Latest news with #Joy-Con2s
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I took my Nintendo Switch 2 on a trip for the first time — here's 3 things I loved and 2 I didn't
Last month, I reviewed the Nintendo Switch 2 for Tom's Guide. Overall, I love the hybrid console, as my enthusiastic write-up proves. And while I did everything I could to replicate various conditions in my testing, there are some real-world scenarios you can't mimic from your home base, such as taking the Switch 2 on an aeroplane, or whipping it out in a bustling hotel lobby. I've just returned from my first trip with the Switch 2 in tow, and have come away once again seriously impressed with Nintendo's next-gen handheld/home console. However, the experience of going abroad with the Switch 2 has also further highlighted some of its frustrating flaws. So, here's my first experience taking Nintendo Switch 2 on a trip, the good and the bad. The Switch 2 is bigger in every way than its predecessor. The larger 7.9-inch display takes all the attention, but the LCD screen is wrapped in an equally beefier plastic shell, and frankly, I love the larger size. As a Steam Deck OLED convert since last winter, I'm now used to larger handhelds, and by the end of the generation, the Switch 1 was feeling uncomfortably small in my palms. So, when playing the Nintendo Switch 2 for longer periods, such as on a four-hour flight, my fingers were thanking the designer for the larger Joy-Con 2 controllers and overall size. I still prefer playing with a Nintendo Pro controller, but at least now the Joy-Con 2s don't feel entirely designed with small, child-sized hands in mind. Oh, and the magnetic connectors are still fantastic. It's a huge upgrade over the old railing system, and a breeze to snap on and off. Speaking of detaching the Joy-Con 2s, the Switch family of systems continues to offer a feature that few handhelds can replicate: Tabletop Mode. Even if the Nintendo Switch 2 is significantly more comfortable to hold in handheld mode compared to its predecessor, you can take your play experience up a level via Tabletop Mode, letting you prop up the main console unit via the built-in kickstand and give your arms a proper rest. As somebody who never upgraded to a Nintendo Switch OLED (I stuck with my launch unit till the end), which had an improved flexible kickstand already, I've found the Switch 2's adjustable stand a real revelation. And tabletop mode also proved very useful for playing two-player Mario Kart World on a flight. I've seen more than a few grumbles about the library of available software on Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. You don't have to search social media far to find people arguing, 'Switch 2 has no games,' but I just don't believe this mocking statement matches up with reality. Yes, I will concede the Switch 2 is lacking in exclusive software, with only Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour offering experiences you can't get anywhere else, but the roster of third-party ports and excellent upgrades to must-play Switch 1 games is nevertheless very healthy at this early stage. I had a great time on my trip chipping away at my latest playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has completely hooked me all over again after leaving it mostly untouched after wrapping up my original run back in the spring of 2017. Plus, Mario Kart World, for all my issues with its focus on rally races over traditional three-lap courses, is still the perfect pick-up-and-play title, and I enjoyed a quick race or two while waiting for my gate number to be called. There's just no sugarcoating this one, the Nintendo Switch 2 battery life sucks. I had a four and a half hour flight as part of this trip, and was reaching for a power pack before we were even halfway to our landing destination. The battery life is so underwhelming that traveling with a portable charger or having access to in-flight charging is practically a necessity if you want to take the Switch 2 to 30,000 feet. Anything beyond a quick domestic journey, and the Switch 2 isn't going to touch down with any juice left. I noted the poor battery life as an issue in my Switch 2 review, but the problem really comes into focus when you're traveling and can't always easily connect to a reliable power supply. Having also taken my Steam Deck OLED on various trips in recent months, I felt the Switch 2 did not stack up well in the battery life department. And if the Switch 2 gets a mid-gen refresh, the battery life needs to be boosted. Okay, so technically this is an issue I encountered prior to my trip, specifically the night before, as I was installing games to play on my vacation, but I just do not quite understand what the deal is with Switch 2 download speeds. Naturally, I have my Nintendo Switch 2 hooked up to the same Wi-Fi connection as the rest of the gaming consoles (and tech devices) in my house. While on PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X, I'm able to download 50GB in about 30 minutes, my Switch 2 needs several hours to download a quarter of that. Heck, the evening before my trip, I went to download a new update for Hitman: World of Assassination, and while it was a ludicrously huge 112GB update, my Switch 2 informed me that it would take more than 130 hours to complete. That's less than a gigabyte downloaded per hour! A quick search tells me I'm far from the only one experiencing this issue, and while various user fixes are currently floating around, none have entirely resolved the seriously slow download speeds for me. I'm just hoping this is a patchable problem and not something faulty within the hardware itself.
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2s may not be as boring to look at as we'd feared
(Image credit: Nintendo) According to a newly spotted third-party accessory listing, the Nintendo Switch 2 might have some fun ways to customize the consoles. A store listing on AliExpress shows removable side panels on the Joy-Con 2 controllers, allowing you to replace them with different colors. It was spotted by Bluesky user Stealth40k (via Nintendo Life), who posts regularly about Nintendo. In an image from the listing, you can see the panels removed, showing notches where new colors or designs could be plugged in. You may like (Image credit: AliExpress) The AliExpress listing calls them "decorative strips" and currently offers the strips in blue or red for about $4, fairly cheap for a couple of bits of plastic. To be clear, this is one listing on a dropshipping outlet. Nintendo has not officially said anything about controller customization. If anything, this might be something that Nintendo never does with its Joy-Con 2s. The original Joy-Cons for the Nintendo Switch were only really customizable in that you could buy various colors or via custom consoles like the Hyrule ones. You could buy some covers for the Joy-Cons, but they tended to be cumbersome. That said, if Nintendo views this as an opportunity, you can be sure there will be official clip-on panels. If not, messing with the controllers may not be a great idea. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Based on what we've seen from of the new Joy-Con 2s, it looks like you can pry the panels off with a screw driver, but that might be a repairability feature. Perhaps exercise some caution before spending your four bucks. More from Tom's Guide
Metro
06-05-2025
- Metro
Nintendo Switch 2 controllers get unofficial customisation for less than £2
Expect to see accessory companies offer different coloured strips for your Switch 2 controllers, even though there are no official ones from Nintendo. Although accessory manufacturers no longer need to worry about accidentally leaking information about the Nintendo Switch 2 (something Genki is now in trouble for), one new detail about the console's controllers has recently been discovered thanks to new accessories. While Nintendo showed off the Switch 2's Joy-Con 2 controllers during last month's Nintendo Direct, one thing the company didn't mention is that the side panels can be removed. This was confirmed by retailer AliExpress, which is already selling coloured panels for you to stick onto your Joy-Con 2s, once your console arrives. Unlike the Joy-Cons for the original Switch, the Joy-Con 2s are pure black, though they have light blue and orange highlights on the left and right , respectively, and where the controllers attach to the console. A listing for decorative strips on AliExpress shows that while you can't detach the whole cover, the side panels can be swapped out to give the controllers a bit more colour. In this case, AliExpress is simply offering light blue and orange strips to match the Switch 2's colour scheme, but demonstrations of how they look when attached can be easily mistaken for official Nintendo images. The strips are also incredibly cheap, costing only £1.72, but at the time of writing they're discounted to £1.33. This will no doubt open the door for other accessory manufacturers to offer more alternative colours for the controllers. It wouldn't be surprising if Nintendo released different coloured versions of the controllers later into the Switch 2's lifetime, but why would anyone pay full price for new controllers when these strips are much cheaper? That said, there's no way to change the colouring around the controllers' joysticks, or the inside of the Switch 2 itself, so anything other than light blue and orange risks looking incredibly jarring. Plus, you probably shouldn't expect Nintendo to offer its own official coloured or patterned strips since AliExpress' strips come with a special tool for taking the Joy-Con 2 panels off. More Trending This suggests Nintendo didn't design the panels to be removable in the first place, as opposed to the PlayStation 5 faceplates which can be taken off and exchanged for different ones. If this is the case, it's possible tampering with the panels could void your warranty on the controllers and give Nintendo justification for not offering repairs should they break. Hopefully, the Joy-Con 2s won't be as susceptible to drifting issues as the original Joy-Cons are. It became such a problem that Nintendo was forced to offer free repairs, but it's probably not worth risking any trouble for the sake of a £2 side panel. It was believed the Joy-Con 2s would avoid drift entirely with Hall Effect joysticks, but Nintendo admitted that technology won't be used. While the company insists the controllers are greatly improved, drift is still theoretically possible – as it is with most controllers for other consoles too. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Nintendo reveals reason for Switch 2 summer launch and it sounds a bit weird MORE: Massive Nintendo Switch update prepares console for Switch 2 but not everyone's happy MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 small print causes confusion over upgrades and game-key cards
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nintendo to delay Switch 2 console preorders as Trump tariffs take hold
Nintendo (NTDOY) on Friday announced it will delay preorders of its upcoming Switch 2 console, as it determines how to deal with President Trumps tariffs. The news comes just days after Nintendo debuted the Switch 2 during a press event on Wednesday. The console, which goes on sale June 6 for $449, was set to be available for preorder starting April 9. But the company, which has manufacturing bases in China and Vietnam, is now facing double-digit tariff increases. Under Trump's plan, Chinese made products imported into the US now face a 54% duty, while those made in Vietnam face a 46% tax. With the Switch's $449 price tag, up from the original Switch's $299 price already drawing attention from gamers, any additional price increase could hurt sales in the US. While preorders are delayed, Nintendo says it will still begin selling the Switch 2 as planned on June 5. The system is one of two major releases this year, along with Take-Two Interactive's "Grand Theft Auto 6," that should help buoy the video game industry, which has dealt with stagnant growth following pandemic-era highs. The company is kicking things off with a slew of new games, including "Mario Kart World," "Elden Ring," Hogwarts Legacy," "Donkey Kong Bananza," "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4," and more. Nintendo has carried over a number of the same concepts from the original Switch to the Switch 2, though it's also clearly learned from the past. The new hybrid console gets a larger, improved 7.9-inch 1080p display. That's a large step up from the original Switch's 6.2-inch panel. Nintendo has also upgraded the screen's refresh rate, which now tops out at 120 frames per second. The higher a display's frame rate, the smoother a game's performance. The Switch 2's dock also gets improvements, including 4K and HDR video support. Like the Switch, the Switch 2 includes detachable controls, the aptly named Joy-Con 2s. Nintendo says the Joy-Con 2s, which can each serve as individual controllers, now connect to the Switch magnetically and can be used as mice in compatible games. Nintendo has also implemented a new chat feature that lets you communicate with friends and family while playing games. According to the company, a microphone built into the Switch 2 will pick up your voice from across a room, drowning out background noise. The company is also launching its Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, which allows you to stream video of yourself while playing games, similar to game streaming services like Amazon's Twitch. Nintendo, however, is playing it safe, including parental controls that allow you to keep younger players from streaming. What's more, Nintendo is making it easier to play games with your friends in the same room with what it calls GameShare. The feature will let you digitally share compatible games with up to three other consoles. If you wanted to play games with someone on the original Switch, you would have to do it on your TV or in handheld mode. But you couldn't play across your own individual Switches. GameShare changes that. Nintendo's original Switch, which debuted in 2017, is its most popular home console. As of December, the company sold some 150 million units and 1.3 billion games for the system. That's helped propel Nintendo shares 76% over the last five years and 27% throughout the last 12 months. But following up such a successful console is a fraught task. Nintendo has had problems repeating success from one console generation to another in the past. While the company sold 101 million Wii consoles, it only managed to sell 13 million units of its successor, the Wii U. And while the Nintendo DS was a massive hit, with Nintendo selling 154 million units, it only sold 75 million 3DS handhelds. The Switch 2 also comes four years after Sony (SONY) and Microsoft (MSFT) launched their latest generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Still, Nintendo is a brand unto itself and doesn't necessarily compete for Sony's or Microsoft's audience exclusively. However, Nintendo also faces potential tariffs that could eat into margins or force it to increase prices for customers. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter, however, says Nintendo's supply chain should be flexible enough to weather the worst of any tariffs. "Nintendo assembles in both China and Vietnam, and they're capable of shifting it to Vietnam," he explained. Expect the Switch 2 to be among the must-have gifts this holiday season. Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@ Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nintendo to launch Switch 2 on June 5 for $449, hoping to recapture success of the original
Nintendo (NTDOY) on Wednesday announced it will release its highly anticipated Switch 2 console on June 6 for $449. The system is one of two major releases this year, including Take-Two Interactive's "Grand Theft Auto 6," that should help buoy the video game industry, which has dealt with stagnant growth following pandemic era highs. The company is kicking things off with a slew of new games including "Mario Kart World," "Elden Ring," Hogwart's Legacy," "Donkey Kong Bananza," "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4," and more. Nintendo has carried over a number of the same concepts from the original Switch to the Switch 2, though, it's also clearly learned from the past. The new hybrid console gets a larger, improved 7.9-inch 1080p display. That's a large step up from the original Switch's 6.2-inch panel. Nintendo has also upgraded the screen's refresh rate, which now tops out at 120 frames per second. The higher a display's frame rate, the smoother a game's performance. The Switch 2's dock also gets improvements, including 4K and HDR video support. Like the Switch, the Switch 2 includes detachable controls, the aptly named Joy-Con 2s. Nintendo says the Joy-Con 2s, which can each serve as individual controllers, now connect to the Switch magnetically and can be used as mice in compatible games. Nintendo has also implemented a new chat feature that lets you communicate with friends and family while playing games. According to the company, a microphone built into the Switch 2 will pick up your voice from across a room, drowining out background noise. The company is also launching its Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, which allows you to stream video of yourself while playing games similar to game streaming services like Amazon's Twitch. Nintendo, however, is playing it safe, including parental controls that allow you to keep younger players from streaming. What's more, Nintendo is making it easier to play games with your friends in the same room with what it calls GameShare. The feature will let you digitally share compatible games with across up to three other consoles. If you wanted to play games with someone on the original Switch, you would have to do it on your TV or in handheld mode. But you couldn't play across your own individual Switches, GameShare changes that. Nintendo's original Switch, which debuted in 2017, is its most popular home console. As of December, the company sold some 150 million units and 1.3 billion games for the system. That's helped propel Nintendo shares some 76% over the last 5 years and 27% throughout the last 12 months. But following up such a successful console is a fraught task. Nintendo has had problems repeating success from one console generation to another in the past. While the company sold 101 million Wii consoles, it only managed to sell 13 million units of its successor, the Wii U. And While the Nintendo DS was a massive hit, with Nintendo selling 154 million units, it only sold 75 million 3DS handhelds. The Switch 2 also comes four years after Sony (SONY) and Microsoft (MSFT) launched their latest generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Still, Nintendo is a brand onto itself and doesn't necessarily compete for Sony or Microsoft's audience exclusively. But, Nintendo also faces potential tariffs that could eat into margins or force it to increase prices for customers. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter, however, says Nintendo's supply chain should be flexible enough to whether the worst of any tariffs. "Nintendo assembles in both China and Vietnam, and they're capable of shifting it to Vietnam," he explained. Expect the Switch 2 to be among the must-have gifts this holiday season. Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@ Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. Sign in to access your portfolio
