Didn't Get Invited to the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience? Join the Waitlist Here
Did you receive a rejection email for the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience? Fortunately, there's still a way to check out the event and get a chance to play the Switch 2.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Experience is a worldwide tour for the new console starting in April. It's a free event, but getting a ticket required a bit of luck. Fortunately, Nintendo is opening up a waitlist for those who still want to attend.
Here's what we know about the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience.
The first tour stop is in New York City, April 4-6. It'll take place at Center415 at 417 5th Ave.
The tour heads to Los Angeles April 11-13, in Television City at 7800 Beverly Blvd. Then it goes to Dallas on April 25-27, at the Embarcadero Building at Fair Park located at 1229 Admiral Nimitz Dr.
The tour is worldwide and will stop at the following cities:
Toronto, April 25-27
Paris, April 4-6
London, April 11-13
Milan, April 25-27
Berlin, April 25-27
Madrid, May 9-11
Amsterdam, May 9-11
Melbourne, May 10-11
Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27
Seoul, May 31 to June 1
Hong Kong and Taipei, TBA
Registration is already closed, and Nintendo sent emails to those who were or weren't picked to attend the event.
According to the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience page, waitlists will be available starting on Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET. Spots on the waitlists are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Like with registration, a free Nintendo account is required.
Also read: Switch 2 Looks a Lot Like the Original Nintendo Switch... and That's a Good Thing
We don't know the details yet. The likely scenario is that people with tickets will be able to try out the Switch 2 for an undisclosed amount of time, with different games available to play.
Nintendo hasn't provided details on when the Switch 2 will officially be available, or the price.
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CNET
an hour ago
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The Verge
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Tom's Guide
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One of the main reasons I eventually stopped playing the original Switch was because of its disappointing gaming performance. I regularly play games at 60 frames per second or much higher, so being forced to play at 30 fps wasn't fun. Thankfully, the Switch 2 games I've played so far run like a dream. The system features a custom Nvidia chip that has the company's DLSS upscaling technology. Though Nintendo hasn't disclosed this chip's core count or what generation it belongs to, it's powerful enough to run graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Street Fighter 6 without the system exploding. Generally speaking, the Switch 2 has power comparable to a PS4 or Xbox One. In docked mode, the Switch 2 can hit up to 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution at 60 frames per second. It also supports 120 fps when 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 resolutions are selected. The system supports HDR10 and a 1920x1080 resolution in tabletop mode and handheld mode. Original Switch games look atrocious on my 55-inch 4K OLED TV, but it's a different story with Switch 2. Sure, games like Yakuza 0 and Cyberpunk 2077 look a tad fuzzier compared to their PS5 counterparts since they're being upscaled from 1080p instead of 1800p, but they're not a complete eyesore. Switch 2-enhanced games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also look phenomenal, which is something I can't say about the original Switch 1 version of that title. For the best performance and resolution, docked mode is the best way to go. But whether it's docked or in your hands, games look and run fantastically on Nintendo's new system. Nintendo is late to the party when it comes to basic game chat features that the PS5 and Xbox Series X have had since 2020. But I won't give Nintendo too much grief about this since it's better to get a feature late than not at all. And for what it offers, the company's GameChat is pretty darn good. As its name suggests, GameChat lets you talk with friends while playing games. This feature enables voice chat, screen sharing, and even video chat via a compatible USB camera. You can have up to 12 players in a voice chat session, and up to four can share their screens or participate in video calls. I used the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera for GameChat, and this peripheral works nicely for the feature. Within GameChat's options, you can choose between showing everything the camera captures or just your head. It does the latter with reasonably accurate face tracking. If there are multiple people in the room with you, it'll track everyone's face, which can be beneficial for local multiplayer sessions. For your background, you can show what's on your game screen, which is good if you're playing a different game than others in the chat. I don't like that the game's fps is sub-30, but your in-camera frames per second does at least stay at a steady 30. The only drawback for GameChat is that it's locked behind a Nintendo Switch Online account. However, being subscribed gives you access to game libraries from the NES and SNES for the standard tier ($19 per year) and GameCube and Sega Genesis for the Expansion Pack ($49 per year). I probably won't use GameChat all that often, but having access to classics like Super Mario World and Killer Instinct will keep me subscribing. GameChat can basically be a nice bonus. I'm not too concerned about the Switch 2's battery life since I almost exclusively play in docked mode. However, if you mostly play in handheld or tabletop mode, you're going to be disappointed with the Switch 2's battery life. We couldn't perform our standard battery life test on the Switch 2. Because of that, the testing we performed is purely anecdotal and our results might differ from what you experience. That said, many of us at Tom's Guide have the system and we're all seeing relatively similar results. On average, the Switch 2 lasts about 2.5 hours when playing demanding games. That's far less than the 5 hours of play time we got on the Switch OLED, but a little better than the 2 hours I got from the Steam Deck OLED. Given the Switch 2's short battery life, I suggest bringing your Switch 2's AC adapter if you're on the road. Mario Kart World is a bona fide system seller since it packs so much content. It's a good thing that this game can potentially keep you occupied for months because right now, it's one of two true Switch 2 exclusives. For the most part, Switch 2 launch games consist of third-party games like some of the ones I mentioned above. That's not necessarily bad, but when you consider many of these titles have been available for years on other platforms and might be cheaper, these games might not be must-haves. There are some enhanced first-party games, such as Switch 2 editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. These games look and run better than ever, but you might not want to replay them if you're looking for brand-new experiences. The Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza arrives on July 17, and Metroid Prime 4 will surely be the best on the new system when it launches later this year. But for the moment, you might want to wait on buying the new system until Switch 2 has a more robust library of exclusives. The last reason you might want to skip the Nintendo Switch 2 is because of its asking price. Right now, the Switch 2 costs $449 for the base system or $499 for the Mario Kart World bundle. That's not exactly cheap, especially when you consider that the entry-level Steam Deck costs $399 and has access to a wider library of games. And as I said, there aren't many Switch 2 exclusives available at the moment. While the Switch 2's cost is arguably justifiable since it's the only system that can (legally) play first-party Nintendo games, its asking price is hard to swallow. The Nintendo Switch 2 isn't revolutionary, but it's a welcome upgrade over its predecessor. Whether in docked or handheld mode, it delivers rock-solid gaming performance for both first- and third-party games. It's an impressive piece of tech that's worth considering. As great as Switch 2 is, though, its upgrades might not be compelling for all current Switch users. The system is also rather expensive, especially when compared to an entry-level Steam Deck. Because of that, you might want to hold off on buying one for now.
