Should you get a Nintendo Switch 2? My thoughts after two weeks with the new console
Nintendo's new console has been out for just over two weeks. While I haven't had the time to really dig into it, I do have some thoughts. Plus, more Summer Game Fest coverage!
Happy summer solstice! The perfect day to talk about sitting inside, staring at a screen, playing video games. I appreciate you taking the time to read this newsletter, but I highly recommend getting outside and enjoying nature today. This will still be here when you get back.
Today, I want to share some of my early impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2. This is a slightly new direction for me; typically, I only review software, not hardware. But I have been a long-time fan of Nintendo generally, including the Nintendo Switch.
This is absolutely an upgrade. It is a bigger screen and a bigger device, so if you prefer a smaller, more portable handheld, that can be a downside.
Otherwise, though, everything has improved, from the kickstand to the Joy-Con controllers. Let’s break down some of the improvements and my thoughts on them.
Joy-Cons
The Joy-Cons are larger, and the buttons on top are also larger, making it easier to use a single Joy-Con as a controller. This is key for many of the Switch 2’s multiplayer games, like Mario Kart World.
These new Joy-Cons are also magnetic, snapping onto the side of the system with satisfying ease. They are solidly attached. It’s not impossible to pull the controllers off the side, but it’s not easy.
The most impressive new feature of the new Joy-Cons, though, is the mouse functionality. I haven’t played a game with it yet, but the way it transitions from handheld to mouse so seamlessly blows my mind.
Overall, the Joy-Cons are excellent—a vast improvement from the 2017 version.
Kickstand
Let’s face it. The 2017 Nintendo Switch had a laughable kickstand. It was small, flimsy, and only supported one side of the console. It made me nervous every time I used it.
By contrast, the new kickstand is sturdy and covers the entire length of the console. There’s no denying that this is an improvement, but it was a pretty easy hurdle to clear.
I’ve also seen some people suggest using the kickstand in handheld mode as an extra grip for your fingers. I still need to try this out more, but it seems like a good strategy.
Battery
One complaint I have about the Nintendo Switch 2 is that I haven't been impressed with its battery life. It doesn’t take much for this console to start draining the battery. This is only important if you plan to use the Switch 2 in handheld mode or while traveling, but that is a major draw for anyone considering this console.
Overall, I’m not entirely confident in how it compares to the Switch 1’s battery life, but it at least doesn’t feel like a significant improvement.
Games
Ok, enough about the console itself, what about the games?
Well, there isn't much to discuss yet. Most of the games you can play now are either upgraded versions of games already on the Switch (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) or games from other developers finally arriving because the Nintendo Switch 2 is powerful enough to run them (Cyberpunk: 2077).
You can also migrate your game library from your previous Switch console, but don’t expect to be able to keep games on both. The new Virtual Game Card system limits digital games to one device at a time.
However, there is one major new game to discuss, one that I have personally played: Mario Kart World.
According to recent information from Mat Piscatella at Circana, reported by VideoGamesChronicle, the Nintendo Switch 2 achieved massive success in its first week of sales, reaching approximately 3.5 million sales globally. Mario Kart World was also included in roughly 80% of those purchases.
Mario Kart World is a great game. It’s the first new edition of the popular series in eleven years. It builds on the franchise in a great way, making the world feel much more interconnected than it ever has. There is a true open world here, and I wouldn’t say it feels empty, based on my experience, which is often a concern with open-world games.
Knockout Tour is a new mode where you race across six courses without stopping. At each lap, the last four racers are eliminated. This is a blast, and I’ve had a great time playing this with friends and online. The online works so flawlessly that I barely gave it a second thought until days later, when I realized I had a perfect, seamless online experience with a Nintendo console, something that was a serious rarity in the past.
My hot take: if this is the only interesting game to you, I’d suggest waiting on getting a Switch 2. Mario Kart World is a great game, but it’s not a game of the century like Breath of the Wild was with the first Switch.
But that’s not me saying “don’t get a Switch 2.” If there are other games you'd like to play, if you think you’ll get one eventually, or if you know games are coming out that you want to play, I say go for it. Nintendo isn’t known for putting their products on sale, and in fact, there’s probably more of a chance the price goes up with the way the world is moving these days.
The Switch 2 is only going to get more games. Donkey Kong Bananza is planned for next month, and there’s undoubtedly more on the way over the next six or seven years.
Plus, I need some friends to try out Game Chat with.
It’s for work. I need to do it for my job.
Please buy responsibly! The Nintendo Switch 2 is an expensive device, and many of the games that come with it are also not inexpensive. If this is something you know you will get a lot of use out of, it will be worth it, but don’t feel pressured to spend more money than you are comfortable with right now!
You can always live vicariously through me!
Further Reading
I was still posting more Summer Game Fest content this week! There are so many great games and so little time!
The team behind Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a 2D pixel art interpretation of the beloved action franchise, shared with me that one of their major inspirations was 2018’s best indie game.
Absolum, Developers: Guard Crush, Supamonks, & Dotemu Finally, someone turned a beat ‘em up game into a roguelike. Absolum takes place in a dark fantasy world where magic users are reborn by their patron upon death. It also supports local multiplayer.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Developer: Tribute Games There was a serious beat ‘em up theme to this week’s coverage, because I also wrote about my time with Marvel Cosmic Invasion, a beat ‘em up game with Marvel heroes. It looks like it will be a perfect party game, and it’s going to come out for the Switch 2.
Directive 8020, Developer: Supermassive Games Supermassive Games is best known for their branching narrative horror game, Until Dawn. With their upcoming title, Directive 8020, they explore this same foundation, but with a The Thing-inspired sci-fi horror story, where hostile extraterrestrial beings can perfectly impersonate your crewmates.
Thick As Thieves, Developer: OtherSide Entertainment Thick As Thieves takes the stealth game genre and makes it multiplayer. Take on jobs, avoid guards, and grab valuable loot, but watch out for the other players after the same score.
Omut, Developer: Madame Cyclone Omut was Summer Game Fest’s deadliest game. I never beat the first boss in my twenty minutes with the game, but it did manage to kill me 66 times. Apparently, there are sixteen more bosses that are probably just as challenging, if not more so.
Lou’s Lagoon, Developer: Tiny Roar Lou’s Lagoon is a cozy life simulator where you take over your uncle’s seaplane delivery service after he mysteriously goes missing. Flying the plane was my favorite part.
Morsels, Developer: Furcula Somehow both disgusting and wholesome in the same moments, Morsels is a challenging new roguelike with a free demo on Steam right now.
What’s Next
I’m not totally sure what to expect for next week. I should in theory have all this Summer Game Fest work behind me, but you never know what else will come up.
For now, expect your regularly scheduled indie game programming. There’s still a ton of demos on Steam even after Next Fest ended. Maybe I’ll do some kind of mid-year check in. Here’s what indie games you should be looking forward to, or something like that.
I do want to try out more games on the Switch 2, particularly something that puts the mouse controls to the test. So there may be a small update on that sometime in the next few weeks.
Also, if you have any questions or topics you think deserve my attention, feel free to let me know! You can leave a comment through Substack or reply directly to this email, depending on how you are reading.
Until next week, thanks for reading!