Continuing our coverage of the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in London, we’re having a look at the console, new Joy-Cons, Pro Controller, and Gamecube Controller, in a bit more detail.

The most straightforward, and most boring, thing I can say about the Switch 2 is that it feels like the Switch. Helpful? Not really. But as the minutes that thing was in my hands piled up, the lines between where the Switch ended and the Switch 2 began blurred. The Switch 2 feels like a Switch. Or, rather, what your brain thinks a Switch is.

A major talking point over the past few weeks has been that screen. 7.9”, 1080p, HDR enabled, with a refresh rate of up to 120hz. For comparison’s sake, the original Switch houses a 6.2” 720p screen. This is an improvement, by every metric possible…but for one detail. The Switch 2’s screen is an LCD panel. The original Switch has its OLED model which, no matter which way you shake it, is pure eye candy. It’s understandable to worry that this is a step back

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I’m not going to sit here and argue that LCD technology is on par with what OLED can offer. What I will say is the LCD tech of 2025 is on a different page entirely to what was capable in 2017. The Switch 2 is vibrant. Colours pop. It’s smooth, it’s bright, I went back to the OG Switch when I got home and it was dull and dim in comparison. I will state I do not own an OLED Switch, though I have experienced it. Without having an OLED and a Switch 2 side by side, it would be tough for me to compare exacts. This is a really nice screen, though. More than capable of putting the Switch 2’s library in the best position to pop.

The Joy of Con

The biggest change, screen aside, is to the Joy-Cons. To match the increased screen size, the Joy-Cons have grown in length and width. As a result you have something a little nicer to hold. Or, I do. I always found the original Joy-Cons to be a bit small for my tastes, so the increased size is very welcome. For me, it’s a bit more comfortable to hold, and a bit more comfortable to play.

I always found the original Joy-Cons buttons and control sticks to be a bit tiddly, and I’m delighted the new Joy-Cons take steps to remedy that. The sticks aren’t full sized, I’ll say that. With a Pro Controller (more on that later) in your hand, the difference becomes apparent. They are bigger, undeniably so. But they’re still on the smaller side, in the grand scheme of things.

The buttons, however, I’m delighted with. My biggest gripe with the original Joy-Con buttons was that click-press. They felt stiff and uncomfortable after a bit of use. They’ve a far nicer press this time around. Not quite the same soft-press found with the Pro Controllers, but certainly an improvement on what came before. Oh, and the triggers are a bit bigger, too, and also feel nice.

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I think my personal handheld-play discomfort came from the sheer flatness of the original Switch. It lacks the curves and grips of a controller which means you’re effectively holding it up with the heels of your hands. I’m not convinced the size increase will do much to change that, though it’s very difficult to really gauge that in an afternoon.

Positive attraction

Away from the general feel, the Joy-Con’s now attach to the console through magnets rather than rails. Not a huge change, functionality wise, but a change nonetheless. I got a chance to unclip and clip them from a demo unit at the back, and I’ll tell you now; when those things are locked in, they’re not moving. They detach with a dedicated button at the back, which absolutely cannot be pressed by accident. There’s a bit of give before it requires a firmer press to actually kick in. You know the triggers on the Gamecube controller? You get a bit of give before a click at the end? That’s how I’d describe it.

The Switch 2 also enjoys a new stand, which is far sturdier than any Switch has ever had before. A great upgrade, in that sense.

Professional Gaming

Onto the subs bench, and the Pro Controller has received a new edition for the new era. Let me preface this by saying the original Switch Pro Controller is probably my favourite controller of the past 10 or 15 years. It’s a very very comfortable controller, with lovely rumble, lovely sticks, a marvel. Probably the reason the Switch became a primarily docked console, for me. The new Pro Controller feels really really good, man.

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It holds the same. Button placement is the same, though it has the C button centrally, and two buttons built into the grips. None of the games had anything assigned to the grip buttons, but I found myself instinctively clicking them between races on Mario Kart World. It has a bit of a different finish to it, too. A nice, smooth matte finish, replacing the semi-translucent design on the original. The Switch 2 is compatible with existing Switch accessories, so your current Pro Controller will work absolutely fine on the Switch 2. Does a nice finish and built in fidget toys warrant a £75 purchase? Not for me to say. But I’ll say this; I wasn’t planning on getting one at launch. I’m reconsidering that stance having played with it for a full afternoon. Might be a Christmas present.

Born To Play

Last new (very loose usage of the word “new”, there) piece of kit I got on with was the Gamecube controller. I’ll rewind 2 paragraphs: if the Pro Controller is the best controller of the past 15 years, the Gamecube controller is the best controller ever. It’s the most perfectly designed piece of kit ever created, and it’s to my own shame that I no longer own one. Not anymore, of course. I’ve got that bad boy pre-ordered. But to hold it again, to play 10 minutes of the original Wind Waker. A flood of nostalgia.

Do not let looks fool you with this. It’s perfect. The face buttons are placed for ease of reach. The Triggers, the lovely, analogue triggers, feel delightful. Despite being bolted in, it had a lovely weight to it. A little lighter than I remember, but that doesn’t mean it’s flimsy for anything. Just a great controller. Release it in black to match the ‘cube of my childhood and I’ll buy another.

Conclusion

I remember when the original launched, and my overall feeling was it was a premium-feeling bit of kit that wouldn’t look out of place alongside the contemporary bits of technology. Over the years, as the form has been iterated on by competitors, the Switch has begun to feel a little plastic-y and toy-like by comparison. The Switch 2 is a return to that original feeling. I came away incredibly impressed by what I saw and touched. How it holds up over extended play in handheld mode, as I said earlier, remains to be seen. But, when first impressions count for so much, the Switch 2’s hardware made a stellar one. This is a really nice console.

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