I spent an entire weekend playing the Nintendo Switch 2 — these 5 features really stand out
I've been eagerly waiting to try the Nintendo Switch 2, and after spending an entire weekend with it, I'm genuinely impressed by what Nintendo has accomplished. While some critics argue the company played things too safe with this upgrade, my experience suggests there's more here than meets the eye.
The improvements might not seem revolutionary on paper, but they add up to something that feels significantly better to actually use. The visual upgrades are striking, the controllers feel more solid, and some requested features have made their debut.
These five features stood out most during my weekend with the console, showing why the Switch 2 feels like a meaningful step forward, even if it doesn't completely reinvent the game.
The visual improvements are striking once you see them in action. Docked games can hit 4K resolution, while handheld mode runs at 1080p — a noticeable step up from the original's 720p screen that honestly feels pretty dated now.
The higher frame rates really stood out to me, too. Games now run at 120 frames per second in both modes, making everything feel noticeably smoother and more responsive. It's really obvious when you're playing fast-paced titles where quick movements matter. There's also a HDR feature.
Mario Kart feels transformed on this hardware. Track details that were muddy or washed out on the original now have real depth and clarity, and the improved visuals more immersive than I remember.
Nintendo seems to have fixed the original Joy-Con's biggest problem: those wobbly connections that made you constantly worry about drift and disconnection.
To attach your Joy-Cons, simply hold them close and the magnet locks them in place with a satisfying click that tells you they're secure.
I used to get hand cramps after about an hour of playing in handheld mode on the original Switch. Those tiny controllers just weren't designed for adult hands. The new Joy-Cons are noticeably bigger and feel much more substantial in your grip.
Each controller can even be used as a mouse in compatible games, which opens up some interesting possibilities for strategy titles and indie games that were awkward to control before.
Long gone are the days of simultaneously FaceTiming and playing Mario Party, or using the Nintendo Switch online app during multiplayer gaming sessions. GameChat is Nintendo's new voice communication feature, accessed through the "C" button on the controllers.
Once you've pressed C, the Game Chat menu will be opened and you'll be able to initiate voice or video chats with your friends — as long as they also have a Switch 2.
The system lets you chat with up to 12 people or stream gameplay to friends, using just the console's built-in microphone and TV speakers.
Nintendo has overhauled the notoriously sluggish e-shop experience, and the difference is night and day. Gone are the painful load times and confusing navigation that plagued the original Switch's digital storefront.
Access the new e-shop by pressing the home button and selecting the redesigned store icon.
The difference is immediately noticeable. After years of dealing with the original's sluggish store, browsing the e-shop felt seamless and was actually enjoyable instead of being a test of patience.
GameShare is one of the more interesting new features that lets you share select digital games with friends for cooperative play. Nintendo has confirmed six titles that work with GameShare so far, including Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Party Jamboree.
The feature creates new ways to play together without everyone needing to own the same games, though it's limited to compatible titles and has some built-in restrictions. It's a clever approach that feels distinctly Nintendo in how it prioritizes social gaming.
Now you've learned how to set up parental controls on Nintendo Switch 2, why not take a look at our other useful Switch 2 guides?
We have how to connect Nintendo Switch 2 to your TV or monitor, how to transfer data from Nintendo Switch to Switch 2, and how to set up parental controls on Nintendo Switch 2.
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Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a refinement rather than a reinvention. Is that enough?
Nintendo is in many ways a different company now than it was back in 2017 when it released the Switch. For one, it has sold more than 150 million units of its hybrid TV/on-the-go console, making it the defining game device of the last decade. Nintendo also expanded its universes beyond its game consoles. At long last, 'Super Mario Bros.' became a blockbuster animated film, and there are now three Super Nintendo World theme park properties, including one here in Los Angeles at Universal Studios Hollywood. That makes the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 something of an event, and arguably the most important tech instrument of the year. So, the good news. The pricey Switch 2 is a worthy successor to the original. And unlike the motion-controlled Wii in 2006 or the dual-screen Nintendo DS in 2004, this play-it-somewhat-safe console takes an if-it-ain't-broke philosophy to gaming, continuing Nintendo's legacy rather than redefining it. While it's bigger, stronger, better feeling, higher-res and comes with a couple new tricks, overall it's primarily a refinement of the original Switch's ideas. The first game company to make interactive characters household names — Donkey Kong, Mario, Link, take your pick — Nintendo has become a full-fledged, cross-media storytelling company. And it has done so via a medium that in its most mainstream form is only about four decades old. The Switch 2, officially released June 5 and selling for $449.99, is the vessel for which Nintendo will reveal its play-focused worlds for likely the next decade. The reception from consumers may be inspiring but brings with it a host of questions. The Switch itself is far from obsolete, despite being significantly less powerful than Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox consoles, due largely to its hybrid design. And consumers may be forgiven for wondering why — or when — they should upgrade to a machine that looks, feels and plays similar to the one they currently own, especially when Nintendo is unleashing only one new core game for it this month, the dazzling 'Mario Kart World.' Valid, but I believe those who make the leap will be happy in their investment, even if its lineup of exclusive games is relatively barren for now. There are enough improvements to make the Switch 2 feel fresh. I'm eager, for one, to see how its controllers, the detachable 'Joy-Cons,' evolve, as they now have the ability to act as a mouse. This has already come in handy in the strategy game 'Civilization VII,' a title I waited for the Switch 2 to play and one that can utilize the more precise maneuvers mouse controls provide. First-person shooters should benefit even more. And then there are its chat features, which can be enhanced with an optional Nintendo camera ($54.99). While serious gamers who use services such as Discord may not need a console to facilitate chatting with friends, the Switch 2 makes connecting and conversing safe and easy for the gamer who plays primarily solo. One can can only talk with approved friends, and Nintendo will verify accounts and a phone number to do so. Simply touch a button on the Joy-Con, and the chat feature is enabled. My circle of connections who own a Switch 2 is currently small, so I haven't experimented with these accouterments as much as I would have liked, especially the CameraPlay feature that allows users to overlay their own faces on drivers in the game. Other features will no doubt come in handy during 'Mario Kart World,' saving my friends and I from conversing via text. And they would have been a godsend during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when every Switch owner was eager to share their 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' creations with their pals. All of this says nothing about how good the Switch 2 simply feels. The Joy-Cons now connect magnetically rather than having to lock into place, and while it's perhaps an incremental upgrade, snapping them into the console is one of those tech creations that feels like magic, like the first time one uses a touchscreen. It's slightly larger, and I find a more robust Switch 2 is easier to handle, my arms less likely to grow tired when playing in bed. The screen is 1080p, making just about every old game feel brighter, crisper and less fuzzy, and the Switch 2 has support for 4K TVs. 'Super Mario Odyssey' has never looked so clear, and $9.99 upgrades to 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' and 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' will have you wanting to revisit — or jump back into — each of those titles, as refreshed resolutions and frame rates have us seeing the worlds anew. Battery life, however, might be a challenge. In handheld mode I was able to get about two hours of 'Mario Kart World' before needing to recharge. The console fared better with independent and smaller games. But the real reason to buy a new gaming console is for its next-generation games. Nintendo is counting on 'Mario Kart World' to be enough initially to entice buyers. It's a safe bet, when one considers that 'Mario Kart 8' is one of the bestselling games of all time, having sold more than 67 million copies. Many an original Switch was likely a 'Mario Kart'-focused machine, and though I prefer my plump plumber when he's exploring the Mushroom Kingdom on foot — running, jumping and power-upping his way to rescue his friends — I am not immune to the charms of 'Mario Kart World.' 'Mario Kart 8' was released back in 2014, meaning these cute-but-vicious races are now nostalgia bait for another generation. And 'World' marries some Nintendo weirdness — you can now race as a cow — with its penchant for playful world building. I'm smitten, for instance, with the game's approach to races, which makes driving among the Mushroom Kingdom landscapes as important as it does wacky tracks that encompass everything from Route 66-inspired hokeyness to careening amid giant ice cream palaces. There's now a so-called 'free roam' mode, allowing us to simply drive off course and explore the wonders of the Mushroom Kingdom. Though there could probably be a few more hidden mini-games, I find it relaxing and full of little surprises. Instead of zooming by Yoshi's Cafe, I can now pull up, enjoy some speed-boosting ice cream, admire the animation work and take in the delightfully down-home soundtrack, an orchestral, slightly upbeat and cartoonish approach to classic American big band, jazz and Western stylings. As an insomnia sufferer, I've spent a few recent sleepless nights just roaming around 'Mario Kart World,' driving through empty castles-turned-racetracks. Then there's 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.' This is a $9.99 introduction to what the Switch 2 can do, full of odd little mini games, most of them able to be completed in a minute or two. One shows off the Switch 2's touch screen, having us use the device as a sort of Twister board for our hands. Others use the Joy-Con as a mouse to swing wildly at a golf ball or dodge falling metallic obstacles. Sometimes they're not games at all but rather tech demos designed to show off, say, the rumble vibration effects in the controllers. One simply had me using the Switch 2's backing stand to try and match the degrees for which it was asking me to place the console. 'I've never seen such amazing angling!' it told me after completing the task. Why, thank you. It's cute. I've completed a little more than half of it. It reminds me a bit of mid-'80s PC work 'Little Computer People,' as it turns the Switch 2 into a living, theme park-like mall space full of tiny humans. Though I do recommend springing for it if you buy into the Switch 2, it's ultimately a game-as-tutorial and should have been included with the system, especially since one of its goals is having us better appreciate the tech behind the console. The most common question I've received — understandably so — is if I believe the Switch 2 is 'worth it.' While it's difficult to tell someone to drop close to $500 for a gaming machine and then another $80 for 'Mario Kart World' (you're also probably going to want the $84.99 Pro Controller, as it's a more ergonomically-friendly way to play via the TV), those with the means and in the market for a new gaming console will likely be pleased. Thankfully, your Switch controllers will work with the Switch 2, saving you some financial upgrade headaches, and with 256 GB of internal storage, you likely won't need a memory-expanding microSD Express card right away, although you will need a new case due to the console's bigger size. Blissfully, upgrading from a prior Switch to the Switch 2 is relatively easy. One logs into their Nintendo account, and places the two consoles next to one another while data is transferred. I brought over a handful of games, which took about half a day. Download speeds varied. 'Tears of the Kingdom' was loaded in about 20 minutes, whereas a bigger game such as 'Cyberpunk 2077' took about three hours. Part of buying a new gaming console is the gamble of, betting on new games rolling out over the coming years that will hopefully make the device a worthy investment. Early signs are promising; 'Donkey Kong Bananza' is due July 17. I played the game at a Nintendo media event earlier this year and I'm eager to get my hands on it as it embodies Nintendo's play-as-discovery principles. Our friendly but grumpy banana-crazed ape can essentially power his way through the world, stomping and smashing new pathways to make this a game about exploration as much as it is any challenges. That's long been Nintendo's approach to play and storytelling, and that likely isn't going to change anytime soon. The Switch became the most popular gaming console of the decade by giving us games that became global phenomena, be it 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' or 'Tears of the Kingdom' (I'm most partial to 'Super Mario Odyssey'). And to buy a Switch 2 is to trust the Nintendo design team to continue to deliver. It's early days, but I feel good about that gamble. After all, I have a cow in a kart waiting for me to get back into a race.
Gizmodo
6 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Can't Connect Controllers to Your Switch 2? Here's Why
There's a good reason your original Switch Pro controller won't wake the Switch 2. The Switch 2's Joy-Con 2 is full of extra functionality, from upgraded gyros to the slick mouse mode, but sometimes you just need a more traditional gamepad to play your games. The bigger issue users are experiencing this go-around is connecting all their old devices to the Nintendo's new handheld. Players quickly learned last week their original Pro controllers won't wake the console, and that may be due to Nintendo changing up the connection protocols, leaving third-party devices to fall behind the Switch maker's first-party controller options. While a Switch 2 Pro controller costs $85, third-party devices are often much more affordable. Gizmodo received a bounty of controllers from multiple manufacturers for review, including several devices from 8BitDo and Gulikit specifically to test them on the Switch 2. Since the Switch 2 launch last Thursday, we've found the majority of our devices take extra time and effort to pair with the new console. Connecting them to an original Switch is far more seamless. 8BitDo's controllers in particular simply refuse to communicate with the Switch 2. On Friday, the company released new firmware for its Ultimate and Ultimate 2 controllers alongside the Pro 2 and SN30 controllers, as well as the company's USB Wireless Adapters. If you want to keep using 8BitDo's top-end gamepads, you'll need to download the company's Ultimate or Update Tool software to your Mac or PC and then put the controller into upgrade mode by hitting R1+L1+Start at the same time. Gulikit—the makers of Hall effect joystick replacements and third-party controllers—also released similar firmware patches last week. In an email to Gizmodo, Gulikit reps said that in their tests, the Switch 2 now uses a different communication protocol than the original Switch. This means the console wouldn't be able to pair the same way it had with previous controllers used for the original Switch. We reached out to Nintendo for comment, but we did not immediately hear back. While trying to troubleshoot our connection issues, we found going into System Settings, then to Controllers & Settings and flipping on 'Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Wired Communication' helps connect some wired controllers, though we still can't confirm if that setting also helps you connect with Bluetooth devices. There are still issues connecting some third-party controllers. I still can't pair an 8BitDo Micro controller with the Switch 2, though the company told us that more compatibility updates will be coming in the near future. The Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 and the rest of Nintendo's accessories, down to the revised GameCube controller, all have a 'C' button to connect with GameChat, which may have necessitated a different communication protocol. However, the lack of clarification isn't helping regular users transition to Nintendo's new handheld. Third-party controllers are often cheaper, but a good number of them also sport joysticks that may be more appealing than what comes with Switch 2. The $95 Joy-Con 2s don't include Hall effect sticks, which would help them better avoid the stick drift issues of the original Switch. In its teardown of the Switch 2, iFixit wrote that the new Joy-Con 2 joysticks are still liable to drift issues, though that may depend on how well the border around the sticks can keep out dirt and debris. The repair gurus further suspected the lack of Hall effect may be due to the controller's magnetic attachment points, which would potentially disrupt the Hall effect method to track stick orientation—which relies on magnetic fields. Nintendo has not made a peep about its decision to keep with what is essentially the same control mechanism as the original Switch. Nintendo will replace drifting Joy-Con 2 controllers for free — Nintendeal (@Nintendeal) June 6, 2025 At the very least, if you buy a Switch 2 Joy-Con 2, you can expect Nintendo won't completely leave you hanging. Last week, Nintendeal spotted that Nintendo will offer free replacements for U.S. customers experiencing Joy-Con 2 stick drift or a few other issues. If you're going to spend close to $100 on a pair of controllers, at the very least you should hope you'll be able to use them long into the Switch 2's life cycle.
Tom's Guide
7 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Mario Kart World kicks off the Nintendo Switch 2 era in colorful style — but there are some speed bumps along the way
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2Price: $79 / £66 / AU$119Release Date: June 6, 2025Genre: Racing Mario Kart World is the first major exclusive for the new Nintendo Switch 2. Launching alongside the console, and following up the original Switch's best-selling game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (which shifted some 70m copies), it's pretty much as close to a guaranteed sales success as a video game can be. With that in mind, it would have been easy for Nintendo to rest on its laurels and deliver a game that was merely more Mario Kart. Heck, I reckon most players would have greeted such an experience with gusto. So, kudos to the development team for instead creating the most experimental Mario Kart experience since 2003's Double Dash on Nintendo GameCube. The ninth mainline game in the Mario Kart series adds new features, including a sizeable open world, a new Battle Royale-style mode and a reworked Grand Prix. Plus, it makes some fundamental changes to the on-track experience by adding complex new moves. It's Mario Kart, but not quite as you know it. Unfortunately, while some of these new ideas are novel, they don't all pan out, and the open world in particular is a huge disappointment. Let me explain in my Mario Kart World review why this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title doesn't quite earn the top podium position (though you're going to buy it anyway). You know that seriously worn-out meme where anything even vaguely challenging was compared to uber-tough RPG Dark Souls? Well, I'm bringing it back cause Mario Kart World adds a new difficult edge to the traditionally family-friendly series. And frankly, I love it. This welcome extra element of complexity comes in the form of two new abilities: Rail Grinds and Wall Rides. These moves are fairly self-explanatory, and each gives you new ways of burning some rubber across the game's modest but largely solid selection of 30 tracks (quite the step down from Deluxe's 96). The former isn't too hard to pull off successfully, provided you get enough airtime to make contact with a rail or terrain edge, but the latter is devilishly tricky. Frankly, I've lost more races than I can count just by going for a wallride in the home stretch and completely whiffing my attempt. Often, I've been left lamenting the fact that I would have been better off sticking to flat tarmac. Chaining these moves together can lead to some spectacular racing lines, and the dedicated Mario Kart speedrunning community is already creating some routes that are impossible for us regular players. This extra element of skill is very welcome to the series. The other major change you'll notice in the moment-to-moment racing is that the player count has been expanded from 12 to 24, which makes an already chaotic kart-racer sometimes devolve into sheer bedlam. I've had races where I've been halted by half a dozen items in a row, and the final pacing has seemed based purely on luck rather than any individual ability. It's never exactly fun dropping from 1st down to 24th in a matter of seconds, but these race-altering moments are a staple of the franchise, so you have to laugh along. Mario Kart World's flagship new edition, and the reason for its moniker, is the Free Roam mode. This allows you to zoom around a large, loading screen-free Mushroom Kingdom that contains all the game's courses in a seamless driving experience you can hop into instantly from the main menu. I had hoped it would be Mario Kart crossed with Forza Horizon 5, but the mode is disappointingly half-baked. The open zone is sparsely populated with very few unique points of interest, and criminally little to do beyond merely driving around aimlessly. There are challenges to complete and collectibles to hunt down, but the mission goals are simplistic (most take mere seconds to complete), and without any form of a checklist to properly track your progress, scouring the open world feels remarkably pointless. It doesn't help that your reward for completing a mission is often just a sticker, only good for staring at in a dedicated sub-menu. It's hardly an enticing prize. At best, this mode seems like a fun inclusion for younger players, as it gives them an open space to drive around without inhibition or being bombarded by items. But goal-oriented players will soon feel a sense of boredom, and post-review, it's certainly not a mode I see myself returning to very often. The other big newcomer to Mario Kart World comes in the form of Knockout Tour, a new type of race that takes clear inspiration from the ever-popular Battle Royale genre. In Knockout Tour, 24 racers compete to be crowned the victor as they race to checkpoint gates along a lengthy stretch of road (comprised of areas from the Free Roam mode). At each gate, a handful of racers are eliminated until it's just four players left dashing to the finish line. Playable online and offline, Knockout Tour is sheer Mario Kart madness. A middle pack usually forms where items rain down with such abundance that avoiding hits is literally impossible. However, the mode has also provided some of the most high-stakes Mario Kart racing I've ever experienced. Unlike a traditional race, where you have multiple laps to make up for mistakes, in Knockout Tour, you have to be switched on from the start. Slip up in a major way early on, and that can be your race run as the pack in front of you speed towards the next checkpoint, leaving you in their dust. The times I ranked highly (and even won) were exhilarating enough to have my palms sweating. Racers looking to test their skills will find the undeniable randomness factor that comes into winning pretty off-putting, but if you can thrive in the chaos, it's an unmissable new mode. Unfortunately, in an apparent effort to squeeze the most out of the large map created for the Free Roam mode, the classic Grand Prix offering has been reworked, and not for the better. Rather than three-lap races across a set of four courses, in Mario Kart World, Grand Prix cups ask you to partake in a single traditional race, before dashing to your next course and completing only a single lap once you arrive at your destination. It's a bizarre change. For starters, it means that Grand Prix is no longer a great place to get familiar with courses before taking on your loved ones (or hopping online), and also it means that the majority of your time is spent racing on vast, very straight, open roads rather than winding courses full of shortcuts and divergent paths. The transition between finishing one Grand Prix race and then beginning your drive to the next course isn't seamless. It's separated by a loading screen, which makes the whole endeavor feel worthless. The standard Grand Prix format is sorely missed, but at least you can approximate it with the 'Vs Race' mode. Battle Mode has also been downgraded. There are only two types of battle, Ballon Battle and Coin Runner, compared to five in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and rounds play out on standard courses rather than specially designed arenas. This decision is particularly baffling as it was a common point of criticism in the original Mario Kart 8, released on Nintendo Wii U in 2014. The fan outcry was so extreme that Nintendo reworked Battle Mode for the Deluxe release on Switch in 2017, but has now opted to make the same mistake a second time. I hope we don't have to wait for Mario Kart World Deluxe on Nintendo Switch 3 this time for the mode to be restored to its former glory (again). Whatever issues I have with Mario Kart World's new open-world focus and the reworking of classic offerings, there's one thing that always shines through: How darn gorgeous it looks on Nintendo Switch 2. I recall playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch at launch and thinking Nintendo would never be able to make a prettier Mario Kart game. I was very wrong. The franchise's trademark cartoonish art style has never been more vibrant and easy on the eyes. The developers clearly put a lot of work into the animations as well, with some lovely visual flourishes and each character's personality shining through (Shout out to my boy, Bowser Jr.). I also love the more realistic (well, realistic for Mario Kart) reactions to being blasted by a blue shell or careening your kart into a slippery banana skin. The Switch 2 already has technically more impressive titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy and Hitman World of Assassination, but Mario Kart World is a reminder that nobody does a whimsical art style like Nintendo. Mario Kart World is pretty much the Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, so in some ways, reviewing it is a bit of a pointless endeavor. There's no doubt it's a game that most early adopters will pick up, and I expect it'll remain a best-seller for the console's entire lifespan. Overall, it's another solid effort in Nintendo's enduring kart-racing series, with the fantastic Knockout Tour mode a highlight. However, this Rainbow Road isn't without some bumps. The new Free Roam mode is undercooked, and it's frustrating that it bleeds into franchise staple offerings, making them worse. Ultimately, in those memorable moments of victory when you pip a friend to the finish line thanks to a perfectly timed red shell, you won't be thinking about all the stuff that Mario Kart World doesn't quite nail because you'll be laughing with delight too loudly to care.
