Yet Another Gaming Blog

Snitches Get Switches

The Nintendo Switch is probably the best console I’ve ever owned. Both in concept and execution, Nintendo delivered an experience that captured the imaginations of everyone who bought one, offering a console quality experience that could be equally enjoyed on the go as much as in the home. All with a library consisting of banger after banger (you can check out our top 20 Switch games here and here, and that list could have easily been expanded to 30). A console that put Nintendo firmly back at the head of the table.

It’s been over 8 years since the Switch released, however. Not since the original Game Boy has a Nintendo console been supported for so long. As is natural in this industry, there will come a time when Nintendo begins to look forward to the next generation. And that time is now. The Nintendo Switch 2 is here. And it’s really nice.

Viva La Evolution

Let’s get one thing out of the way now: this is not a revolution of a console. You’d have thought that would have been obvious from it’s announcement trailer, but apparently a very loud group of people didn’t get that memo. The clues are very much in the name, people; this is the Switch’s 2nd generation. When a console has sold over 150 million units, tearing everything down and starting again would be folly.

This is, in every sense, the Switch 2. The screen is about an inch and a half bigger than the original Switch model. The Joy-Cons have been blown up to match that size, too. The buttons are a little bigger, the control sticks, too. Everything here matches that original Switch form. It’s just, well, bigger.

That, for me, is welcome. While I certainly got use of the Switch’s handheld functionality through its early years, when push came to shove it became another TV console for the vast majority of its use. And that was, in large part, to how small everything felt. The travel of the control sticks never felt right. The buttons were too clicky. The triggers, too. It just wasn’t a comfortable experience over long periods of time.

The Switch 2 is far more enjoyable to hold, I’ll say that. The improvements made to the Joy-Cons have certainly taken steps towards improving my experience. The buttons and triggers are bigger. While they don’t match the soft-press of the pro controller, they’re certainly nicer to use. My biggest gripe with using Joy-Cons for an extended period of time was and remains the control sticks. These are also improved. They’re noticeably larger, albeit not to the sort of size you’d find on a regular controller. Handheld isn’t likely to become my Switch 2’s primary function, but I can certainly see myself playing in that form more frequently thanks to the new Joy-Cons. 

Elephants In The Room

Two major issues that seem to dominate the conversation regarding Switch 2 right now appear to be battery life and screen quality. To the former, from my usage over the past couple of weeks, I’ll say the Switch 2’s battery life is largely in line with the original Switch. Again, my usage is not typical of someone only using it handheld, but I’d say you’re looking at between two and a half and three hours of continuous play before you need to grab a charger. Now, that’s having messed around with the brightness, and flicking between flight mode and connected to the Internet. For me, I don’t really need much more than that. But I appreciate that’s not the case for everyone.

The second public issue, one that doesn’t affect me nearly as much as others, is the screen. Switch 2 does not boast an OLED screen, something the Switch was given in a mid-generation update. I do not have an OLED Switch. My day one saw me through for the full 8 years, and I thank it for its service. Switch 2 has a very very lovely screen. I was struck by it at the experience at the ExCel in April, and I remain struck now. It’s vivid and bright, everything really pops. Even at lower brightness settings, Mario Kart World is a visual treat. Sure, I’d have liked an OLED screen, don’t get me wrong. But Switch 2 is probably a testament to how face LCD technology has come over the past decade. And, while OLED would give the console’s visuals an extra layer of sweetness, by not having it, fewer compromises elsewhere have been made. Mainly with the aforementioned battery life, but also in the price, and the weight of the machine, too.

I think Switch 2 is probably at the limit of how heavy it can be before it starts to become an issue. It is noticeably heavier than the original. Anything more, and you’re looking at a machine that just isn’t viable solely for handheld use. There will, inevitably, be an OLED upgrade in 3 or 4 years, and I suspect Nintendo will have ways to shave grams off the overall weight, to accommodate that extra heft an OLED panel brings. Right now, though, it just doesn’t seem viable.

Under The Hood

What’s inside the screen is equally as important, and that’s where things disappoint a little. Yes, I know I’ve already addressed the expectation of what a Switch 2 should be vs reality. But what you’ve met with when you boot up Switch 2 is basically identical to what you get with Switch. Same UI, same icons, same themes; it’s just the same. There’s a nice holographic effect that surrounds whichever icon you’re hovering over, but, apart from that, very much the same.

That said, it does run far smoother, as you’d expect. The eShop, for example, now snaps into the home screen, rather than taking its time to load up. Same with the Nintendo Switch Online tab. I believe there’s a technical reason for this; my understanding is that both are now app-based, rather than web-based. It doesn’t change the fact that the eShop is still flooded with absolute tosh, but there is now an addition of a “For You” tab on the eShop. It updates every Saturday, and gives you a selection of games it thinks you might be interested in based on what you’ve played previously. It’s early days, so it’s unclear just how good the curation on it is., but hopefully this will prove handy for people looking to discover something new.

Then there’s the GameChat factor. Something I just have not used. No one I play games with has a Switch 2 yet, and you can’t join a lobby in Mario Kart World and start chatting to the people in it. I’ll look to update this review with some thoughts on GameChat as and when people I know actually migrate to the new console, but, for now, Switch 2’s big new feature will have to remain unmentioned on this site.

Financal Crisis

We can’t really not address the cost. At £395 by itself, Switch 2 is just over £100 more expensive than the original Switch was in 2017. It’s not a small amount to part with. I guess the question will be whether there’s enough of an upgrade here for the bulk of the original Switch’s audience to make the move.

History would suggest that just waiting a year or two would give new buyers more to play on their new console, but also a reduced cost tied to it. Industry trends suggest the price is more likely to go up than down in the coming months and years, however. Something to keep in mind as you weigh up the decision.

Pro Gaming

Thanks to a series of very fortunate events in my favour, a Switch 2 Pro Controller landed on my doorstep on launch day. The original Switch Pro Controller is a genuine work of art. Exceptional in every department, it’s worth asking how Nintendo could actually improve on it. And, like with the Switch 2, somehow they did.

To begin with, it has that premium feel of the main console. The build quality is exquisite, and makes the original feel a little cheap by comparison. The buttons are soft and precise. The sticks travel extremely smoothly. It just feels great to use, and going to the Joy-Con grip is jarring in comparison.

So what’s actually new? Well, two new action buttons, for one. Located on each handle are the “GL” and “GR” buttons. Two grip buttons that can be programmed to mimic any other button on the controller. What I appreciate is that they’re programmable game by game. GR, for example, can act as the right trigger on Mario Kart World, and the A button on Donkey Kong Bananza. That’s a nice touch.

Most impressively is probably regarding the battery. The Switch Pro Controller felt like it never lost power. Switch 2 Pro Controller retains that ridiculous battery life, but now seems to charge to full in like half an hour. It’s crazy. I’ve had to charge it once between now and launch day. In that same length of time, my original Dualsense controller must have been charged at least 10 times.

If you have Switch 2 Pro Controller money, it gets my fullest recommendation. The best controller in gaming got better. A magnificent piece of kit.

In Conclusion

I think, ultimately, Switch 2’s worth comes from what you expect of it. If you’re expecting something that’ll completely revolutionise the way you play games, this isn’t it. The Switch was too successful, and its audience too broad, for them to tear the whole thing down and start again. 

Nintendo Switch 2 is a worthy follow up to Nintendo’s game changing Switch. While we won’t know it’s true worth for a few years yet, while it’s library is fleshed out. As it is now, however, it’s hard to not be impressed. A really nice console. They’ve done it again.

Featured Image Credit: Nintendo