Jack Harmon

On April 2nd, Nintendo released a new installment in their annual Direct presentations focusing on the unveiling of new details on their next flagship console, the Switch 2, alongside a selection of games from Nintendo and third-party publishers releasing alongside the console and during its first year on the market. This has been a system I have been waiting anxiously for over the past several years, as the system I got at launch is starting to show its age and was long overdue for a replacement. After watching the Direct, a lot of the optimism I had turned into skepticism in regards to a number of details not disclosed by Nintendo during the presentation. There are details about the console I do like, but there are a lot of glaring issues me and most people online have problems with.

New Features and Hardware

Starting with the system itself, the Switch 2 is noticeably larger than its predecessor, boasting a larger 7.9-inch screen compared to the Switch’s 6.2-inch screen, while maintaining the same thickness for the system itself. This screen also increases the graphical resolution from 720p to 1080p and also features support for 120fps and HDR resolution. What I find surprising about these specifications for the screen is that it is an LCD rather than an OLED, which many believed to be the standard following the release of the Switch OLED model in 2021. This is something I’d have to see for myself, but I have doubts as to if sticking with an LCD was a smart decision.

As a result of having a larger screen, the Joy-Con controllers themselves, appropriately named the Joy-Con 2, also got a noticeable size increase which fixes a major complaint about them being too small for some people, especially the SL/SR buttons when held sideways. They also are attached by magnets as opposed to sliding them in with a larger detach button on the back, making them a lot easier to remove the wrist strap attachment. The new Joy-Con 2s also have a new control mechanic that allows it to function like a computer mouse, which have functionality for games like Metroid Prime 4 and Drag x Drive. In addition, there is also a new “C” button below the home button which opens the new GameChat, a Discord-esque voice chat feature that functions with a new optional camera attachment that also has additional functionality with certain titles and connected using a USB-C port added to the top of the console.

Backwards Compatibility

As many suspected, the Switch 2 has essentially full backwards compatibility with all titles released on the original Switch system. There is a list of games Nintendo released that have issues when trying to play them on the new system at the time of writing, with the only game confirmed to be totally unplayable being the Nintendo Labo VR experience given the larger size of the system being unable to fit in the cardboard headset (and I presume not a lot of people even kept the Labo equipment anyways).

Nintendo also announced that some of the compatible first-party games will also receive updates that will improve playability on the Switch 2. However, some games like New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and Pokémon Scarlet/Violet will receive those updates for free, while some like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Party Jamboree will be getting specialized Switch 2 versions that add features like improved performance, Joy-Con 2 mouse control support and/or additional content for an additional fee if you purchased them prior to the system’s launch, with them also being available in full for people who didn’t buy them for the previous system but want to for the new one. Additionally, previously announced titles like Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon Legends: Z-A will launch with both versions.

In addition to software backwards compatibility, the original Switch Joy-Con controllers and the original pro controller can be used for the Switch 2. I’m not sure what the limitations for the Joy-Con 1s will be in regards to functionality with Switch 2 software, but Nintendo has stated that these controllers are required to play games like Ring Fit Adventure and 1-2-Switch on the system as they are incompatible with the revised Joy-Cons. As for the pro controller, there is also a revised version that features the new GameChat button, a headphone jack, and programmable buttons on the back.

Pricing

Not disclosed during the presentation but rather published on the official system website was the pricing for both the Switch 2 and its games. The official price for the Switch 2 by itself costs $450 USD with a version sold with Mario Kart World will also be available for a whopping $500. Myself and others assumed that it would be closer within the range of $350 to $400, but the extra 50 bucks seems to have sent the internet into a firestorm of confusion and outrage. Not only the system itself is more expensive, but first-party games like Mario Kart and the Switch 2 edition re-releases are going to be sold for $80 a pop, although the upgrades on the eShop for the Switch 1 versions are presumably gonna be sold for around $10.

Now Nintendo says that the steeper prices are to account for the new premium features that the Switch 2 features, which is something I would totally say is justified if there was a bit more power under the hood with specs closer to the PS5 and Series X instead of their previous generation iterations. Plus with the massive trainwreck that is the American government and the current administration’s failure to understand how tariffs work, there is a major concern that the price could increase even closer to $500 as a result of those tariffs. Assuming Nintendo drops the price of the system some time after launch, I might as well hold off on purchasing the Switch 2 like when the 3DS was released over a decade ago.