I Bought the Switch 2 So You Don’t Have To
When I tell people I love to play games, the first thing most people think of are first-person shooters like Call of Duty. However, that could not be further from the truth, as the only gaming company I couldn’t live without… is the king of family friendly entertainment, Nintendo. Whether it is my undefeated Mario Party streak or completing the Pokédex in every Pokémon title since generation 4, Nintendo has always had my heart. As an owner of the original Switch, I knew I would upgrade eventually, but once I saw what this console was capable of, I took the plunge and preordered the Nintendo Switch 2. It has been two months since release- so, was it worth it? Let’s find out.
Performance Comparisons
One of the criticisms of the original Nintendo Switch was performance, which, without getting into deep specifics, overall ran worse than the most prevalent competitors including the Steam Deck, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. For most casual gamers, this resulted in significant lagging issues and poor frame rate, with the Switch locked at 30 frames per second. So how does the Switch 2 compare? Quite well it turns out. The Switch 2 can now run at 60 frames per second, which, while on the lower end, is still at the current standard expected of technology in 2025. Additionally, the Switch 2 is significantly more powerful, and can now smoothly run the original Switch titles which previously struggled to maintain high performance.
If there is one thing that the Switch 2 gets wrong however, it is most certainly the battery life. While higher, smoother performance was much needed, it has come at the cost of battery, which now, when playing performance heavy games, can last as little as 2 1/2 hours. This does tend to be the worst-case scenario, with the Switch 2 comfortably lasting 4 hours+ when playing smaller games with reduced performance requirements.
The Gameplay Experience
While performance statistics are important, mmm that’s boring, so let’s discuss the real reason anyone ever buys a console- the games. While ‘Donkey Kong Bananza’ is shaping up to be an instant hit, the game doesn’t release until mid-July, leaving the all-new open world experience ‘Mario Kart World’ to satisfy day 1 Switch 2 gamers. I could write a full-fledged review about this game, but instead, here’s what actually matters
Unlike every Mario Kart prior, you can actually drive from one course to the next in one big open world of Mario kart tracks.
Rather than looping around a course three times (don’t worry, that’s still an option), you actually move from each track as part of the race
They have doubled the amount of people driving in each race from 12 to 24, leading to more chaos and, undoubtedly, more fun
The game is aesthetically beautiful, with grand landscapes, unique looking tracks, and surprisingly deep NPC tracking, which makes the open world feel lived in.
Finally, and most importantly… You. Can. Play. As. The. Cow. 10/10 game, no notes.
Lots of characters also have all new costumes, including vacation outfits for Peach and Daisy, ‘Oasis Wario’ and… ‘Burger Bun Toad’? Okay Nintendo, I respect giving something new a shot.
As an aside, the weight of the console, improved kickstand, and more comfortable sized JoyCon’s have incentivised me to play in handheld mode significantly more than I used to. This is especially great for cozy games like Stardew Valley and Moonstone Island, where I can sit comfortably in bed, avoiding the arctic winter currently encircling Australia, or indeed take my Switch 2 with me whilst facing the elements, and play some of my favourite games of all time on-the-go. This is really what the Switch systems were made for: comfort, portability, and coziness. In this way, the Switch 2 is the perfect upgrade to the original Switch, everything the old Switch was, but better.
I have also had the opportunity to play the upgraded ‘Legend of Zelda; Tears of the Kingdom’, which, while the same game experience, takes advantage of the doubled frame rate of the Switch 2 and now loads MUCH faster. In my opinion, the Switch 2 is essentially the console ‘catching up’ to the major releases on the original Switch, as its life span came to an end. This also applies to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which, to be brutally honest, ran terribly on the original Switch, but is now a remarkably improved experience on the Switch 2’s improved hardware. Great news for all the Pokémon trainers who hate to see windmills animating at literally 5 frames a second.
Is the Switch 2 Worth It?
To the important question however, is the Switch 2 ACTUALLY worth it? For me, as someone who was going to buy it anyway, yes it was. However, if you already have a Switch 1 or don’t NEED to immediately play as the ‘Moo Moo Meadow Cow’ in ‘Mario Kart World’, then I would advise on holding off. The legacy and success of a console is always determined by performance and exclusive titles. While the performance of the Switch 2 is impressive for a handheld experience, there is only one true exclusive game, and while Nintendo is king of exclusives, there are simply not enough on launch to justify the jump for most gamers.
That said, as new titles continue to release, and others gain significant performance and DLC updates, the Switch 2’s position as successor to one of the most profitable, revolutionary consoles looks increasingly secure.
I give the Nintendo Switch 2 an overall score of 7/10 / 4/5