Nintendo Switch 2 console review in progress - is it worth it?

Metro

2 days ago

The brand new console from Nintendo has finally been released and is already selling out, but it's a bit too early to offer up a definitive review of the Switch 2.
We've always found the idea of reviewing consoles slightly odd (especially the idea of giving them scores, which we will not be doing at any point). A console is just a hunk of plastic, no more deserving of your love or loyalty than a DVD player is for a film buff. Throughout gaming history, people have been willing to put up with underpowered or awkward to use consoles as long as the games they grant access to are worth the trouble.
However, generally speaking, the original Switch has always been a pleasure to use. There's been some enduring problems with the unhelpful, shovelware-filled eShop and the dreaded Joy-Con drift issue but the console's unique form factor and Swiss army knife-like array of features is definitely a key part of its appeal.
Even with the recent influx of PC handheld gaming devices there's really nothing like the hybrid nature of the Switch, which is simultaneously a home console, a portable, and something in-between. The detachable Joy-Cons have been a revelation, ensuring instant access to two controllers at all times, while the modestly powered console has long been punching above its weight class – in terms of the variety and complexity of the games it's been able to host.
One obvious reason why a review of the Switch 2 isn't terribly useful is that everything about it has been understood and explained for weeks now. There was still a lot about Mario Kart World that only became clear after playing it, but getting hands on with a real Switch 2 is pretty much everything you'd expect, based on previous announcements.
It's bigger than the original, which means a larger screen and controllers that are easier to handle and feel weightier and less fiddly in your hand. The new Joy-Cons can also be used as mice, which works very well, although the rarely used infrared sensor from the original has been removed. The stand at the back of the screen is also more flexible and the speakers are much clearer and louder.
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This is the most difficult thing to determine at the moment. Technical specifications for consoles rarely give a reliable view of what the hardware is actually capable of. There're plenty of games, like The Witcher 3 and Doom, that should never have been possible on the original Switch, but they got released anyway and worked very well – and it's likely to be the same for the Switch 2 playing current gen games.
Although we've got pretty far into the review process for Mario Kart World, at face value the graphics aren't much better than anything on the Switch 1; although rendering an open world of that size, with that much going on in it, is very difficult. Because of how late Nintendo sent out review units we've barely had a chance to look at any third party games so far, but they should give a clearer idea of what the Switch 2 can do, as we examine them next week.
Cyberpunk 2077, which infamously performed very poorly on PlayStation 4, is looking like an early benchmark, while post-launch games like Nintendo's Donkey Kong Bananza and Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws will also be important indicators. The short answer though is that the Switch 2 is roughly equivalent to a PS4 Pro, in terms of output if not raw power. But it's likely it'll be pushed even further than that in the months and years to come.
Yes, although that's something we also need to test further. There's a small number of games that have issues and some that don't work at all (mostly because they need the original Joy-Cons) but Nintendo has already drawn up a list of incompatible games.
Switch 1 games aren't improved automatically by being on Switch 2 but many of the more prominent titles do have free upgrades that do things like bump up the frame rate, which has particularly helped with titles like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. There're also some paid-for upgrades, for games like Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, that are referred to as Switch 2 Editions and are essentially remasters.
So, the short answer to this question is yes, most Switch 1 games will work on the Switch 2. Naturally, Switch 2 games do not work on Switch 1 consoles, but some future games will be released on both formats, such as this year's Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Yes. Although it's too small to use an SSD, the Switch 2 has noticeably faster load times. As with other consoles the difference is very mild unless a specific patch is released for the game, but titles made with the Switch 2 in mind, such as Mario Kart World, are very quick. Things like fast travelling to a different location in the open world are almost instantaneous, which is very impressive.
As for the eShop, Nintendo has listened to criticism and given it a complete overhaul in terms of its interface and how it promotes games. Whether these changes will last is something only time will tell but the eShop loads quicker and the menus are currently much faster to use, with very little lag.
GameChat is one of the big new features of the Switch 2 and even has its own button on the Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller. It requires a camera (either one of the two Nintendo sells or another compatible webcam) and allows you to see and hear other people while you play, including a view of their gameplay screen. Up to four people can be shown at a time and if you use Nintendo's camera it tracks your head no matter where you sit.
Like everything else, we need more time to test this out in various scenarios, but we tried it out on Thursday afternoon, with some other journos, and it worked exactly as Nintendo's videos show. The frame rate of the gameplay screen from other people is very low – because of the large amount of bandwidth needed – but the camera works great and zooms in on your face no matter how far away you are.
This is handy for chatting, whether you're playing a game or not, but will also be used as a control system for the upcoming upgrade to Super Mario Party Jamboree, where the camera is used to motion sense your movements and superimpose you into the game – which Mario Kart World also does by putting your face next to your kart, so everyone knows which one is you.
The main problem with the Switch is simply the money involved. Some may find it too big – 'handheld' is a bit of a stretch when describing it – but for others that will be a positive. We found that the transfer system, for bringing your Switch 1 content over to the Switch 2 didn't work, but that's easily circumvented.
Beyond that, we have nothing negative to say about it at all yet. Other than that the launch line-up is weaker than one might have expected, given Nintendo had eight years to get ready and there was no ticking clock for when they had to release it. Mario Kart World is the only major first party game at launch and the only other ones for the rest of the year (Pokémon Legends and Metroid Prime 4) are both cross-gen Switch 1 games. More Trending
There are some smaller titles, such as the new Hyrule Warriors game, but it's a surprisingly slow start for the console's exclusive line-up, given what an amazing first year the Switch 1 had.
This question might as well be how much spare cash have you got. Mario Kart World is great, and given the pedigree of the Switch 1, and Nintendo in general, it suggests the Switch 2 will have a long and fruitful life, with many high quality exclusive games.
The cost of the console (essentially £396) is generally considered good value, given it all it does, and while there's great concern at the physical version of Mario Kart World costing £75 it's cheaper digitally and none of the other games are that much. Plus, you can get it essentially half price if you buy the £430 hardware bundle.
Judged on its own merits the Switch 2 is a great system. All the changes from the Switch 1 are definite improvements, including the larger controllers, and the potential is there for another classic system. It's not cheap, and many of the games are more expensive than expected, but unfortunately that's just the direction the games industry is going in at the moment.
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