I went hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2: Here’s what I thought

It’s not long now until the Nintendo Switch 2 hits shelves around the world. Ahead of the console’s release, various media outlets and some lucky members of the public recently went hands-on with the console in Melbourne. I was one of those people, eager to get a glimpse before the console’s 5 June launch, and learned a fair bit in the process.

After roughly five hours of playing various games and watching others try the Switch 2, the argument for upgrading is clearer. A $699.95 price tag for the console alone is a big ask, sure, but retailers say interest in Nintendo’s hardware is still sky-high.

That being said, while there’s a lot to like about the hardware, there are still some question marks I’d like Nintendo to address. Performance, accessibility, and comfort are factors I’ll have a clearer idea about once the Switch 2 hits shelves.

But enough preamble: here’s what I thought after going hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2. There’s also a video version if that’s more your speed.

Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on: The console

Here it is, the Nintendo Switch 2 in the flesh. Images: Chris Button.

Nintendo says the Switch 2 weighs 534 grams, up from its predecessor’s 398 grams. That’s still notably lighter than a Steam Deck (640 grams) or a ROG Ally X (678 grams) handheld gaming PC, so Nintendo hasn’t sacrificed portability.

Compared to my OLED Switch, the new console definitely looks and feels bigger, but not at the cost of immediate comfort. You’d certainly expect it to look bigger, considering the Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch screen versus the original’s 6.2-inch display. The weight distribution feels evenly placed, so I didn’t immediately think too deeply about the extra heft.

A little understated in appearance, the Switch 2 feels nice to hold. Images: Chris Button.

Now, I like a bit of personality and colour with my technology. That much should be obvious from my Splatoon 3 OLED Switch model. I was a little disappointed Nintendo toned it down with the Switch 2, solely selling a grey model. It makes the Joy-Con’s red and blue accents pop, at least.

Everyone and their dog knows Nintendo will eventually bring out some promotional designs down the line. If aesthetics are a deal-breaker for you, wait for one of those.

My OLED Switch compared to the Switch 2. Images: Chris Button.

Much has been made of Nintendo’s decision to stick an LCD screen onto the Switch 2. After going from an OLED Switch, would it be much of a downgrade?

No, is the simple answer. OLED is great for its colours and contrast, but it’s still expensive to produce, doubly so at a high refresh rate like 120Hz. I had similar reservations when reviewing the PlayStation Portal, which also had an LCD screen.

Lo and behold, the Switch 2’s LCD panel looks great, producing the bright and vibrant visuals you’d expect from Nintendo’s games. Even compared to Samsung’s stunning OLED TVs at the preview event, the Switch 2’s screen held up strongly.

Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on: The controllers

From an admittedly brief session, the new detachable Joy-Con controllers are a big improvement over the original design. They’re bigger, reducing the need to awkwardly claw your fingers around them when detached from the console.

Speaking of which, gone is the rail attachment of the original Switch. In its place is a magnetic design that holds the Joy-Con in place. Once attached, you can’t just yank them off, either. A release button located on the back made it easy to remove the Joy-Con from the Switch 2. Similarly, re-attaching the controllers was a cinch; it was simply a matter of snapping them back into place.

Snapping the Joy-Con into place is very satisfying. Image: Chris Button.

I don’t know what sort of durability testing Nintendo has put the Joy-Con through, so I hope the controllers will hold up to my primal urge to use them as fidget toys. Detaching and re-attaching the Joy-Con is pleasantly tactile and rigid, activating the monkey part of my brain.

Various controllers and attachments that will be available at launch, including the all-important wireless GameCube controller. Images: Chris Button.

Nintendo must have sacrificed something valuable to the controller design gods, because both the Joy-Con and the new Pro Controller feel great to hold. The outer material feels smoother yet more grippy, while the build quality feels nicer.

It’s impossible to tell how long a piece of kit will last based on a single afternoon, but I think the enhanced control sticks and higher-quality design leave a strong impression.

Nintendo’s upgraded Pro Controller may not look all that different, but it definitely feels better to hold. Image: Chris Button.

I previously wrote about how impressive the Joy-Con’s new mouse mode was, based on some time with Metroid Prime 4 and Drag X Drive. Swapping between standard twin-stick controls and the PC mouse-like controls felt surprisingly seamless.

Long-term use is my main concern, however. Unlike most computer mice, a single Joy-Con is quite thin. The length feels more or less right, but hunching your hand and wrist over a thin input device can’t be good for you over longer sessions.

Metroid Prime 4 feels like it was made for mouse controls. Image: Chris Button.

Perhaps Nintendo could make optional peripherals for the Joy-Con that look like an ergonomic mouse grip. Some third parties are already onto it, so fingers crossed that Nintendo also has something in mind. A wider grip for mouse mode would go a long way to bolstering its PC-like controls as a comfortable alternative.

The games

Good hardware is nothing without good software to back it up. Fortunately, it looks like Nintendo has that comfortably covered.

I loved playing Mario Kart World, Nintendo’s open-world take on its evergreen arcade racer. Its smooth, higher-fidelity visuals are a treat, but the vibrant colours and lush art direction are the real stars.

Mario Kart World‘s Knockout Tour mode, a take on the battle royale genre, was an undisputed highlight. With up to 24 racers competing to avoid elimination over an endurance-style circuit, it’s a thrilling addition I can see becoming a living room (and online) staple in the coming years.

Winning a Knockout Tour race is one of my prouder moments. Image: Chris Button.

I wasn’t able to check out much of the open world, so I hope there are enough interesting discoveries to encourage exploration. As far as course design is concerned, the tracks I played lived up to the pedigree expected of Mario Kart. Part of a continuous race, seeing the space between one course and the next adds a cool perspective that makes the Mushroom Kingdom look like a more lived-in space.

Based on one of my favourite characters, Donkey Kong Bananza fully captured my attention. Widely speculated to be developed by the Super Mario Odyssey team (although Nintendo is coy about this), Bananza continues the bite-sized design of Odyssey with a more destructive twist.

As always, Donkey Kong hunts down precious bananas from a band of thieves who would deprive the king of swing his delicious potassium-packed treats. Instead of his usual 2D domain, Bananza returns DK to 3D for the first time since Donkey Kong 64. The result is one heck of a time, smashing objects, throwing explosives, and climbing everywhere to find the coveted bananas.

If you couldn’t already tell, I’m very excited about Bananza. Image: Chris Button.

As visually arresting as Donkey Kong Bananza is, the preview demo contained some performance jitters. It occasionally dropped the frame rate whenever lots of particles scattered across the screen. This mainly happened when transitioning from one area to the next, although it noticeably stood out in an otherwise beautiful-looking game. Whether it was caused by an early preview build or stretching the Switch 2’s limits remains to be seen.

However, from all the Switch 2 games I played, there’s good reason to be excited for 5 June.

The post I went hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2: Here’s what I thought appeared first on GadgetGuy.