Nintendo announced that it sold more than 3.5 million Switch 2 consoles less than a week after its June 5 release. That feat makes it the fastest-selling Nintendo game system of all time. Most online retailers have run out of the console, and resellers have tagged on hundreds of dollars to the $449 MSRP on websites like eBay.
The Switch 2 will likely remain a hot item through the holiday sales season — but don't despair. Stores get restocked periodically. Even if their websites appear empty, brick-and-mortar locations frequently have consoles reserved for in-person customers. And if you've logged more than 50 hours of playtime on a Nintendo account, you can line up online for an invitation to buy a Switch 2 directly from the company.
But even if you can get a Switch 2, should you buy one? Does it justify the steep cost? Are its launch games really worth it? After playtesting the console at press events and over the course of a bleary week, I've got answers.
Nintendo's new era
The Switch 2 improves on the first generation in (almost) every way. Nintendo has exhaustively described how, but I'll break down the highlights.
The Switch 2 has a bigger screen and bigger Joy-Cons (though, remarkably, it's still as skinny as the original Switch). It narrows the performance gap with its console competitors. It's no PlayStation 5, but it is more powerful than a PS4 — and fits between your hands.
It's also, blessedly, backwards-compatible. The vast majority of the old Switch catalog works seamlessly, though a few have special Switch 2 upgrades. For $10 (free for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers), Tears of the Kingdom plays smoothly on a Switch 2, while it could really struggle on the original Switch. The extra power is also ushering in games that were out of reach for Nintendo users, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring.
While I adore all fancy controllers (the new Pro Controller's great, by the way), it's the updated Joy-Cons that impress me the most. They magnetize onto the sides of the console with a satisfying snap and stay firmly attached no matter how bumpy my train commutes have gotten. At a button-press, they'll slip off and can be used like computer mice on nearly any surface. Believe me — I've tested it on cushions, pants, books, tables and even my wife's pregnant belly! I await a killer app for this gimmicky feature, but it's been useful for strategy games like Civilization 7.
Original Switch controllers still work with the Switch 2 — but the comparison isn't flattering. Returning to the older Joy-Cons for some 4-player Mario Party was painful, between the smaller buttons to the inconsistent wireless pairing. But those Joy-Cons are admittedly well-used. Time will only tell if the new models will largely avoid the notorious "stick drift" that plagued the original Joy-Cons.
The console isn't perfect. The straps for the detached Joy-Cons make them more stable to use as mice, but they also make the shoulder buttons slightly harder to press since they raise the edges around them. Much-touted "Game Chat" features let you easily talk to friends, but you can't use the video-conferencing features unless you shrink the gameplay screen. Speaking of screens, while the Switch 2 boasts vivid colors, HD resolution and a high refresh rate, it's not quite as luminous as the OLED Switch screen I'm coming from. Finally, the paltry internal memory can't hold many modern games — you'll need an expensive microSD express card to download more.
Gripes aside, I'm loving the Switch 2 and now gravitate to it more than my cherished Steam Deck. I don't think every Nintendo fan will need to upgrade until more exclusive games arrive, but if you can afford it now and know that you'll want one eventually, it's easy to recommend. Especially if you're eager to sling shells, crush mushrooms, and vroom to victory.
Mario Kart World
The original Switch launched with Breath of the Wild, one of the most influential games of all time. Mario Kart World doesn't break as much ground, but it's got more in common with that trailblazer than I initially thought.
When I previewed the game in April, I described it as baby's first Forza Horizon: an open-world racing game that would undoubtedly brim with noisome side activities. It's actually got a far lighter touch. The game strings dozens of possible races across an interconnected landscape for hectic Grand Prix events and 24-person Knockout rounds. Yet you can also freely roam across the titular world and discover its many delights — which, like Breath of the Wild, aren't advertised on the map.
Granted, blue-coin dashes and time trials rarely made me squawk with surprise like the shrines and secrets of a Zelda game. But these challenges perfectly fit in-between competitive bouts. Unfortunately, the mode works best when playing alone. Online friends can roam with you, but you can't unlock costumes and achievements while playing with them.
When it comes to actual racing, World feels like Mario Kart 8 with wider roads and glitzy new power-ups. It's hard to improve on 8's formula, which embraces the greatest hits from decades of series history. But by expanding the space between the races, Mario Kart World feels innovative enough to earn the $80 asking price.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
The other Nintendo launch title, conversely, feels like homework — and I don't exactly mean that as an insult. Welcome Tour synthesizes Nintendo's recent forays into theme park and museum design into an exhaustive survey of Switch 2 hardware.
Imagine you're an ant, crawling along the Switch 2's surface, hungrily grubbing up morsels. That's the Welcome Tour experience. Your tiny avatar hunts for hidden stamps needed to progress through a massive console and its peripherals. You'll also endure demonstrations and occasionally entertaining minigames meant to show off the Switch 2. As tech demos go, it falls short of the heights set by Astro's Playroom. But as an interactive exhibition piece, it's oddly compelling.
I made it my mission to ace all of Welcome Tour's quizzes, which the game doles out after you've read facts about the Switch 2. Complete with satisfying bloop sounds and jokey answers, these multiple-choice tests target technical manual enjoyers and How It's Made watchers (a population that overlaps considerably with gaming console reviewers!). Poindexters like me will feel welcome in Welcome Tour. Everyone else may as well save the $10.
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