Nintendo Switch 2 — Review

Before 2017, the idea of playing games on a home console that could double as a portable gaming device remained a pipe dream for many, until the reigning king of video games introduced, well, a game-changer (pun intended). Nintendo packed the best of both worlds into the Nintendo Switch, which served as a strong bounce back for the Japanese giant following the commercial failure of its previous Wii U console.

The hybrid 6.2-inch offering, which came with a home docking station, went on to become the third-best-selling console of all time, behind the Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, even as its distinctive red/blue controller design became a household sight. While its first-party titles certainly worked their magic, the extended support for third-party games and lack of region lock also contributed to its overwhelming popularity, prompting two more hardware revisions along the way – the handheld-only Switch Lite in 2019, and an upgraded model with a 7-inch OLED display in 2021. 

Suffice it to say, the arrival of its successor has been hotly anticipated. The Nintendo Switch 2 represents a monumental shift in the industry giant’s strategy, introducing the next technological leap to address the original’s increasingly ageing gameplay experience. But the price to pay for monolithic success is sky-high expectations, and this follow-up system falls short of the mark, bogged down by a difficult-to-justify price tag, especially since it no longer brings the same lustrous novelty as before, and puts itself on a two-steps-forward, one-step-back situation.

The familiarity hits right out of the box, except everything is bigger. As the scaled-up version of the original, the Switch 2 measures 272 x 116 x 13.9mm, and weighs 535 grams with the new Joy-Cons, versus 238 x 102 x 13.9mm and 399 grams on the original, and 241 x 102 x 139mm for the 422-gram OLED iteration. At first glance, the extra screen real estate is immediately prominent and the added heft does little to disrupt its existing streamlined silhouette, as the unit comes with a new kickstand, sleeker buttons, and an all-black aesthetic that lends a refined touch to the hardware. 

In hand, the Nintendo Switch 2 feels luxurious, as the solid chassis shows no hint of flex. Meanwhile, the build quality of the larger Joy-Con controllers is a step up, offering firmer key presses and a more satisfying tactile experience. A welcome tweak sees a second USB port on the unit, opening up the option for users to charge in handheld mode – a godsend for those travelling on long-haul flights – and connect external devices like camera accessories simultaneously, including an official one sold separately from the device. 

Building on its predecessor’s signature slide-and-click mechanics, the Joy-Con controllers are now held together and detached using a new magnetic attachment system. The process works as seamlessly as before – simply press down on the protruding button on the rear, located directly below the shoulder trigger, triggers a crisp-sounding snap. Gone, too, are the concerns of loose controllers, which were a drawback of the original railing system, as these sturdier Joy-Cons won’t budge unless the release lever is pressed.

It’s too early to determine how this overhauled feature will hold up in the long run, but its intuitive and clever design makes the Nintendo Switch 2 feel more cohesive than before. Still, there’s a lingering sense of loss – more than just a pop of colour as the red-and-blue styling gave character to the previous Joy-Cons – as the subtle detailing here robs them of that charm. Based on personal experience with the original model, the rubber rims may also experience wear and tear more quickly than expected, especially in tropical and humid climates like Singapore. 

The other gripe lies in middling ergonomics. While Nintendo’s latest is less bulky than the Steam Deck and most of its portable contemporaries, the placement of the joysticks and directional buttons are no less cramped than before and not using the larger real estate of each controller, causing heavier strain over prolonged use in handheld mode, which is already exacerbated by the increased weight and size. While the bigger, firmer ZL and ZR trigger buttons make things slightly more tolerable in horizontal placement, it’d be good if the straight edge could have a groove for a tighter, more comfortable grip. 

Speaking of grip, users can now rotate each Joy-Con on its flat side (that connects to the display) on a table, and use it as they would a computer mouse, to move a cursor around the screen. It works on most surfaces, from fabric to even the palm, but not glass, extending smooth and easy control over actions like navigating menus, scrolling, and in specific cases, gaming. Using mouse controls in Fortnite at the preferred sensitivity level yielded precise aiming and responsive wrist flicks, as well as fluid on-screen tracking, although the swiping and sideways grip require some getting used to.

The initial experience can feel weird, and it’s only normal with any introduction of a previously unheard of interface feature. In Epic Games’ battle royale shooter, one controller will be face-down while the other remains upright, and each is tied to different functions – the former to rotate the camera, picking up or using items, and switching between weapons, and the latter, primarily for controlling player movement. Get into the swing of it, and the gameplay will start becoming more intuitive and enjoyable, even as game compatibility of this feature is currently limited to 18 other titles, including Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Fortnite, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Donkey Kong Banaza. Call it a gimmick or a quirk (Nintendo needs to maintain its ‘weird uncle’ reputation after all), but there’s little to complain about the execution. 

Porting over from an older-gen Switch proves to be a breezy affair, too. As with data transfer between Apple devices, it involves logging into a Nintendo account and placing both devices within proximity after downloading an update via an Internet connection. In our case, the whole set-up took around 20 minutes, with all save files, settings, and captured content perfectly intact. 

There’s just one caveat to note – instead of using standard microSD cards, owners looking to expand their storage will have to use microSD Express cards. Although the 256GB of internal storage here, which is already an upgrade over the 32GB and 64GB on the base and OLED model on the original console is sufficient to tide things over temporarily, the lack of options on the current market can be inconvenient, especially since microSD Express cards are the newer and pricier of the two. 

In terms of processor, the Switch 2 boasts a custom-built NVIDIA processor featuring eight ARM Cortex A78C CPU cores and a T239 chipset running on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture – the same one used to power the RTX 30-series of graphics cards. The Nintendo Switch 2 promises, and delivers, vast improvements in performance and visuals, including support for ray tracing and noticeably faster loading speeds, whether it’s accessing the Nintendo eStore – a choppy mess on the Switch – or navigating in-game menus. 

More importantly, its backwards-compatible nature means older Switch titles can be enjoyed on this newer, enhanced system. Docked play outputs 4K resolution (3,4820 x 2,160) at 60 frames per second (60 fps) for supported games, as compared to 1080p previously. Dropping the resolution to 2,560 x 1,440 or 1,920 x 1,080 pushes frame rates up to 120 fps, while handheld mode caps out at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and 120 fps (versus 720p at 30 fps on the original). 

In reality, though, the performance gap between the Switch 2 and its predecessor varies from one title to another, even if all of them runs smoothly in both TV and handheld mode. Mario Kart World, released exclusively for the sequel device, delivered an optimised, fluid experience with little to no frame rate dips, whereas both enhanced editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom meant for the Switch 2  kept stutter to a minimum, showcasing game environments and animated cutscenes in sharper detail. Pokémon Scarlet, available as a free update on the Switch 2, is easily the best point of comparison, transforming the notoriously laggy Casseroya Lake into a pleasant free-roaming experience and bringing a velvety quality to Koraidon’s movements. 

As for third-party games, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Bayonetta 2, and Fire Emblem Warriors all registered an impressive uptick in performance. Where the heavy particle effects would send the Switch into a sluggish state, the fighting action now flows a lot more seamlessly, which is important for the fast-paced gameplay such titles demand. Conversely, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim isn’t quite as impressive, with flat textures, murky detail, and stilted movement showing its age. 

Here’s where the inconsistencies of backwards-compatible optimisations come into sharp focus, amplified on the larger TV display. When docked, the artefacts and jagged edges in Marvel Ultimate 3 are more prominent to the eye, and it’s harder to ignore visual imperfections like motion blur in Pokémon Scarlet. Handheld mode remedies (not solves, because its bigger-than-the-first display leaves it susceptible to similar issues) the situation, although Switch OLED owners should lower their expectations for visual enjoyment. 

In an unexpected and bizarre back-pedal, the Switch 2 has opted for a wide colour gamut LCD panel, so expect duller colours, lower brightness, and weaker contrast levels than its higher-grade OLED predecessor. Users who prefer docked play will be less affected by the downgrade, but the disappointment is justified, especially since Nintendo has already set a precedent with an OLED option. It’s not that the display is bad by any stretch, mind you, as it’s more than decent on its own, delivering a snappy and immersive experience. 

No matter the mode, the next-gen offering tends to run hot. Diving back into Hyrule for a mere 10 to 15 minutes, peppered with the occasional battles, was enough to push our review unit beyond lukewarm standards, and Fortnite’s constant firefights called for the need to cool down after a few rounds. Fortunately, the heat doesn’t throttle performance, and the welcome handling is undermined by a subpar battery life that leaves much to be desired. 

Compared to the original’s 4,310mAh battery capacity, the Switch 2 marks an improvement with a 5,220mAh one, though its duration takes a hit. A 40-minute Pokémon Scarlet romp drained around 25 percent of the battery bar (in comparison, the official website puts 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on a single charge), with third-party titles seemingly consuming more juice at a quicker pace. In a separate test, Mario Kart World registered an almost 40 per cent dip after three rounds of Grand Prix races, totalling up to 16 races for two players.  

Also new to the device is a nifty lending system that makes it easier to share and access titles between consoles. Designed to function similarly to physical ones, Virtual Cards are created automatically with every digital purchase from the Nintendo eShop, and can be loaned out to members of the same Nintendo Switch Family account one at a time for up to two weeks. Personally, though, physical cards are still the way to go, and here, a bright red design has replaced the original black cartridge. 

GameChat is another Switch 2-exclusive feature, accessed through the ‘C’ button on the right Joy-Con and enabling users to chat with up to 11 others, share their screen, or activate a video call with a compatible camera accessory. While there wasn’t any opportunity to test it out, the setup process was quick and easy to follow. On the flip side, the official launch of the free Nintendo Switch app means users in Singapore can now get the most out of experiences that are linked to it, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, with the fuss-free setup serving as a sweet bonus. 

Alas, the biggest bone of contention is price. The Nintendo Switch 2 costs a whopping S$719, nearly twice the base price of the OLED model (S$369), or S$769 for the Mario Kart World Bundle, which comes in at S$195 less than a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (S$669) and PlayStation Portal (S$295) combo that offers a bigger game library. At launch, only two exclusives will be available – Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, with the latter more of a glorified tech demo than a full-fledged release. 

Then, there are the upgraded versions of existing games, not to be confused with updates. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, as mentioned previously, fall into the first category, whereas Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is an example of the second, joining the likes of ARMS, Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, Game Builder Garage, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Link’s Awakening. 

The neat thing is that the above game updates will be available at launch for free, though what’s not is the additional bucks needed to complete the upgrade jump. For starters, both The Legend of Zelda upgrade packs set existing users back by US$9.99 each, and unlike PlayStation’s very own tech demo Astro’s Playroom, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour isn’t included as part of the free package. The Nintendo Switch 2 titles, exclusives or otherwise, aren’t the most wallet-friendly, either – while prices vary across the board, the S$119.90 price tag of Mario Kart World is telling, considering the S$60-plus average previously. 

To be fair, jacked-up prices aren’t unique to Nintendo. Triple-A gaming has gotten expensive in recent years, with standard PS5 prices ranging anywhere from S$60 to over S$100. Still, the Japanese giant has built a reputation for being kid and family-centric, and well, that’s certainly not something a child can afford (unless they are a scion of a rich family or of that ilk). Let’s not forget other hidden costs that will add up over time, too, from microSD Express cards to the various subscription features.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is more than just a shiny new toy. Between impressive technological refinements, intuitive design tweaks, and a great deal of visual polish, the follow-up device presents a compelling proposition for fans of the brand and its exclusives. The absurd price hike from its predecessor makes it difficult to recommend, however, compounded with mild frustrations that outweigh the benefits, and especially with more affordable and powerful alternatives on the market.

@geekculture

Let’s unbox Singapore’s Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle! Along with the Camera and Pro Controller. Did you know Singapore’s bundle is the only version that comes with a physical game card instead of a digital download code? #Nintendo #NintendoSwitch2 #MarioKartWorld #Singapore #Unboxing #WhatToBuy #WhatToPlay #Geek #fyp #fypシ

♬ Lo-Fi Chill – Cleric

As is always the case with new tech offerings, it’s also advisable to ride out the hype for now and wait until more choices are available. In the same breath that it introduces delightful surprises, there are also accompanying downsides, but those who don’t mind shelling out the extra cash will likely learn to live with them, and appreciate the fresh touches on existing experiences, in addition to the promise of more to come.