TL;DR: If you skipped the original Switch, buy this now. If you’re rocking a first-gen Switch that’s held together by Joy-Con drift and good vibes, this is a hefty and worthy upgrade. But if you’ve got a Steam Deck, a gaming PC, or even a PS5, and you’re not a Zelda zealot or a Mario Kart maniac, maybe wait. The software lineup feels more like an enhanced greatest hits album than a full new tracklist.

1. Intro: A Sequel to a Classic

Let’s not sugarcoat it: the original Nintendo Switch was lightning in a bottle. A 2017 miracle that somehow revived Nintendo’s hardware relevance post-Wii U disaster, it turned hybrid gaming from a novelty into a lifestyle.

Now, eight years and over 140 million units later, the Switch 2 is finally in our hands. But this time around, Nintendo isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it’s polishing the hubcaps, giving it a bigger frame, faster engine, and a few new bells and whistles. It’s a Switch with a gym membership, a better attitude, and a chip on its shoulder. But is that enough in a world dominated by 4K monsters like the PS5 Pro and a growing legion of portable PC hybrids?

That’s the central tension here. The Switch 2 isn’t trying to compete directly. It’s a Nintendo console through and through: charming, slightly oddball, and relentlessly focused on gaming fun rather than raw specs. But in 2025, charming might not be enough.

2. Design and Hardware: Thicc With Two Cs

At first glance, the Switch 2 looks like its older sibling after bulking up for a Marvel role. It’s beefier in all the right ways: a bigger, brighter OLED screen dominates the front, the bezels are thinner, and the chassis has been subtly refined with more ergonomic grips. It’s still very much a handheld you can dock, but one that feels a lot more premium.

The dock, too, gets a facelift. It’s smoother, more rounded, and features upgraded internal tech that allows for faster docking-to-TV transitions and better heat dispersion. On the back? A sturdier kickstand that actually works this time. You can tilt it at multiple angles, which means you’re no longer stuck in that awkward airplane tray table position.

Nintendo also fixed the cursed cartridge flap. It now clicks shut securely instead of flapping around like a forgotten Game Boy Advance accessory. It’s the kind of tiny change you barely notice until you go back to the original and scream, “WHY DIDN’T THEY FIX THIS SOONER?!”

3. Setup Experience: Nintendo Quirks Still Intact

Getting started with the Switch 2 is like setting up a new iPhone if that iPhone was made by a company that sometimes forgets what year it is. First, the good: transfer from your old Switch is shockingly smooth. Place the two consoles next to each other, connect to Wi-Fi, sign in with your Nintendo ID, and you’re pretty much golden.

But then, Nintendo does that thing it always does: it assumes it knows what’s best for you. In this case, that meant re-downloading dozens of my previously played titles without asking. I had to spend 15 minutes canceling downloads like I was trying to close pop-up ads in the early 2000s.

Also, with just 256GB of internal storage (and about 75GB of that taken up by OS and updates), that auto-download spree turned into a game of digital whack-a-mole. Even before I installed Mario Kart World and Cyberpunk 2077, I was flirting dangerously close to storage panic.

It’s classic Nintendo: one foot in the future, the other stuck in the past.

4. The Joy-Con Situation: Magnetic Personalities

Oh Joy-Cons, how you’ve haunted my drift-ridden dreams. Thankfully, the new Joy-Cons have been reimagined with magnets and better internals. They click into place like magic and feel sturdier, weightier, and slightly more refined in your hands.

They still come in left-right pairs, but they’re more comfortable now, with a subtle ergonomic curve that prevents cramping during long sessions. I spent three hours in Mario Kart World and didn’t feel like I needed wrist surgery afterward.

You can even use them as mouse pointers, which works better than it sounds, especially in games with touch-like interfaces or in the new eShop UI. Will it replace a proper mouse? Absolutely not. But it’s a clever little feature that hints at more utility-focused Joy-Con usage in the future.

5. Display & Audio: Big Screen, Big Sound, Meh HDR

Let’s talk screen: this OLED display is glorious. It’s sharp, punchy, and vibrant even in daylight. Playing Tears of the Kingdom in handheld mode is a visual treat, like seeing your favorite movie remastered in IMAX for the first time.

The screen is 7.9 inches now, up from the OG’s 6.2 inches, and the bezels are almost invisible. That alone makes everything feel more immersive. Combine that with dual stereo speakers that pump out surprisingly rich sound, and the handheld experience is elevated far beyond what we had in 2017.

And then there’s HDR. Yes, it’s technically there. Yes, it’s enabled in some games. But you’d be hard-pressed to notice the difference. It’s not bad—just barely noticeable. In 2025, that’s borderline inexcusable.

6. Switch 2 OS and Interface: If It Ain’t Broke…

Welcome to the land of incremental UI upgrades. The Switch 2 operating system is a classic case of “familiar but better.” It looks nearly identical to the original Switch OS at first glance, and if you’re used to those minimalist tiles and that stripped-down home screen, you’ll feel right at home. But under the hood? There’s actually a lot of quality-of-life improvement going on.

The new round-edged icons match the console’s physical design and feel more modern. Navigating through menus is faster, animations are smoother, and the eShop no longer lags like a 2006 flash site. It’s not a radical redesign, but it is more polished and more responsive.

Still, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed. Where are the folders? The themes? Why can’t we pin favorite games or change our dashboard layout? These are small features that gamers have been requesting for years, and yet Nintendo seems to pretend those suggestions don’t exist. In 2025, that minimalism feels less like design philosophy and more like stubbornness.

7. New Features: GameChat and Mouse-Cons

So what’s actually new here beyond the visuals and performance? The big two headline features are GameChat and Joy-Con mouse support. Both feel like Nintendo finally realizing it’s not 2007 anymore.

GameChat is an integrated voice and video chat system built into the OS. You can chat with friends mid-game without needing a separate app or third-party workaround. I tested it out in Mario Kart World and it worked shockingly well—no lag, no weird disconnects. But the UI still lacks the depth of a full Discord-style experience, and most multiplayer Switch games still have to opt-in.

The Joy-Con mouse support is more gimmick than game-changer. It’s neat that I can scroll through menus or aim in certain games by pointing the Joy-Con like a Wiimote, but this feels like a tech demo more than a core feature. Unless devs start building mechanics around it, it’ll likely be forgotten like the Wii U GamePad’s NFC reader.

8. Launch Games: The Good, The Ports, and The Zelda

Let’s get to the meat of it: what can you actually play on the Switch 2 right now?

Nintendo rolled out with a surprisingly robust launch lineup—over two dozen titles are ready to go on day one. But, before you celebrate with a celebratory Joy-Con twirl, a little reality check: a large portion of those are ports. Good ports, mind you, but ports nonetheless.

Among the standouts are Mario Kart World, Bravely Default HD, and the surprisingly well-optimized Cyberpunk 2077. Yes, the game that made high-end PCs cry in 2020 now runs on a Nintendo handheld. Witchcraft? Maybe. It’s not running on Ultra, of course, but the performance is stable, and the updated Joy-Con aiming mechanics give it an almost Switch-native vibe.

Then there’s Nintendo’s crown jewel: Zelda. Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have been re-released with graphical and performance enhancements. For just $10 (or free with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack), you get a significant visual upgrade—think sharper textures, higher draw distances, and a locked 60FPS in most scenarios. They feel reborn.

Other upgraded favorites like Super Mario Odyssey, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, and 3D World + Bowser’s Furyalso show improvements, though they’re less dramatic. Still, going back to unoptimized titles like Splatoon 3 or Xenoblade Chronicles X is a bit jarring.

Verdict? It’s a good start. But we’re still waiting for that one game that fully justifies the new hardware. Metroid Prime 4, I’m looking at you.

9. Backward Compatibility and GameCube Resurrection

Backward compatibility is a huge deal, and Nintendo nailed it here. Your entire existing Switch library plays on the Switch 2 without issue. Load times are faster, performance is better, and the upgraded hardware helps even unpatched games run a bit more smoothly. No weird emulation hiccups, no missing features.

But the real treat? GameCube games are finally back—officially. Thanks to the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier, you can now download and play a curated collection of GameCube classics. I took a nostalgic tour through F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and SoulCalibur II, and I’ve gotta say: they hold up incredibly well.

No, these aren’t full remasters. But the upscaling and smooth emulation make them look sharp even on a 4K display. Nintendo’s emulator does what fans have been asking for years, and if they keep rolling out more GameCube titles every month? That Expansion Pack is going to become a must-have.

10. Storage Wars: MicroSD or Bust

Let’s talk about the elephant in the cartridge slot: 256GB of internal storage. And no, you don’t get all of that. After system files and updates, you’re left with somewhere around 175GB.

That sounds like a lot—until you realize Tears of the Kingdom Enhanced Edition is 45GB, Cyberpunk 2077 is 60GB, and Mario Kart World is another 30GB. You could run out of space with just three or four major games.

To make matters worse, Nintendo has moved on from traditional MicroSD to MicroSD Express, which offers faster speeds but at a higher price. Got a drawer full of older cards from your 3DS and Switch 1 days? Sorry, they won’t cut it here. And while a USB-C port on the dock might suggest external storage options in docked mode, there’s no official support for hard drives at launch.

This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s definitely a frustration. If you’re serious about going digital with the Switch 2, budget for at least a 1TB MicroSD Express card. Your backlog will thank you.

11. Performance: Hot, Literally

Here’s the good news: the Switch 2 finally feels like a modern console. Games load quickly, frame rates are steady, and everything from UI transitions to eShop browsing is buttery smooth.

The not-so-good news? It runs hot. Like, noticeably hot. Especially in handheld mode. It’s not uncomfortable at first, but after an hour of playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the go, you’ll start feeling the warmth creeping into your palms. It’s not Steam Deck-level heat, but it’s hotter than any previous Nintendo handheld.

Battery life is respectable. You’re looking at 6 to 8 hours depending on what you’re playing and whether you’re online. I got about 7 hours from a single charge while playing Bravely Default HD and jumping into Wind Waker.

It’s not flawless, but it’s a massive step forward. For the first time, a Nintendo console doesn’t feel like it’s held together by dreams and 32-bit glue.

12. The Verdict: Is the Switch 2 Worth It Right Now?

So, let’s bring it all together. Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth your hard-earned rupees, rings, and Pokécoins right now? Well, that depends.

If you skipped the original Switch or if yours is currently a Frankensteined machine of cracked screens, drifting Joy-Cons, and a battery that taps out faster than Little Mac against Mike Tyson—then yes, absolutely. The Switch 2 is not just a better version of what came before—it’s a full-blown evolution. Games look and feel better, performance is silky, and that OLED screen is almost worth the price of admission alone.

If you’re deep in the Nintendo ecosystem, have a library of Switch 1 games, and don’t mind some minor growing pains like limited launch exclusives or pricey storage upgrades, this is a solid buy. Especially if you’re a fan of Nintendo’s greatest hits and want to play them in their best form yet.

But if you already own a Steam Deck, a PS5, or a high-end gaming PC, and you’re not a die-hard for Zelda, Mario, or the magical nostalgia trip that is GameCube support, then maybe—just maybe—you wait. The big hitters like Metroid Prime 4, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment are still on the horizon. The Switch 2 is good now. It’ll be great in a year.

My Take? I’m All In.

Even with its quirks, even with its heat, even with the eyeroll-inducing storage limitations—this thing is fun. Like, play until your eyes hurt and your cat starts judging you fun. Nintendo still has the secret sauce, and Switch 2 is the vessel for the next decade of that flavor.