My husband got a Switch 2, except it was really me who got it because when we were both trying to pre-order it, my Best Buy account was the one that actually got the order through (after we'd each...
My husband got a Switch 2, except it was really me who got it because when we were both trying to pre-order it, my Best Buy account was the one that actually got the order through (after we'd each been trying for 45 minutes across Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target).
I picked it up this afternoon, set it up, and we have been playing Mario Kart World together. We were just going through the cups right now, not doing the open-world stuff (well, he is now that I stopped playing to type this up).
System Thoughts
Looks great. Both as a handheld and as graphics on the screen. It's a pretty big upgrade from the Switch (it's still hard to believe that released EIGHT years ago).
The magnetic joycons are much better and smoother than the slide on ones. They clip right on, but to release them you have to press a button. Pretty slick. The same goes for the wrist straps. These are WAY better than Switch 1, which I would accidentally put on upside down sometimes and they would get stuck.
System transfer was easy and went off without a hitch. My husband said the only problem was that it assumed he wanted to download EVERY single game from his previous Switch, which he probably doesn't have the space for, so he had to manually cancel a bunch of downloads.
Don't remember if Switch 1 could download in the background or not (if it could then what follows isn't very exciting, but if not, it's a great new feature!), but all while we were playing MKW, we kept seeing notifications pop up each time another game was downloaded.
Mario Kart World Thoughts
In regard to just the races (barring the open-world stuff), it's safe to say that if you liked MK8, then you'll like this. There are some differences, but they're small adjustments rather than massive changes. I don't blame them for not rocking the boat and keeping the formula largely the same. After all, the predecessor to this was their second best-selling game of all time. I played a lot of MK8 and this feels very familiar.
The new characters are great. Not sure if this counts as spoilers or not, but I'll drop in a details box just in case. My favorite new additions, based entirely on vibes, are
Spoilers?
Pokey and Stingby
The game lets you unlock different costumes for characters (who then show up as their own selectable characters on the character screen) by picking up food items. We haven't entirely figured out the unlock pattern here, but it seems like the costumes might be location/region based? One disappointment is that a lot of the fun new characters, like Cow, don't have any unlockable costumes. Maybe in an update someday?
24 characters makes being the middle of the pack a LOT more hectic. Stuff is flying everywhere, people are running into each other. It's wild. Unfortunately for me, they still haven't really solved my main issue with the game, which is the "it's easier to be in 1st than 5th" principle. This is simple enough for me to ignore though, because the game's still a lot of fun. Also, they did make the blue shell slightly more punishing, so I got some of what I wanted.
I don't plan on playing much Switch 2 myself, but my husband's really excited. I also bought him the Switch 2 version for Tears of the Kingdom because he never played the original on Switch. Also, I'm pretty certain that the system is going to just graft straight on to his hands if he ends up playing Monster Train 2 as much as he did the original.
We're hosting a nerd herd Switch 2 get together this weekend with friends, so I'll get more hands-on time with it then. My preliminary thoughts though are that it seems like a very solid (and much-needed) upgrade to the original.
It should just work, though I do have Nintendo Online, so I guess I don't have 100% certainty. The system transfer on initial setup happens directly. It makes you put them near each other and have...
It should just work, though I do have Nintendo Online, so I guess I don't have 100% certainty. The system transfer on initial setup happens directly. It makes you put them near each other and have them both on AC power before the process will start. It copied all of the saves over during the process and then redownloaded all of the games.
Sounds good. Worst case scenario I just pay for Nintendo Online for 1 month I guess... we'll see though because for now Mario Kart is the only game that both me and the kids really care about as...
Sounds good. Worst case scenario I just pay for Nintendo Online for 1 month I guess... we'll see though because for now Mario Kart is the only game that both me and the kids really care about as far as SW2 exclusives go so I'm holding off.
Lol, I encouraged him to do it! I even took over some of his chores so that he could have more game time with his new system. No betrayal, just happy gamer marriage symbiosis. 🥰
Lol, I encouraged him to do it!
I even took over some of his chores so that he could have more game time with his new system.
No betrayal, just happy gamer marriage symbiosis. 🥰
walked into a gamestop and had one in about 5 mins yesterday morning, easy peasy. my opinion of the hardware is that it's a massive upgrade, everything feels better physically - the new size is...
walked into a gamestop and had one in about 5 mins yesterday morning, easy peasy.
my opinion of the hardware is that it's a massive upgrade, everything feels better physically - the new size is good, build quality is better, the new stand is better, etc. UI-wise, things also run smoother, especially the store, which often had weird hiccups when scrolling on the old switch
i'm a bit underwhelmed by the new mario kart. the course design comes off a bit boring to me - too many wide, long straight stretches. i think i'll appreciate it more when i unlock 200cc and can play with friends more regularly
the selection of launch titles is abysmal. basically 1 game (mario kart), some 'upgrades' im not paying for, and for some reason a port of the original ridge racer from 1993 that still looks like it's running on a PS1
overall i'm happy with it and i hope some new interesting titles come soon, but i'm also not sure it's worth the huge price
I was curious what the first Switch's launch titles were and they were surprisingly underwhelming, too. 1-2-Switch, a port of Breath of the Wild, and a bunch of games that either don't really grab...
the selection of launch titles is abysmal. basically 1 game (mario kart), some 'upgrades' im not paying for, and for some reason a port of the original ridge racer from 1993 that still looks like it's running on a PS1
I was curious what the first Switch's launch titles were and they were surprisingly underwhelming, too. 1-2-Switch, a port of Breath of the Wild, and a bunch of games that either don't really grab my attention or exist on other platforms. So then I looked at the WiiU's, Wii, and Gamecube's and it's all kind of underwhelming. It's generally a mix of the following:
A 1st party port from the previous generation
A Mario or Mario-adjacent game
A tech demo game (1-2-Switch, Nintendoland, etc.)
A whole lot of forgettable 3rd party games
This seems pretty par for the course, honestly. I'm not that into Mario Kart, so I have a feeling the platform-selling game for me is going to come in the next year or two (and it'll probably be Pokemon because I have a problem)
Oh really? For some reason I thought it was WiiU first, then Switch way later. Then again, I was an early adopter of the WiiU (no regrets) and later adopter of the Switch, so that's probably why...
Oh really? For some reason I thought it was WiiU first, then Switch way later. Then again, I was an early adopter of the WiiU (no regrets) and later adopter of the Switch, so that's probably why that's where my head was at. Looks like Twilight Princess was similar as well, with there only being a month's gap between the GC/Wii versions.
Makes sense that if you got to switch later and played it on WiiU that's how you'd categorize it. I got my switch because of BoTW. I'm not getting a switch 2 because I really don't care about...
Makes sense that if you got to switch later and played it on WiiU that's how you'd categorize it. I got my switch because of BoTW. I'm not getting a switch 2 because I really don't care about Mario Kart and the other ported games I'm interested in have already been played elsewhere.
The GameCube did also have Melee within the next month. They got it out for Christmas, and (after figuring out the RCA jacks because my dad couldn't lol) it personally blew my fucking eyes apart...
The GameCube did also have Melee within the next month. They got it out for Christmas, and (after figuring out the RCA jacks because my dad couldn't lol) it personally blew my fucking eyes apart following N64 polygons.
The more launch partners you have, the greater chance of leaks. And game companies may not want to take the risk of targeting a system until they're sure enough units are moving. This time, at...
The more launch partners you have, the greater chance of leaks. And game companies may not want to take the risk of targeting a system until they're sure enough units are moving.
This time, at least, we have the whole Switch library, which includes tons of even older games (e.g. Baldur's Gate 1/2, Devil May Cry and the Tomb Raider remasters are on sale for Steam Sale level prices), and you can still benefit from the better hardware. More storage, more comfortable joycons and a bigger screen are nice on their own..and from the limited time I've had to play since I got mine, I'd hazard a guess most games probably benefit from stronger hardware even without graphical updates. More stable framerate, faster load times, etc..
I suspect we'll at least see an announcement for Splatoon 4 before the end of the year, and likely one for Animal Crossing as well. I also am crossing my fingers for a Genshin Impact release on Switch 2, maybe announced with the upcoming expansion.
You know how many years I had to wait in between mainline AC games? Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I want to believe that's true, but evidence is not on my side.
and likely one for Animal Crossing as well.
You know how many years I had to wait in between mainline AC games? Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I want to believe that's true, but evidence is not on my side.
Nintendo just announced a Splatoon spinoff (not a mainline one yet) as well as a free update with Switch 2 improvements and more content for Splatoon 3. Maybe you'll get lucky lol....
Nintendo just announced a Splatoon spinoff (not a mainline one yet) as well as a free update with Switch 2 improvements and more content for Splatoon 3. Maybe you'll get lucky lol.
The gap between New Leaf's release and New Horizons's was 8 years, and it's already been 5 since New Horizons came out. Given how well New Horizons sold compared to previous entries, it'd be...
The gap between New Leaf's release and New Horizons's was 8 years, and it's already been 5 since New Horizons came out. Given how well New Horizons sold compared to previous entries, it'd be pretty foolish of them to not develop another one, so I think our chances of a new animal crossing in the first few years of the Switch 2's lifetime aren't that bad.
It definitely is. I recall playing a lot of Rogue Squadron or Rogue Leader on my launch Gamecube, because I thought Luigi's Mansion looked dumb and there were like five launch titles lol.
par for the course
It definitely is. I recall playing a lot of Rogue Squadron or Rogue Leader on my launch Gamecube, because I thought Luigi's Mansion looked dumb and there were like five launch titles lol.
Rogue Squadron and Luigi’s Mansion were mind blowing coming from the N64 though. But with Nintendo’s current strategy they can’t coast on tech demos at launch.
Rogue Squadron and Luigi’s Mansion were mind blowing coming from the N64 though. But with Nintendo’s current strategy they can’t coast on tech demos at launch.
The launch is basically the same as the Switches. Or rather, it’s better. The switch launched with just two games, 1-2 and BotW. It’s important to remember that Mario Kart was the best selling...
The launch is basically the same as the Switches. Or rather, it’s better. The switch launched with just two games, 1-2 and BotW. It’s important to remember that Mario Kart was the best selling game on switch and one of the best selling games of all time. A new MK entry is a big deal objectively, even if subjectively something like a new Zelda is more appealing to more hardcore gamers.
And the promise of playing switch 1 games with improvements is a big draw, more than what the switch had. Pokemon SV, in particular, is basically a different game on the Switch 2.
Improved performance over the original is one reason why I went for a preorder even if there aren't that many games I'll want coming out this year, I already have a decent library that will...
Improved performance over the original is one reason why I went for a preorder even if there aren't that many games I'll want coming out this year, I already have a decent library that will benefit. I'm looking forward to finishing the previous Hyrule Warriors games without it chugging along before the new one comes out.
Thank god. The Switch 1 store UI is the most baffling thing about the Switch for me (I think it runs as a website in its webbrowser which is slow as hell). It is the most "broken" part of the...
UI-wise, things also run smoother, especially the store, which often had weird hiccups when scrolling on the old switch
Thank god. The Switch 1 store UI is the most baffling thing about the Switch for me (I think it runs as a website in its webbrowser which is slow as hell). It is the most "broken" part of the device after the joystick drift and they never bothered to fix it in 8 years.
I had completely disconnected from Switch 2 news. Didn't even realize it was coming out this week. I wasn't going to bother picking one up until I had a reason (and money). Anyway, my partner...
I had completely disconnected from Switch 2 news. Didn't even realize it was coming out this week. I wasn't going to bother picking one up until I had a reason (and money).
Anyway, my partner bought one for me as a gift. They walked into the store late in the morning and picked one up without pre-order. I honestly was a lot more excited than I thought I would be. Then I looked at the eShop. "What game are you gonna get?" I was asked... "Well, there's only really Mario Kart."
Anyway, So I got Mario Kart and played it. The game is peaks and valleys. 24 carts launching triple shells? It's chaos. Get up to first? At least 12 people back there with chances for blue shells and lightning. Then you hit a straightaway. Silence. The whirr of you engine. No boosts for ten straight seconds. Suddenly, five green shells from behind and 2nd place nipping at you with a boomerang. Granted, I could be talking about any Mario Kart with 24 players. If Nintendo made Mario Kart 24 ala FZero 99, it could be the same. The Switch 2 had no bearing on the game, really. Nintendo needs a killer app. Cyberpunk doesn't even hit 60fps. My computer played the game on launch at 60fps with a 1070ti and i5-4670k.
Nothing (except the paid intro) that I've seen so far utilizes all the new 'features' and there's only like five games that aren't 'upgrades' to Switch 1 games!
Anyway, I had a lot of fun yesterday and now have no excuse not to do the dishes.
there are some ways to get boosts eg the dash jump or grinding on rails to do tricks i recommend checking out the explainer from the main menu to see all the new mechanics in detail
No boosts for ten straight seconds.
there are some ways to get boosts eg the dash jump or grinding on rails to do tricks
i recommend checking out the explainer from the main menu to see all the new mechanics in detail
Waited in line in front of GameStop for two and a half hours to pre-ring and picked up later that day at midnight! Been messing around in Mario Kart World, mostly in free roam where I've...
Waited in line in front of GameStop for two and a half hours to pre-ring and picked up later that day at midnight! Been messing around in Mario Kart World, mostly in free roam where I've completely about 10 missions and did the first three cups! The visuals are great and I'm excited for this new "cartoony and expressive" direction for the Mario franchise going forward (which I guess started in Wonder but looks to be continued here and in Bananza). Unlocked all of Waluigi's skins!
I got mine via preorder from Nintendo. System transfer from the OG Switch to the Switch 2 went off without a hitch, as far as I can tell. I'm a bit bummed that I can't play, say, Pokemon Legends:...
I got mine via preorder from Nintendo. System transfer from the OG Switch to the Switch 2 went off without a hitch, as far as I can tell. I'm a bit bummed that I can't play, say, Pokemon Legends: Arceus with a common file shared between both Switches; the save only applies to one bit of hardware. That particular game doesn't support cloud saves, which is just ... confusing.
I haven't had a chance to actually sit down and play the thing, but thus far it's been very accommodating. I don't know how I feel about the Virtual Game Card system; for my family's use case it only adds layers of complexity onto a system that just "worked". I think I'll toggle it back to online license checks.
My main impetus towards buying the Switch 2 on release was in part because I genuinely want to play it, but I have to admit that the larger reason is that the USA's absolutely stupid tariff policies right now (both implemented and manically-tweeted ones) means that I don't know if it'll be cheaper anytime soon.
Ours finally came in last night. I’m not super enthused about most Nintendo games lately so this was really a husband thing. Of the three games he ordered two of them are remakes. The new Mario...
Ours finally came in last night. I’m not super enthused about most Nintendo games lately so this was really a husband thing. Of the three games he ordered two of them are remakes. The new Mario kart game is pretty fun but those games don’t really hold me for very long; it’s fun for about an hour at a time and then I’m done.
I shelled out the $10 for the Breath of the Wild upgrade, though, and I actually think it’s more than worth it because the experience is so much nicer than the original. The dumb cell phone app connectivity is actually pretty nice simply because it has a map that tells you where the Koroks and landmarks are.
But the thing I think makes the upgrade worth it more than any other feature is the HDR. I have a good OLED TV and going outside of the cave for the first time is actually blinding. The lightly cel-shaded look really makes it pop.
My husband started up Tears of the Kingdom and I’m seriously impressed with how good it looks. I always thought BotW and TotK were gorgeous games with fantastic art styles that deserved better...
My husband started up Tears of the Kingdom and I’m seriously impressed with how good it looks.
I always thought BotW and TotK were gorgeous games with fantastic art styles that deserved better hardware. That’s not a knock against the Switch 1 by any means — in fact it is incredible to me that games of such scope ran at all on what was basically a large phone from 2017.
The new hardware and game updates really give them their due, visually.
I got mine! I had a pre order from Best Buy. I decided to go to the launch event (11pm last night where I am) and there were a ton of people there! In addition to about 150 people in the pre-order...
I got mine! I had a pre order from Best Buy. I decided to go to the launch event (11pm last night where I am) and there were a ton of people there! In addition to about 150 people in the pre-order pickup line, there must have been 250 people there without a pre order and most of them got one!
Anyways, I didn’t get home until 1245am and my bedtime is 1130 so I just went through setup quickly and didn’t play until after work today. Mario Kart World is the only switch 2 title I have so far. It’s fun! The mechanics aren’t that much different from 8 (not necessarily a bad thing), but the open world and knockout races are new and fun.
I also still need to finish Tears of the Kingdom, so I’ll do that with the Switch 2 upgraded version now. Besides that, I’ll be waiting for some more titles like DK and Metroid Prime 4.
It will likely be like the switch 1 for me where it isn’t my primary gaming system, but it pays for itself over 6 years when I dust it off for the big first party titles.
I don’t have that much to go off so far, but it feels like a hardware refresh instead of something entirely new, but I think that’s a good thing. Nintendo was so drastically behind on hardware and many third party games either ran like shit or just didn’t come to switch and this will let them catch up in that regard for a bit while still allowing them a tried and true platform to put out their own games.
I remember with the Wii around Christmas... stores getting 10 in a shipment. This is just the initial launch so maybe supply will slow, but this feels nothing like previous launches.
there must have been 250 people there without a pre order and most of them got one!
I remember with the Wii around Christmas... stores getting 10 in a shipment.
This is just the initial launch so maybe supply will slow, but this feels nothing like previous launches.
Don't have a Switch 2 yet, but I literally just ordered one. Amazon had one in stock, but it's from a retailer that's marked it up to £750. Very are out of stock. So are GAME and Argos. Then I...
Don't have a Switch 2 yet, but I literally just ordered one.
Amazon had one in stock, but it's from a retailer that's marked it up to £750. Very are out of stock. So are GAME and Argos.
Then I checked the Nintendo website... To my absolute shock, I was able to snag a Switch 2 and Mario Kart World (the game I was going to get on launch regardless) bundle for £425 on there. On fucking launch day too.
Weird, may be regional, Nintendo requires my invite to purchase from their site. Bit annoyed about the whole thing, I've had their family subscription for 8 years and registered for a system a...
Weird, may be regional, Nintendo requires my invite to purchase from their site. Bit annoyed about the whole thing, I've had their family subscription for 8 years and registered for a system a while back. Nothing but crickets from them this week.
I had gotten a message from them a few weeks ago saying that they did receive a request from my account and that they intend to get everyone who signed up in the registry an opportunity to...
I had gotten a message from them a few weeks ago saying that they did receive a request from my account and that they intend to get everyone who signed up in the registry an opportunity to purchase one.
My guess is that they'll keep churning through the list as they get stock until everyone gets a chance and then they'll turn out out for direct public purchase.
If I have another device that I'm using online, it's homebrew time for the old device. The Wii, Wii U, and 3DS are astoundingly good platforms, I'm sure the Switch is or will be great.
If I have another device that I'm using online, it's homebrew time for the old device. The Wii, Wii U, and 3DS are astoundingly good platforms, I'm sure the Switch is or will be great.
I'm holding off on the Switch 2 until I have a better handle on the state of backwards compatibility. I have a lot of games purchased off the Switch eshop and I'm not interested in picking up a...
I'm holding off on the Switch 2 until I have a better handle on the state of backwards compatibility. I have a lot of games purchased off the Switch eshop and I'm not interested in picking up a Switch 2 unless I know I can keep working through that backlog on it.
So after watching a few initial reviews focused on back compat (MVG and SwitchStars both put out useful comparisons) it seems like it's pretty good and improves performance of Switch titles...
So after watching a few initial reviews focused on back compat (MVG and SwitchStars both put out useful comparisons) it seems like it's pretty good and improves performance of Switch titles significantly. I'll still try to wait until they go on sale or drop in price, or if I'm feeling really patient until they do a hardware refresh like with the Switch OLED, but more likely than not I'll cave and get one a lot sooner.
I picked mine up yesterday. Played a bunch of Mario Kart World with my wife and we're having a blast. I think the most unexpectedly exciting thing about the Switch 2 though is the backwards...
I picked mine up yesterday. Played a bunch of Mario Kart World with my wife and we're having a blast.
I think the most unexpectedly exciting thing about the Switch 2 though is the backwards compatibility. Every poorly running Switch 1 game I've tested is more or less completely fixed on Switch 2. Even Hyrule Warriors and all three Bayonetta games run at a locked 60 FPS as far as I can tell.
My husband saved up for it, but he wants to wait to hear more reviews before buying it. So far, I'm hearing mainly positives so I anticipate him getting it at some point. So I'll get to see how it...
My husband saved up for it, but he wants to wait to hear more reviews before buying it. So far, I'm hearing mainly positives so I anticipate him getting it at some point. So I'll get to see how it truly is IRL with his games..
Me... I'm over here wondering when the Switch lite 2 will be coming out..lol....maybe late 2025/early 2026? We'll see...
Bought it on release and I’m incredibly happy with my purchase. Finished TOTK, Mario kart is super fun, sadly my internet is really bad so I didn’t play online yet
Bought it on release and I’m incredibly happy with my purchase. Finished TOTK, Mario kart is super fun, sadly my internet is really bad so I didn’t play online yet
I just got the email that I can buy one from the Nintendo Store itself, anyone think I should or shouldn't pull the trigger? $500 isn't nothing to me but it's not thatttt much. I haven't finished...
I just got the email that I can buy one from the Nintendo Store itself, anyone think I should or shouldn't pull the trigger? $500 isn't nothing to me but it's not thatttt much. I haven't finished TOTK and I usually bust out my switch for Mario Kart/Party and Smash Bros. I enjoy playing some single player games on it, and I'm looking forwards to playing MK World!
I was probably gonna get one before Thanksgiving this year regardless since it's usually my job to bring the games!
I don’t think any of us can tell you if it’s worth it to you personally. For me, it isn’t. But it was for my husband. I will say, though, if you want to get the Switch 2 enhanced version of TotK...
I don’t think any of us can tell you if it’s worth it to you personally. For me, it isn’t. But it was for my husband.
I will say, though, if you want to get the Switch 2 enhanced version of TotK it will let you bring your saves across plus give you an extra slot.
yeah, i guess the better question is more of "what makes it worth it or not worth it to you?" kinda question. I'm more leaning towards getting it right now but I'm gonna sleep on it haha.
yeah, i guess the better question is more of "what makes it worth it or not worth it to you?" kinda question. I'm more leaning towards getting it right now but I'm gonna sleep on it haha.
My husband, a big Switch gamer, loves it. If you’ve been feeling the limitations of the original hardware and want a nice new freshening up, then I say go for it. On the other hand, if you’re...
My husband, a big Switch gamer, loves it.
If you’ve been feeling the limitations of the original hardware and want a nice new freshening up, then I say go for it.
On the other hand, if you’re happy with your Switch or it gets only occasional use from you, it might not be worth the plunge.
I'm not a super heavy Switch user (mostly Splatoon, Project Diva, Mario Kart and Switch rereleases of old games on occasion) but I can say it's a major upgrade that fixes a lot of the dated...
I'm not a super heavy Switch user (mostly Splatoon, Project Diva, Mario Kart and Switch rereleases of old games on occasion) but I can say it's a major upgrade that fixes a lot of the dated aspects of the old one. So if you use it at all frequently, it's going to just be improving the experience.
The bigger screen and higher resolution is easier on the eyes
It feels more like something Apple would make than LEGO. It's heavier, textured plastic, more solid and just overall feels nice.
It varies depending on game implementation, but a sizable chunk of the Switch catalog simply runs better with no changes. More stable frame rates and faster loading times, at the least. Some games, either with no change or with free updates, have gone from really bad experiences to playable. There are lots of anecdotes and videos on YouTube and Reddit for specific titles.
Far more storage for games.
The new Joycons don't cause my hands to cramp or have joint pain. They're still not DualSense quality, but they definitely have a better feel to them.
New speakers are closer in line with a modern iPhone and can push some air.
My rationale was spending like: I was finding some aspects of the Switch 2 frustrating, I know it will get more games I'll want later, and if this generation lasts as long as the first...I'm getting about $60/year of value out of it by buying it early. YMMV.
My husband got a Switch 2, except it was really me who got it because when we were both trying to pre-order it, my Best Buy account was the one that actually got the order through (after we'd each been trying for 45 minutes across Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target).
I picked it up this afternoon, set it up, and we have been playing Mario Kart World together. We were just going through the cups right now, not doing the open-world stuff (well, he is now that I stopped playing to type this up).
System Thoughts
Looks great. Both as a handheld and as graphics on the screen. It's a pretty big upgrade from the Switch (it's still hard to believe that released EIGHT years ago).
The magnetic joycons are much better and smoother than the slide on ones. They clip right on, but to release them you have to press a button. Pretty slick. The same goes for the wrist straps. These are WAY better than Switch 1, which I would accidentally put on upside down sometimes and they would get stuck.
System transfer was easy and went off without a hitch. My husband said the only problem was that it assumed he wanted to download EVERY single game from his previous Switch, which he probably doesn't have the space for, so he had to manually cancel a bunch of downloads.
Don't remember if Switch 1 could download in the background or not (if it could then what follows isn't very exciting, but if not, it's a great new feature!), but all while we were playing MKW, we kept seeing notifications pop up each time another game was downloaded.
Mario Kart World Thoughts
In regard to just the races (barring the open-world stuff), it's safe to say that if you liked MK8, then you'll like this. There are some differences, but they're small adjustments rather than massive changes. I don't blame them for not rocking the boat and keeping the formula largely the same. After all, the predecessor to this was their second best-selling game of all time. I played a lot of MK8 and this feels very familiar.
The new characters are great. Not sure if this counts as spoilers or not, but I'll drop in a details box just in case. My favorite new additions, based entirely on vibes, are
Spoilers?
Pokey and Stingby
The game lets you unlock different costumes for characters (who then show up as their own selectable characters on the character screen) by picking up food items. We haven't entirely figured out the unlock pattern here, but it seems like the costumes might be location/region based? One disappointment is that a lot of the fun new characters, like Cow, don't have any unlockable costumes. Maybe in an update someday?
24 characters makes being the middle of the pack a LOT more hectic. Stuff is flying everywhere, people are running into each other. It's wild. Unfortunately for me, they still haven't really solved my main issue with the game, which is the "it's easier to be in 1st than 5th" principle. This is simple enough for me to ignore though, because the game's still a lot of fun. Also, they did make the blue shell slightly more punishing, so I got some of what I wanted.
I don't plan on playing much Switch 2 myself, but my husband's really excited. I also bought him the Switch 2 version for Tears of the Kingdom because he never played the original on Switch. Also, I'm pretty certain that the system is going to just graft straight on to his hands if he ends up playing Monster Train 2 as much as he did the original.
We're hosting a nerd herd Switch 2 get together this weekend with friends, so I'll get more hands-on time with it then. My preliminary thoughts though are that it seems like a very solid (and much-needed) upgrade to the original.
Do you know if you need to pay for the Nintendo online thing (whatever its called?) to be able to transfer game saves over, or will it just work?
It should just work, though I do have Nintendo Online, so I guess I don't have 100% certainty. The system transfer on initial setup happens directly. It makes you put them near each other and have them both on AC power before the process will start. It copied all of the saves over during the process and then redownloaded all of the games.
Sounds good. Worst case scenario I just pay for Nintendo Online for 1 month I guess... we'll see though because for now Mario Kart is the only game that both me and the kids really care about as far as SW2 exclusives go so I'm holding off.
Betrayal most foul.
Lol, I encouraged him to do it!
I even took over some of his chores so that he could have more game time with his new system.
No betrayal, just happy gamer marriage symbiosis. 🥰
walked into a gamestop and had one in about 5 mins yesterday morning, easy peasy.
my opinion of the hardware is that it's a massive upgrade, everything feels better physically - the new size is good, build quality is better, the new stand is better, etc. UI-wise, things also run smoother, especially the store, which often had weird hiccups when scrolling on the old switch
i'm a bit underwhelmed by the new mario kart. the course design comes off a bit boring to me - too many wide, long straight stretches. i think i'll appreciate it more when i unlock 200cc and can play with friends more regularly
the selection of launch titles is abysmal. basically 1 game (mario kart), some 'upgrades' im not paying for, and for some reason a port of the original ridge racer from 1993 that still looks like it's running on a PS1
overall i'm happy with it and i hope some new interesting titles come soon, but i'm also not sure it's worth the huge price
I was curious what the first Switch's launch titles were and they were surprisingly underwhelming, too. 1-2-Switch, a port of Breath of the Wild, and a bunch of games that either don't really grab my attention or exist on other platforms. So then I looked at the WiiU's, Wii, and Gamecube's and it's all kind of underwhelming. It's generally a mix of the following:
This seems pretty par for the course, honestly. I'm not that into Mario Kart, so I have a feeling the platform-selling game for me is going to come in the next year or two (and it'll probably be Pokemon because I have a problem)
TBF, BotW launched on both wiiu and switch day and date. True it was technically a port but it’s iconically a switch game.
Oh really? For some reason I thought it was WiiU first, then Switch way later. Then again, I was an early adopter of the WiiU (no regrets) and later adopter of the Switch, so that's probably why that's where my head was at. Looks like Twilight Princess was similar as well, with there only being a month's gap between the GC/Wii versions.
Makes sense that if you got to switch later and played it on WiiU that's how you'd categorize it. I got my switch because of BoTW. I'm not getting a switch 2 because I really don't care about Mario Kart and the other ported games I'm interested in have already been played elsewhere.
The GameCube did also have Melee within the next month. They got it out for Christmas, and (after figuring out the RCA jacks because my dad couldn't lol) it personally blew my fucking eyes apart following N64 polygons.
Speaking of, I kinda wonder what kids think - it doesn't seem like there's a terribly big fidelity jump here? Maybe the improved Switch 1 versions would look impressive, when they see Pokémon running at reasonably sane performance levels...
The more launch partners you have, the greater chance of leaks. And game companies may not want to take the risk of targeting a system until they're sure enough units are moving.
This time, at least, we have the whole Switch library, which includes tons of even older games (e.g. Baldur's Gate 1/2, Devil May Cry and the Tomb Raider remasters are on sale for Steam Sale level prices), and you can still benefit from the better hardware. More storage, more comfortable joycons and a bigger screen are nice on their own..and from the limited time I've had to play since I got mine, I'd hazard a guess most games probably benefit from stronger hardware even without graphical updates. More stable framerate, faster load times, etc..
I suspect we'll at least see an announcement for Splatoon 4 before the end of the year, and likely one for Animal Crossing as well. I also am crossing my fingers for a Genshin Impact release on Switch 2, maybe announced with the upcoming expansion.
You know how many years I had to wait in between mainline AC games? Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I want to believe that's true, but evidence is not on my side.
Nintendo just announced a Splatoon spinoff (not a mainline one yet) as well as a free update with Switch 2 improvements and more content for Splatoon 3. Maybe you'll get lucky lol.
https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/splatoon-raiders-the-first-ever-splatoon-spinoff-game-is-coming-to-nintendo-switch-2/
The gap between New Leaf's release and New Horizons's was 8 years, and it's already been 5 since New Horizons came out. Given how well New Horizons sold compared to previous entries, it'd be pretty foolish of them to not develop another one, so I think our chances of a new animal crossing in the first few years of the Switch 2's lifetime aren't that bad.
I would be keen for Mario Galaxy 3
It definitely is. I recall playing a lot of Rogue Squadron or Rogue Leader on my launch Gamecube, because I thought Luigi's Mansion looked dumb and there were like five launch titles lol.
Rogue Squadron and Luigi’s Mansion were mind blowing coming from the N64 though. But with Nintendo’s current strategy they can’t coast on tech demos at launch.
The launch is basically the same as the Switches. Or rather, it’s better. The switch launched with just two games, 1-2 and BotW. It’s important to remember that Mario Kart was the best selling game on switch and one of the best selling games of all time. A new MK entry is a big deal objectively, even if subjectively something like a new Zelda is more appealing to more hardcore gamers.
And the promise of playing switch 1 games with improvements is a big draw, more than what the switch had. Pokemon SV, in particular, is basically a different game on the Switch 2.
Improved performance over the original is one reason why I went for a preorder even if there aren't that many games I'll want coming out this year, I already have a decent library that will benefit. I'm looking forward to finishing the previous Hyrule Warriors games without it chugging along before the new one comes out.
Thank god. The Switch 1 store UI is the most baffling thing about the Switch for me (I think it runs as a website in its webbrowser which is slow as hell). It is the most "broken" part of the device after the joystick drift and they never bothered to fix it in 8 years.
I had completely disconnected from Switch 2 news. Didn't even realize it was coming out this week. I wasn't going to bother picking one up until I had a reason (and money).
Anyway, my partner bought one for me as a gift. They walked into the store late in the morning and picked one up without pre-order. I honestly was a lot more excited than I thought I would be. Then I looked at the eShop. "What game are you gonna get?" I was asked... "Well, there's only really Mario Kart."
Anyway, So I got Mario Kart and played it. The game is peaks and valleys. 24 carts launching triple shells? It's chaos. Get up to first? At least 12 people back there with chances for blue shells and lightning. Then you hit a straightaway. Silence. The whirr of you engine. No boosts for ten straight seconds. Suddenly, five green shells from behind and 2nd place nipping at you with a boomerang. Granted, I could be talking about any Mario Kart with 24 players. If Nintendo made Mario Kart 24 ala FZero 99, it could be the same. The Switch 2 had no bearing on the game, really. Nintendo needs a killer app. Cyberpunk doesn't even hit 60fps. My computer played the game on launch at 60fps with a 1070ti and i5-4670k.
Nothing (except the paid intro) that I've seen so far utilizes all the new 'features' and there's only like five games that aren't 'upgrades' to Switch 1 games!
Anyway, I had a lot of fun yesterday and now have no excuse not to do the dishes.
there are some ways to get boosts eg the dash jump or grinding on rails to do tricks
i recommend checking out the explainer from the main menu to see all the new mechanics in detail
Waited in line in front of GameStop for two and a half hours to pre-ring and picked up later that day at midnight! Been messing around in Mario Kart World, mostly in free roam where I've completely about 10 missions and did the first three cups! The visuals are great and I'm excited for this new "cartoony and expressive" direction for the Mario franchise going forward (which I guess started in Wonder but looks to be continued here and in Bananza). Unlocked all of Waluigi's skins!
I got mine via preorder from Nintendo. System transfer from the OG Switch to the Switch 2 went off without a hitch, as far as I can tell. I'm a bit bummed that I can't play, say, Pokemon Legends: Arceus with a common file shared between both Switches; the save only applies to one bit of hardware. That particular game doesn't support cloud saves, which is just ... confusing.
I haven't had a chance to actually sit down and play the thing, but thus far it's been very accommodating. I don't know how I feel about the Virtual Game Card system; for my family's use case it only adds layers of complexity onto a system that just "worked". I think I'll toggle it back to online license checks.
My main impetus towards buying the Switch 2 on release was in part because I genuinely want to play it, but I have to admit that the larger reason is that the USA's absolutely stupid tariff policies right now (both implemented and manically-tweeted ones) means that I don't know if it'll be cheaper anytime soon.
Ours finally came in last night. I’m not super enthused about most Nintendo games lately so this was really a husband thing. Of the three games he ordered two of them are remakes. The new Mario kart game is pretty fun but those games don’t really hold me for very long; it’s fun for about an hour at a time and then I’m done.
I shelled out the $10 for the Breath of the Wild upgrade, though, and I actually think it’s more than worth it because the experience is so much nicer than the original. The dumb cell phone app connectivity is actually pretty nice simply because it has a map that tells you where the Koroks and landmarks are.
But the thing I think makes the upgrade worth it more than any other feature is the HDR. I have a good OLED TV and going outside of the cave for the first time is actually blinding. The lightly cel-shaded look really makes it pop.
My husband started up Tears of the Kingdom and I’m seriously impressed with how good it looks.
I always thought BotW and TotK were gorgeous games with fantastic art styles that deserved better hardware. That’s not a knock against the Switch 1 by any means — in fact it is incredible to me that games of such scope ran at all on what was basically a large phone from 2017.
The new hardware and game updates really give them their due, visually.
I got mine! I had a pre order from Best Buy. I decided to go to the launch event (11pm last night where I am) and there were a ton of people there! In addition to about 150 people in the pre-order pickup line, there must have been 250 people there without a pre order and most of them got one!
Anyways, I didn’t get home until 1245am and my bedtime is 1130 so I just went through setup quickly and didn’t play until after work today. Mario Kart World is the only switch 2 title I have so far. It’s fun! The mechanics aren’t that much different from 8 (not necessarily a bad thing), but the open world and knockout races are new and fun.
I also still need to finish Tears of the Kingdom, so I’ll do that with the Switch 2 upgraded version now. Besides that, I’ll be waiting for some more titles like DK and Metroid Prime 4.
It will likely be like the switch 1 for me where it isn’t my primary gaming system, but it pays for itself over 6 years when I dust it off for the big first party titles.
I don’t have that much to go off so far, but it feels like a hardware refresh instead of something entirely new, but I think that’s a good thing. Nintendo was so drastically behind on hardware and many third party games either ran like shit or just didn’t come to switch and this will let them catch up in that regard for a bit while still allowing them a tried and true platform to put out their own games.
I remember with the Wii around Christmas... stores getting 10 in a shipment.
This is just the initial launch so maybe supply will slow, but this feels nothing like previous launches.
Nintendo reportedly delayed the launch date to increase the number of consoles they'd have at launch.
Don't have a Switch 2 yet, but I literally just ordered one.
Amazon had one in stock, but it's from a retailer that's marked it up to £750. Very are out of stock. So are GAME and Argos.
Then I checked the Nintendo website... To my absolute shock, I was able to snag a Switch 2 and Mario Kart World (the game I was going to get on launch regardless) bundle for £425 on there. On fucking launch day too.
Weird, may be regional, Nintendo requires my invite to purchase from their site. Bit annoyed about the whole thing, I've had their family subscription for 8 years and registered for a system a while back. Nothing but crickets from them this week.
I had gotten a message from them a few weeks ago saying that they did receive a request from my account and that they intend to get everyone who signed up in the registry an opportunity to purchase one.
My guess is that they'll keep churning through the list as they get stock until everyone gets a chance and then they'll turn out out for direct public purchase.
What’s everyone’s plan for their old Switch?
Sell it? Give it away? Put it in a drawer and forget about it?
Add it to their shrine to Miyamoto?It’s going back to the shelf I had it on before I transferred my Zelda saves to it. 😸
Consoles are collection. They never get sold.
I have a early model Switch, so it'll either become the Ring Fit console or getting modded.
Or both? Maybe both.
If I have another device that I'm using online, it's homebrew time for the old device. The Wii, Wii U, and 3DS are astoundingly good platforms, I'm sure the Switch is or will be great.
I'm holding off on the Switch 2 until I have a better handle on the state of backwards compatibility. I have a lot of games purchased off the Switch eshop and I'm not interested in picking up a Switch 2 unless I know I can keep working through that backlog on it.
So after watching a few initial reviews focused on back compat (MVG and SwitchStars both put out useful comparisons) it seems like it's pretty good and improves performance of Switch titles significantly. I'll still try to wait until they go on sale or drop in price, or if I'm feeling really patient until they do a hardware refresh like with the Switch OLED, but more likely than not I'll cave and get one a lot sooner.
I picked mine up yesterday. Played a bunch of Mario Kart World with my wife and we're having a blast.
I think the most unexpectedly exciting thing about the Switch 2 though is the backwards compatibility. Every poorly running Switch 1 game I've tested is more or less completely fixed on Switch 2. Even Hyrule Warriors and all three Bayonetta games run at a locked 60 FPS as far as I can tell.
My husband saved up for it, but he wants to wait to hear more reviews before buying it. So far, I'm hearing mainly positives so I anticipate him getting it at some point. So I'll get to see how it truly is IRL with his games..
Me... I'm over here wondering when the Switch lite 2 will be coming out..lol....maybe late 2025/early 2026? We'll see...
Bought it on release and I’m incredibly happy with my purchase. Finished TOTK, Mario kart is super fun, sadly my internet is really bad so I didn’t play online yet
I just got the email that I can buy one from the Nintendo Store itself, anyone think I should or shouldn't pull the trigger? $500 isn't nothing to me but it's not thatttt much. I haven't finished TOTK and I usually bust out my switch for Mario Kart/Party and Smash Bros. I enjoy playing some single player games on it, and I'm looking forwards to playing MK World!
I was probably gonna get one before Thanksgiving this year regardless since it's usually my job to bring the games!
I don’t think any of us can tell you if it’s worth it to you personally. For me, it isn’t. But it was for my husband.
I will say, though, if you want to get the Switch 2 enhanced version of TotK it will let you bring your saves across plus give you an extra slot.
yeah, i guess the better question is more of "what makes it worth it or not worth it to you?" kinda question. I'm more leaning towards getting it right now but I'm gonna sleep on it haha.
My husband, a big Switch gamer, loves it.
If you’ve been feeling the limitations of the original hardware and want a nice new freshening up, then I say go for it.
On the other hand, if you’re happy with your Switch or it gets only occasional use from you, it might not be worth the plunge.
I'm not a super heavy Switch user (mostly Splatoon, Project Diva, Mario Kart and Switch rereleases of old games on occasion) but I can say it's a major upgrade that fixes a lot of the dated aspects of the old one. So if you use it at all frequently, it's going to just be improving the experience.
My rationale was spending like: I was finding some aspects of the Switch 2 frustrating, I know it will get more games I'll want later, and if this generation lasts as long as the first...I'm getting about $60/year of value out of it by buying it early. YMMV.
JerryRigEverything - Nintendo Switch 2 Teardown