLED. And people are taking that as meaning 'an immediate downgrade'.
It's actually not, though, based on my experience with using the console. It appears to be much brighter, which for hyper-colour game palettes helps the visuals to pop.
Besides, its 7.9-inch diagonal measure might not sound a lot more than the 7-inch of the earlier Switch OLED but, seriously, it's way bigger – and much keener to play on.
The bezels are more trim, too, so the whole design of the console just fills your vision far better. It's the modernisation that needed to happen, executed very well indeed.
2. Joy-Con 2 are way improved
The new Joy-Con controllers are a total joy. They have a simple press-button so you can easily detach them from their magnetic grip with the console – no messing around with a slide-and-lock system here.
As the Switch 2 is also larger than the original device, the new Joy-Cons are also a little larger. But, for me, this makes their size even better – and they're not giant, the scale just feels perfectly judged.
Oh, and given the Joy-Con-gate dramas of when the original Switch launched and had 'drift' issues, I'm pretty confident that Nintendo has got the Switch 2's controls wrapped up tightly for a perfect day-one delivery.
Even the new handle ties are more comfortable and better functioning – I know, who uses those, right? – for when the Joy-Cons are detached and in motion-based use.
There's also that new 'mouse-like' control mode, where you can place the controller flat and use it like a hyper-sensitive PC mouse. Many Mario Party Jamboree game booster add-ons take advantage of this, but other games will benefit too – even be designed for this feature in some circumstances, I'm sure.
3. The kick-stand is kicksass
Remember the tiny kickstand of the original Nintendo Switch? I'm surprised that lil thing didn't snap off, frankly. The Switch OLED was a big improvement, granted, with a much more substantial offering.
But the Switch 2? Oh my, the kick-stand here is a whole other league – it's kickass. It's made from high-grade aluminium, for starters, so it feels very tough and purposeful.
It can travel any angle through to 150-degrees, meaning you can position the console sturdily in pretty much any preferred direction of your choosing. For gaming on the go, especially with friends, this will be ideal for tabletop play.
Behind the kick-stand is an open microSD card slot, just like on the original Switch. Except, here, you'll want a microSD EX (the 'Express' type), as they're much faster – and only these will be compatible with game storage and saves (so budget for one of those in your purchase plan!).
4. Backwards compatible brilliance
The Switch 2 is more powerful than the original Switch. We all knew that was going to be the case. With 120Hz refresh rate support expect smoother visuals; and with a new custom Nvidia processor, expect more power for greater graphical prowess.
All of that really helps the Switch 2 in potentially getting original Switch games to play even better than on old hardware. The game card slot accepts the very same card types, you see, so if you've got an older title that you want to revisit, you'll be able to – only, in theory, better than before.
This upgrade doesn't always come for free, though, as the official 'Switch 2 Edition' of games is a pay-for upgrade pack. Announced titles for this are Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Pokemon Legends, and Metroid Prime 4.
Exactly how much these upgrade packs will cost isn't yet confirmed, however, so I do have to hope that Nintendo will be sensible here and not ask for a small fortune. The current rumoured suggestion is to expect it to be around £9.99/$9.99, based on a Japanese leak (that being in native Yen).
5. Should I buy the Switch 2 on pre-order?
For me it's a no-brainer: the Nintendo Switch 2 is so much better than the original consoles that it'll be a must for any gaming fan. It's physically larger without being too thick or cumbersome, the screen is brighter – the OLED loss isn't as much a loss as expected – and more graphically capable.
Sure, there's no true 3D Mario game for launch day, which is a surprise, so on the gaming front it's not as top-drawer as could have been expected, but Mario Kart World is already brilliant to play, Donkey Kong is incoming, and there'll clearly be many more first-party titles in the years to come.
The bigger question is whether you even can pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2. Its stock allocation is widely sold out, there's no US price information, and I suspect that when consoles appear that they'll be quickly snapped up.
