Nintendo Switch 2 fans can grab The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for under £50
Switch 2 owners or potential owners can pick up games for the console for the cheapest price around
Nintendo's Switch 2 console has finally become available in the UK to buy today - and shoppers can buy games for their new device right now without paying full price.
Most shops are flogging Mario Kart: World and Donkey Kong: Bananza for more than £65, but thanks to a nifty trick from TopCashback, shoppers can get them for less. For a limited period, TopCashback is offering £15 to punters who sign up via this link. This means gamers can buy the game at the cheapest price through Argos.
Argos is currently peddling the game for £64.99 - but with TopCashback, it can be snapped up for less than £50, a price that Switch 2 fans might find hard to resist. For this price, shoppers will get the latest Zelda game on the Switch 2 without paying the full price.
But that's not all. TopCashback will also let consumers purchase other Switch 2 games via their website if Tears of the Kingdom doesn't tickle their fancy. Tears of the Kingdom improves on 2017's Breath of the Wild with a bigger and better world - and now, it looks and runs better on the Switch 2. However, it's still a pricey buy for shoppers to consider, especially if they are buying a new console.
Shoppers can also pre-order the likes of Donkey Kong: Bananza - currently on sale for £64.99 - for the same price as well, so there's plenty to pick from, reports the Mirror.
Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2
Here's a full list of shops to monitor for Switch 2 stock:
Very
Amazon
Nintendo Store
Currys
GAME
Argos
The Game Collection
ShopTo
EE
Meanwhile, for shoppers looking for alternative deals, Sony has also kicked off its Days of Play sale, offering discounts on PS5 consoles, controllers, and games. The Dualsense Edge Wireless controller can be picked up for £174.99, while the PS VR2 with Horizon: Call of the Mountain for £354.99 is also reduced from £399.
And if Switch 2 fans want to try and snag a console, they can follow our live blog right here on our sister paper the Daily Mirror. Back to the Switch 2 game deal, here's a quick rundown of how gamers can secure the offer through TopCashback.
Get Tears of the Kingdom and other Switch 2 games for cheap
To claim the new member bonus, new members of TopCashback need to sign up via this link
Search for Argos and click 'Get Cashback Now'
Shop for the game on Argos and checkout as usual
Cashback will then track and appear in your TopCashback account within seven working days of your purchase
For those keen to pre-order the Switch 2, good news may be on the horizon as retailers are set to release the console tomorrow with surplus stock for eager customers.
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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Nintendo Switch 2 – live updates on where to buy as stock sells out
A day after launch, the Nintendo Switch 2 has little stock in the UK. Consoles began quietly landing at shops yesterday morning, and now it's a race against the clock to secure one. Argos, Amazon, and Currys have completely run dry, as has ShopTo. Not only is there no same-day stock, it looks like there's almost no stock at all. The good news is that Nintendo has finally dropped some stock, and Very has a Mario Kart World bundle. EE and O2 have stock, but you have to have an existing contract with them. However, we've seen a lot of surprise stock drops over this console launch. While there's precious little stock at the moment, it's worth checking back every half hour or so in case there's any movement. Where to buy the Nintendo Switch right now Nintendo Switch 2 specs The Switch 2 might look familiar, but there's a lot going on underneath. It's powered by a new custom Nvidia chip, so games don't just load faster, they look better and run more smoothly. You get 12GB of RAM (up from 4GB on the original Switch), and most of that goes straight into powering games, not just background stuff. The screen is still LCD, not OLED, but it's bigger at 7.9in and has 1080p resolution. It supports HDR and a 120Hz refresh rate. Colours pop more and motion looks buttery-smooth in handheld mode. There's also DLSS upscaling built in, so older games look better. Sadly, while it supports variable refresh rates, it doesn't work when docked – just in handheld mode. Nintendo Switch 2 price The Nintendo Switch 2 on its own costs £399.99, and the main bundle with Mario Kart World costs £429.99. Buying the bundle saves you £40 compared to picking up the game separately, so it's the better value if you're planning to grab it anyway. No big discounts yet – it's launch day, after all – but some retailers have larger, more expensive bundles. These include the new Switch 2 camera (£49, the Pro controller (£74.99, and the official carry case and screen protector (£20.99, as well as extra games and accessories. Nintendo Switch 2 launch games There's a stacked line-up of Switch 2 games for day one. Mario Kart World is obviously the big one, but you've also got upgraded versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, plus mammoth games like Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition and Hogwarts Legacy – two games that really test the console's muscle. Other launch day games include Hades 2, Split Fiction, Sonic X Shadow Generations, Street Fighter 6, Survival Kids and Suikoden I & II HD Remaster. You've also got Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, and Deltarune Chapters 1–4, plus more niche picks like Fantasy Life i and Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD. Civilization VII and No Man's Sky are here too, and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour acts as a mini showcase for the new hardware. On top of that, loads of older Nintendo titles have been patched with free performance updates, and Wind Waker, F-Zero GX and Soul Calibur II are now available through the new Switch Online GameCube library. Here's our Nintendo Switch 2 review So, I've officially had 48 hours with the Nintendo Switch 2, and it's a definite step-up over the Nintendo Switch OLED. My colleague Jake Brigstock and I have been putting it through its paces. Here's our initial review – yes, you're getting two takes for the price of one. Nintendo Switch 2 review: What we like (and dislike) about the console After almost a decade's wait, the Nintendo Switch 2 is here Alex Lee6 June 2025 17:01 Here's where you can buy a Switch 2 right now You can still buy the Nintendo Switch 2 from a few places in the UK, but each option comes with a caveat. The My Nintendo Store has the console in stock now, though you'll need an active Switch Online membership to place an order. Delivery is fairly quick though, with consoles arriving in two to three days. Very also has a bundle available to buy, but delivery is on the slower side. Orders aren't expected to arrive until Friday, 13 June. EE has stock as well, but it's only available to pay-monthly customers and delivery takes between 1-3 working days. O2 is also selling the Switch 2 to existing customers, but shipping is particularly slow – some orders could take more than four weeks to arrive. Alex Lee6 June 2025 15:28 Nintendo just dropped stock I predicted it earlier and it's come to pass. Nintendo's just dropped some stock. You have to have a My Nintendo account to buy a console, but the stock is there. There's a standalone Nintendo Switch console and a Mario Kart World bundle. Alex Lee6 June 2025 12:59 Smyths Toys taking orders Smyths Toys sold out around midday yesterday, but they're taking orders once again. It won't be a fast delivery; the retailer says it expects stock between 10-16 June, and delivering your Switch 2 could take up to three working days after that. However, if you missed out on the console yesterday, this is a good bet. Buy now at Smyths Toys Alex Lee6 June 2025 11:57 Nintendo Switch 2 stock at O2 Huge thank you to reader Mark Brooker, who got in touch about some Nintendo Switch 2 stock at O2. It's unlike any of the stock we've seen so far. It's a Mario Kart World bundle and only for O2 customers. You have two options. You can either pay in full for £449.99 or spread the cost. If you spread the cost, it costs £110 up front, but you can pay as little as £9.44 a month at 0% APR. The catch? Delivery could take more than 4 weeks. Buy now at O2 Alex Lee6 June 2025 11:40 Stock just dropped at Very It's been quiet since 6am this morning, but Very just dropped stock. You can get a Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World, and a Switch 2 Camera for £479. It will arrive on Friday 13 June. Buy now at Very Alex Lee6 June 2025 11:04 More detail on EE stock Right now, EE is the only place in the country you can buy a Switch 2. You have a few options: The first is the basic Mario Kart World bundle. You get a Nintendo Switch 2 console and, unsurprisingly, Mario Kart World. You also get a 12 month Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, so you can play online. This also gives you access to 170 old-school games from the NES, SNES, GameCube, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and Sega Genesis. It costs £22 a month for £24 months, and you have to pay £20 upfront today. Buy now at EE The other option is more expensive, but you get a lot more. As well as the Nintendo Switch 2 console Mario Kart World, and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, you get some hardware. You also get a Nintendo Switch camera for online gaming. That bundle costs £25 monthly for 24 months, and you have to pay £20 upfront. Buy now at EE Alex Lee6 June 2025 10:11 Who else might drop stock? It's hard to predict stock drops, but two big players have been noticeably quiet so far. We haven't seen any stock from John Lewis, despite rumours that the retailer might have a few consoles. It might be that their stock has been held back for today or the weekend to capitalise on the limited stock at other sellers. The other conspicuous absence is Nintendo itself. There was no stock on the My Nintendo store, so we might see some drops over the coming days. Alex Lee 6 June 2025 09:18 Nintendo Switch 2 back in stock at EE It looked like EE had sold out, but The Mario Kart World bundle is back. It's a £22 a month for 24 months plan. This might be your best chance for a Switch 2 this morning, but you can only buy it if you're an EE customer. Buy now at EE Alex Lee6 June 2025 08:43 Where to buy a Switch 2 right now Stock looks very depleted this morning. As of right now, you have two options, and neither is great. The Switch is technically still available at Argos, but I've only found it in one shop in the country. It's still worth checking if you live somewhere relatively remote, but it looks like there's no stock in big cities. Keep refreshing – you might have more luck over this morning Buy now at Argos Your other option is EE, which seems to have plenty of stock. the drawback here is that you need to be an EE customer. The Mario Kart World bundle is available on a £22 a month for 24 months plan, which works out at £526, much more expensive in the long run than the £429.99 launch price. You can't buy the deal if you're already on a 24 month plan with the network, either. Alex Lee6 June 2025 06:50
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
The Guide #194: Six things you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 came out this week. Depending on your familiarity with gamer culture, that sentence will either mean absolutely nothing to you, or have you bouncing up and down in your seat with excitement. Nintendo fans have endured an eight-year wait for this new console, so anticipation has been high: pre-orders have sold out everywhere and Nintendo wants to sell 15m of the things over the next year. I've only had my Switch 2 for a few days but if you're wondering whether this £400 new toy is worth your attention, I've got your answers. Why is this a big deal? First: you can race around as a little penguin in Mario Kart World. Second: the first Switch sold 150m units and pre-orders for the Switch 2 have sold out everywhere, so everyone is hoping that this will be a bit of a shot in the arm for the games industry. But most importantly: a new console launch is like Christmas for gamers, promising exciting new worlds to immerse ourselves in over the coming years, and they don't happen as often as they used to. The last major event was the PlayStation 5 in 2020. Is it any good? Yes! It's everything you could want from an upgrade to the Switch: the screen is bigger and clearer, games look much better on a TV, the controllers are better and sturdier with less finicky buttons. Both the machine itself and its menus have a sleek look, with a tasteful pop of colour on both Joy-Cons. It still has all the Switch's old advantages: you can take it with you when you're travelling, it's family-friendly, and the quality of the games is high. However, if you were hoping for something truly new and boundary-breaking, you won't find that here – the most significant new features are voice and video chat, which every other console has been doing for ages, and the fact that you can pop the controllers down on a flat surface and use them like a mouse. What games should I get? Mario Kart World is the biggie. About 65 million people bought the last Mario Kart, and it remains one of the world's most popular and easy to enjoy games. In this new one, the courses are run into each other in one huge world that you can explore freely in between the traditional grand prix and time trial races. It's got squillions of characters and costumes and karts to collect to keep kids busy; adults who grew up with Mario Kart will be more interested in mastering the new wall-riding and rail-grinding tricks that make the courses feel more challenging. Two other good recommendations: Survival Kids (above), a multiplayer game about working together to survive on a desert island (it's a bit like Overcooked, the chaotic game about trying to get dinner ready while everything collapses around you); and, for the hipsters, Deltarune, a surreal indie game about talking your way out of fights with kooky monsters. What games shouldn't I get? Nintendo Switch2 Welcome Tour is a little £7.99 introduction to the console's new features, rather than a proper game, but I found it bafflingly tedious. It's a cute-looking little virtual museum that almost bored me to death with information about the Switch 2's fine technical details. And be aware that almost all the launch games are updated versions of games that are already out, rather than brand new experiences. Will I like this if I basically haven't played a video game since the 1990s? Actually, you can play games from the 1990s on the Nintendo Switch 2 if you want – Nintendo's online subscription service includes a library of old-to-ancient games from its massive back catalogue, from the NES to the GameCube via the Nintendo 64, SNES and Game Boy. They're all lovingly emulated, complete with the scan lines you used to get on old TVs, for maximum nostalgia punch. Step away from the eBay listings, there's no need to spend half your life savings amassing a collection of rare retro cartridges. Should I get one for my kids? Sign up to The Guide Get our weekly pop culture email, free in your inbox every Friday after newsletter promotion With all the justified worry about young children playing Roblox and other online games, a Nintendo console is a much better option (if also vastly more expensive). A Switch has long been the safest and highest-quality family gaming choice, and the Switch 2 continues that legacy: parental controls are easy to use, there's a huge selection of imaginative and creatively interesting child-appropriate games to draw from with more to come in the future, and it's even got Fortnite on it for when your 11-year-old starts complaining that Mario is for babies. Each week we run down the five essential pieces of pop culture we're watching, reading and listening to PODCAST – Missing in the AmazonEven Guardian readers familiar with the story of journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira should listen to this new six-part investigative series about the pair's disappearance in the Amazon three years ago. Narrated by the Guardian's Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, who reported on the incident, and featuring insight from those close to Dom and Bruno for the first time, it goes deeper into their story than ever before, while offering a celebration of the pair's vital ecological work in the region. The first two episodes are available now, and can be heard on the Guardian's new investigations feed, along with other great investigative pods such as Black Box and Can I Tell You a Secret?Want more? Sara Pascoe and Cariad Lloyd return with series three of Sara and Cariad's Weirdos Book Club – and, as ever, they are happy for you to listen, regardless of whether you've read the book! Plus, here are the best podcasts of the week. TV – What it Feels Like for a GirlThis adaptation of Paris Lees' memoir about the journalist and activist's chaotic teenage years prior to transitioning will inevitably be viewed by many through the prism of this most inflamed of culture wars. Which is a shame because, while this is a story about the trans experience (and a valuable one at that), it's about much more besides: class, sex work, the long-tail impact of abuse. What's more, it does all this without being political or preachy – instead offering up a drama that is at times bracingly morally ambiguous, caustically funny and utterly compelling. Available on BBC more? Owen Wilson is at his breezy, slackerish best as a failed golfer-turned-mentor in Apple TV+'s cheery comedy Stick. For even more, here's seven shows to stream at home this week. BOOK – A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda ArdernThe former New Zealand prime minister's memoir tells the story of her rise to power, and how she tried to govern in a new, different way, while privately battling with the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment. 'I closed the book feeling a pang of nostalgia for a time when scrapping tax cuts and spending the money on a more generous safety net, or clasping immigrants to a nation's heart (as she did after Christchurch) still seemed completely plausible things for a prime minister to advocate,' wrote Guardian reviewer Gaby more? We lost a literary great this week in Edmund White, beloved for his groundbreaking depictions of gay life. If you're unfamiliar with his work, Neil Bartlett has put together this handy guide to his books. And here's the rest of this week's books reviews. ALBUM – Turnstile: Never EnoughAn endorsement by Charli xcx, who declared that the next few months would be 'Turnstile summer' underscores the intriguing position this Baltimore hardcore group finds themselves in. A scene success story, attracting ever-swelling audiences with their enticing mix of bright, melodic vocals and brutal breakdowns, they now are on the cusp of mainstream success. Their fourth full length album reckons with the tension between those two worlds, expanding on the more pop-adjacent sound first heard on last album Glow On, with dreamy washes of synths, and at one point Mariachi horns, interrupting the heavy stuff. As ever, it's best experienced live: you can catch them headlining Outbreak London next Friday (13 June). Want more? Just the 24 years since their last album, Pulp return as sharply observational as ever, with More, also out today. For the rest of our music reviews, click here. FILM – BallerinaConsidering it started out as a simple story of a man going loco on the crims who offed his dog, John Wick has grown into quite the universe. After three much-loved sequels and one already long-forgotten TV series (The Continental), the latest hyper-stylised, hyper-violent addition is this spin-off film which is set between Wicks 3 and 4, and stars Ana de Armas as a ballet dancer/ruthless assassin on the hunt for her father's killer. 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Ordering tickets and then standing in a long line to see the film was such a thrill.' – Marsha 'Released in 1970, so made in the 60s, I still love Borsalino starring Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo. A fun French gangster movie with a sparkling soundtrack.' – Rob Taylor 'Billy Liar. It perfectly expresses the conflicting and yearning and fantasising of the teenage/early 20s mind. Brilliant script by Keith Waterhouse, while Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie perfect in the lead roles. I can never forget Leonard Rossiter as 'Shaddy, Shaddy Shadrack.' 'Get on the train, Billy!' – Paul Howard 'Lawrence of Arabia is not only my best film of the 60s but my best film of all time. No women, questionable – to put it mildly – makeup and accents (looking at you Anthony Quinn and Alec Guinness). But thanks to David Lean, Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Freddie Young's iconic cinematography and Maurice Jarre's unforgettable score, it beats everything else hands down. @ me if you like but you will never change my mind.' – Sharon Eckman Prompted by Turnstile, this week we're after songs that you can't help but headbang to. Which tracks have you starting a one-person mosh pit in the living room when they come on? Let us know your choice by contacting Gwilym on
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Nintendo Switch 2 review: What our gaming experts like (and dislike) about the console
Nintendo Switch 2 design Alex Lee: When the courier handed me the Switch 2 inside a plain cardboard box (wait, no fireworks?), I was weirdly thrown by how compact the package felt. But I opened it cross-legged on the floor, and the console itself is… huge. Almost an inch bigger than the OLED, and once the new Joy-Con 2's snap on, it's basically a mini tablet. It's not far off the size of an iPad mini, but it's almost double the weight (and it's noticeable). There's now a USB-C port on the top – a small but huge quality-of-life tweak. I can play it in tabletop mode now while charging, without the cable jutting out from the bottom and making things wobbly. The new Joy-Cons are sleeker too, with a matte texture and rounded edges, making them feel less toy-like, though again, chunkier than the OLED ones. I really like the new kickstand, too. It's sturdier than the OLED's and adjusts a little more smoothly. You can still expand the storage, but your old microSD cards won't work on this one – you'll need to buy the new microSD Express cards. Then there's the dock. Refined to an inch of its life, it's narrower, more polished, and I love that I don't have to tear off the back cover to unplug cables – everything's accessible even with the plate on. It's not a huge redesign overall, but it's all a lot sturdier – I'm not scared of breaking it, as I was with the OG Switch or even the OLED. Jake Brigstock: One thing to add about the packaging – maybe a weird detail to call out – is how smartly it's done. The first thing you see is the console and Joy-Con, and for anyone eager to power it on straight away (no judgement), Nintendo has set things up so you can unpack gradually. Its design feels almost identical to the original Switch – just bigger, and without the bright, colourful Joy-Cons that became so synonymous with the first console. Looking at the unit itself, it's unmistakably a Switch. There's a real sense of familiarity for anyone who's used the original. My first impression? It feels like an upgrade rather than something completely new, and that becomes even more apparent once it's powered on. Nintendo Switch 2 set-up Jake: The onboarding process walks you through everything gradually. It doesn't rush you, and you don't feel overwhelmed. It teaches you how to connect the Joy-Cons, set up the dock and shows you the different ways the console can be used. Data transfer is easy. Setting up a new console sometimes makes me anxious, but moving games and saving data from the original Switch to the Switch 2 was the easiest I've ever seen it. It's quick, too. Once you're in and the home screen pops up, you'll notice one thing straight away – the UI looks more or less identical to the latest version on the original Switch. Again, there's a feeling of familiarity. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't always capture that 'new console feel'. It has been eight years since the Switch launched after all, but if it ain't broke... Alex: Jake's not wrong – this is the least stressful Nintendo setup I've ever experienced. I signed into my account, continued the transfer from my Switch OLED, and it all just worked. I didn't even have to keep the two consoles in the same room. It was super polished, and nothing went wrong. One thing to flag – and it's a big deal for anyone who needs it – is that while Nintendo has finally introduced a proper suite of accessibility features on the Switch 2 (a huge step for the access-averse company), you can't turn any of it on during setup. You have to get through the entire onboarding process before you can enable things like magnification, text-to-speech or high-contrast mode. Even then, features like text-to-speech still don't work across the whole system, including in places like the eShop. While Jake found the familiar UI comforting, I think it's a bit stale. The interface looks almost exactly the same as the original Switch, and Nintendo could've done more to make it feel like a true generational leap. That said, I'm happy to report that the eShop finally got the upgrade it needed. It's way snappier now – no more waiting around for game pages to load or menus to catch up. It's so much smoother and easier to navigate. Nintendo Switch 2 performance and play Alex: I'm mostly a TV gamer, so I've mainly been playing with the Switch 2 hooked up to my 4K HDR TV, and while it does look better than ever, most of the real upgrades aren't for docked play. When plugged in, you'll get prompted to calibrate HDR (a nice touch), and games like Mario Kart World look crisp, vibrant and colourful. However, there's still a lot missing compared to next-gen consoles. There's no HDMI 2.1 support, so if your TV can do 120Hz or VRR, you won't be taking advantage of it. There's no Dolby Atmos either – a bit of a letdown when you consider the Switch 2 does support spatial audio in handheld mode. That said, DLSS is doing some noticeable work when docked, especially with backwards-compatible games. Titles that looked soft on the original Switch, such as Super Mario Odyssey, now get surprisingly close to 4K. Handheld mode is where the Switch 2 really flexes. The bigger 1080p LCD screen might not be as rich or inky as the OLED panel on the Switch OLED, but it's sharp, bright, and looks brilliant in motion, especially at 120Hz. I'm a bit disappointed that there's no streaming support for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and the YouTube app isn't compatible (at launch, anyway). I think this is one thing that'll stop it from competing with Microsoft and Sony. It has the games and the fans, but it doesn't have the full entertainment platform to match its rivals. Jake: I'm also traditionally a console gamer, so my preferred way to play is curled up on the sofa, using the Switch 2 in docked mode – and it's in the display and performance where the upgrade really comes to the fore. When docked, the console can run at 4K resolution at up to 60fps, and the games I've played so far look incredible. HDR makes a noticeable difference here, too, adding more depth and richness to the image. That said, handheld mode has seriously impressed me. The 8in display runs at 1080p with support for 120fps, and the bigger screen makes a huge impact. It's sharp, fluid, and feels much more modern than what we had before. The backwards-compatible games I've tested that haven't had any updates seem to benefit. They load faster, run more smoothly and generally look better. As someone with a mountainous Nintendo back catalogue, the Switch 2 feels like the best way to revisit it all in glorious 120fps. Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons Jake: The new Joy-Con controllers are bigger, and that's an incredibly welcome change. They feel more comfortable to hold, especially in longer sessions. One slight disappointment is that the wrist strap attachments no longer include the shoulder buttons like the original Switch, which made the controllers feel a bit more protected and functional when used horizontally. The Joy-Cons themselves feel familiar if you've used the original ones, just with a couple of key upgrades. The rumble has been improved (HD Rumble 2 is noticeably more precise), and the big new feature is the addition of mouse-style motion controls. I first tried these at Nintendo's preview event back in April, and they felt fun and intuitive in the right context. I gave them another go while playing Cyberpunk 2077, but to be honest, it wasn't really for me. As a console-first player, I naturally gravitated to the new Pro controller, which Nintendo kindly sent me to test. It's very similar to the last-gen one but includes a C button, HD Rumble 2, and now an aux port, which is great if you want to plug in wired headphones or a mic. Alex: One thing I keep doing – out of sheer muscle memory – is sliding the Joy-Cons on the old way. You don't need to anymore. The new magnetic attachment system means they just snap into place with a satisfying click, and it's so much easier than the old rail system. I didn't realise how awkward the original design was until I stopped using it. I'd also add that the HD Rumble 2 is absolutely fantastic – the vibrations are sharper and more detailed. It's frightening when you get shocked by lightning or blue-shelled in Mario Kart World. The Joy-Cons feel great overall, though I do find they're maybe a bit too big for my hands. It's not uncomfortable, just something I've noticed over longer sessions. The new dedicated GameChat button is a nice touch too, letting you quickly mute or jump into a chat during online games, something Nintendo's never really tackled before. However, the mouse controls are finicky and a little inaccurate. I think it's a nice feature to have, but I'll need to try it out with more compatible games. Right now, I don't think I'll be using it very often. It's worth flagging that older Joy-Cons don't work on the Switch 2, though the older Pro controller does work with the new system. While the new design feels sturdier, there's no official word yet on whether Nintendo has finally fixed the Joy-Con drift issue. Fingers crossed, but we'll have to wait and see. Nintendo Switch 2 features Alex: One of the biggest new features on the Switch 2 is GameChat – Nintendo's attempt at building social features directly into the console, so you can say goodbye to Discord calls. It's baked into the UI and works incredibly well. I tested this with another group of reporters, and I could jump into a group call from anywhere – whether I was mid-game or was just on the home screen, even if we were all playing different games. The new GameChat button on the Joy-Con and Pro controller made it easy to open up the menu, mute myself, turn on or off the camera or share my screen. I think it'll be a big deal for competitive gamers. The built-in mic is genuinely really good. It picks up my voice clearly from across the room and filters out background noise well enough that I didn't feel the need to grab a headset. It's not quite Discord-level quality, but it's really impressive. Then there's the new plug-in 1080p camera. Right now, there's not a huge amount you can do with it – it's mostly used for showing your mates' faces on screen while you play. When you're racing against your friends in Mario Kart World, their little face pops up above their kart in real-time. It's a bit uncanny and very Nintendo. What I did like was that, even when I was playing solo but plugged into a GameChat session, I could still see faces below the game screen, making it feel less lonely. The camera's not the best quality, but it's decent enough. There's definitely room for Nintendo to build on this. AR minigames are the big one – and the company's already hinted at this for Super Mario Party Jamboree. I've also seen some reports that third-party cameras work too, so you could get a higher-res one (and it might be cheaper, too). Another addition is GameShare, which lets someone else play your game locally, even if they don't own it. I've not been able to test this one yet, but it's a nice way to share games without splashing out on a second copy. It's a feature that was on the old Nintendo DS – I remember playing Super Mario Bros. with friends who didn't have a copy. Jake: GameChat is a great addition – and not just because it lets you see people's faces mid-race. What stood out to me was how much more social it made everything feel. When we played a Knockout Tour with three other reporters (including Alex), it was hilarious to watch everyone's reactions in real-time when the inevitable Mario Kart item chaos hit. I'm sure there was a collective groan when I crossed the line in first and celebrated with a smug fist bump – sorry, Alex. I'm especially excited to see how this plays out in Super Mario Party Jamboree TV Switch 2 Edition – the minigames are chaotic enough already, and seeing everyone's faces as it unfolds will only add to the fun. Nintendo Switch 2 games Jake: Now on to the most important part – games. A console is nothing without them. Aside from Mario Kart World (which I'll leave to Alex, as he's spent more time with it), the first-party launch line-up includes Nintendo Switch Welcome Tour. I'm firmly in the camp that if Astro's Playroom was free on the PS5, then Welcome Tour should be too. It's fine for what it is – a quick way to show off the new console features – but it's unremarkable. More exciting are the Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, both of which look and run so much better than on the original console. Watching comparison footage is one thing, but experiencing it firsthand is another. Cyberpunk 2077 has been dubbed a 'miracle port' by some tech experts, and while CD Projekt Red downplayed how tough it was to get it running, it's still impressive, especially in handheld. From what I've seen, the game has stayed within the advertised performance limits, and – hot take, maybe – keeping motion blur on actually helps here. It adds to the cinematic look and smooths things out in a way that feels necessary. If a demanding title like this can run well on Switch 2, it could open the floodgates for more ambitious third-party games down the line. It's also great to see other titles like Split Fiction available at launch. While there are a few backwards compatibility quirks floating around, the vast majority of older games seem to run without issue, and I haven't encountered any problems myself. Alex: I'm more into my first-party Switch titles, so I've stuck to Mario Kart World, but I've also played Survival Kids – one of the new Switch 2 launch titles. I'm conflicted. Visually, Mario Kart World is one of the best-looking Nintendo games I've ever played. The art direction is stunning, and it really shines on the Switch 2's brighter screen. But the whole open world just feels... lonely? Soulless? You drive long straight stretches between tracks in Grand Prix mode, often through massive, empty spaces, just holding accelerate and praying for a coin. The intermissions between tracks feel more like corridors than actual racing, and I don't feel like the 24-person races add anything because of the vastness of the tracks. Worse still, most Grand Prix races only give you one lap on a proper circuit. I don't mind Nintendo trying something new, but I just wish there was an option for classic three-lap Grand Prix races (which I guess is just VS mode). Maybe it's just me being too used to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but everything here feels a bit too spread out. I needed a palate cleanser after the colourful, attention-grabbing Mario Kart World, so I gave Survival Kids a go. You and up to three friends are shipwrecked on an island, and the goal is to survive by chopping wood, cooking food, building tools and gliding over ravines with makeshift umbrellas. There's no real peril, it's just a nice, slow and gentle. Nintendo Switch 2 battery life Alex: Nintendo says the Switch 2 should last between two and six-and-a-half hours on a full charge, depending on what you're doing. I found that I got closer to the lower end of that spectrum while playing Mario Kart World and using GameChat. It'll probably last longer if you're not playing a CPU-intensive game and running GameChat at the same time, but at least it's easier to charge while gaming now. Jake: I got around two-and-a-half hours out of it while playing Mario Kart World with a few game downloads running in the background. You're not always going to be downloading while gaming, of course, but it's probably smart to top up before long sessions. Also, a small but welcome new feature is the option to cap charging at 90 per cent to help preserve battery health long-term. The console is physically bigger than the original, which makes it slightly less portable, but not to the point where I'd leave it behind.
