Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on preview: Your key questions answered

For Nintendo fans (myself included), the last couple of weeks have been a real rollercoaster. On 2 April, the company finally pulled the wraps off the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2, behind which followed a torrent of specs, features and best of all, games.

Despite shedding light on a few of the forthcoming console’s fundamentals, by the end of the Switch 2’s Nintendo Direct, I – and seemingly the rest of the gaming community – was left with far more questions than answers.

Fast-forward to a little over a week later and I’m at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in London, determined to satiate my (and your) curiosity, and ease my concerns. Here’s everything I learnt.

Toughened up

The Switch 2 is undoubtedly a hardier beast than the original. For one, that new, larger 7.9-inch screen cover doesn’t feel like plastic – it has the same rigid feel as the glass on the Switch OLED; something I hadn’t seen mentioned anywhere before getting hands-on with one.

If that is a glass cover, that does reduce the chance of scratches… but it doesn’t eliminate them. There were only two untethered units at the Switch 2 Experience in London, and despite being one of the earliest there on the first day of the event, with the display turned off, there were already a few noticeable scrapes on the hardware.

However, I suspect the devices at the event may have been the same as those used at the initial Paris hands-on a week prior, in which case this early wear and tear may be the result of a few thousand journalists, influencers and Nintendo fans having already put these particular samples through their paces; not a normal use case. Nonetheless, consider investing in a screen protector, if you like carrying your Switch with you.

Even with some additional ports and holes – there’s now a secondary top-mounted USB-C for accessories and power when the console is docked or being used in tabletop mode, alongside cooling outlets and two long speaker grilles underneath – the dark grey plastic in between and throughout the main body of the Switch 2 looks thicker and feels sturdier (it also has a subtle sparkle to it too).

The game card slot cover appears to have been reinforced as well, with fractionally thicker plastic being revealed when pulled up (resulting in a little less flex), accompanied by a new metal shroud that serves to better protect inserted cartridges, while also reducing the risk of the cover coming open if accidentally caught.

It’s no secret that Nintendo made a mistake with the flimsy offset plastic kickstand on the original Switch. Of course, it remedied things four years later, with the revised version on the OLED model, and now the Switch 2’s is a ‘best-of-both’ of sorts.

Like the Switch OLED, it runs the length of the console’s back, is hewn from sturdy metal and can hold its position at any angle through its full range of motion. Unlike the OLED model’s kickstand though, it’s taken on a U-shape, rather than a full, flat panel, occupying less space. This undoubtedly helps keep weight down on what is a notably heavier device; 27% heftier in handheld mode (534 grams), in fact, compared to the OLED model’s 420-gram kerb weight.

On the subject of weight, while I never played a single game for more than 15 minutes (the demos automatically reset after this time), even though this is the heaviest Switch yet, it’s still significantly lighter than the next high-end gaming handheld (the base ROG Ally, at 608 grams). In practice, I had no issue with arm or wrist fatigue whilst weaving through traffic in Night City, but your mileage will obviously vary.

Eye candy

With all this talk of ‘OLED’, it’s probably time to address the elephant in the room: the Switch 2 has reverted back to an LCD panel.

Although disappointing on paper, the panel Nintendo has gone for is still very good, and a huge step up from the viewing experience on the original Switch and Switch Lite. It doesn’t have the beautiful blacks of the Switch OLED panel, but while I didn’t have a suitable title – like Metroid Dread – to scrutinise the screen extensively, there wasn’t any significant light leak, and contrast and colours appeared strong too.

Part of this is likely due to the panel’s HDR talents, although I would have loved if Nintendo had opted for mini-LED tech as a more affordable compromise to OLED; granting better localised dimming than what’s on show.

Beyond the obvious (and still surprising) improvements afforded to games by the display’s native Full HD 120fps output, one other upgrade that appears to have gone unnoticed is that the Switch 2’s screen looks to be laminated too. This means the pixels are as close to the cover glass as possible, without so much as an air gap, reducing reflectivity and improving clarity and contrast even further.

Rails or magnets?

Joy-Cons are among the most unique aspects of the Switch’s hardware (even if newcomers like the Lenovo Legion Go have since cribbed the concept), and the larger Joy-Con 2s on the Switch 2 are a worthwhile upgrade. Their larger size means better ergonomics (the face/directional buttons have been scaled up too), but they don’t rely on rails to attach and detach from the Switch 2’s body, as on previous models; they use magnets.

To attach the new Joy-Con 2s, you nestle the lower half of each controller into their respective channel on either side of the main console, and then push the upper half in, so the whole thing lines up. You’ll feel the pull of some strong magnets, accompanied by a satisfying ‘click’ as a physical latch locks them into place from the top.

Once attached, the connection feels on par with the old rail system, enough so that I’d be comfortable walking around with the Switch 2 at my side, being held by only a single Joy-Con 2… though I wouldn’t wave the thing around.

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

I was a little disheartened to see that there’s about as much ‘wiggle’ with these new Joy-Cons as there was with the rail-mounted ‘Cons on the original Switch. While I don’t think this means they’ll break loose, it does cheapen the feel of the whole system just a little bit.

Some have also expressed concern about the contacts that protrude out of channels on each side of the Switch 2 when the Joy-Con 2s are detached, but based on the strength of the connection when you reattach the controllers and the specific way in which the pieces slot together, I don’t think the amount of concerned voices is warranted.

Picking for performance

Of the more than 40 first and third-party titles featured in 2 April’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, the London showcase served up an impressive array of 17 entries for hands-on opportunities. But one shone above all the others.

If you’re looking for a Switch 2 original that best showcases the platform’s hardware and software at launch, you’ll want to play Mario Kart World. It’s no surprise that it’s the title Nintendo selected for the console’s launch bundle.

Of all the Switch 2-native titles (i.e. excluding upgraded Switch 2 Edition entries and virtual console offerings), no single game delivered such a consistent high fidelity experience; including a rock-solid 60fps, crisp HDR visuals and engrossing gameplay that was both immediately familiar and surprising (thanks to the new open-world structure and fresh mechanics, like wall riding, rail grinding and 24-player races) all at once.

Joint second place goes to Metroid Prime 4 and Donkey Kong Bananza. Samus’ latest caper grants the ability to switch to Mouse Mode on the fly for precisions aiming, along with the option of 120fps fluidity; rendering Beyond the tightest feeling entry in the Prime series yet.

DK’s new fully 3D action adventure meanwhile, has both a look and feel reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey, but serves up a new story for the (now) pants-wearing primate, with rich traversal mechanics and impressive amounts of destructible terrain. I was aware, however, that the build at the event did show clear frame-drops and stutter, usually when transitioning in and out of in-game cutscenes, but this was apparent at other moments too.

Beyond the truly ‘new’ Switch 2 titles, it was also a treat to experience both Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom with enhanced textures, clarity and nary a hint of stutter, whilst running at 60fps in their refreshed Switch 2 Edition guises. Fans of the series will be very pleased, so long as you’re happy with the upgrade cost (confirmed at $9.99 in the US). Those buying the full Switch 2 Edition of Breath of the Wild may find it hard to stomach the full price of the game, considering that doesn’t include any of the DLC.

I also spoke with members of CD Projekt Red at the showcase, before getting some time with Cyberpunk 2077. Seeing the stadium in Dogtown (the Switch 2 Edition of 2077 includes the base game’s DLC), was a visual treat beyond anything I expected of the console, even if frame rates in both handheld and docked often dropped below Performance Mode’s promised 40fps target. Nonetheless, it was one of the most impressive technical demos of the day, and the hope is that CDPR tightens Ultimate Edition up even further in time for the Switch 2’s launch (with the game set to go on sale on the same day).

Controller comforts

Mouse Mode is one of the stranger tricks in the Switch 2’s arsenal. By turning each Joy-Con 2 on its side and attaching the included strap (which features specialised feet) you can run the controllers across smooth surfaces for mouse-like interaction.

In Metroid Prime 4 you gain the benefit of precision aiming, and as I mentioned earlier, the ability to switch to it spontaneously further deepens the gameplay experience. Meanwhile, Civ VII allows for more traditional mouse cursor-based gameplay, while first-party launch title Drag x Drive has you using both Joy-Con 2s to swipe forward and backward, controlling a wheelchair basketball player.

As you might imagine, even with the increased size, using the Joy-Cons along their thinnest edge for extended periods doesn’t make for the best ergonomic experience, which is why it’s no surprise that some of the first third-party Switch 2 accessories I saw floating around online (besides Hori’s excellent Piranha Plant camera) were more robust grip cases for the Joy-Con 2s.

Across both Metroid and Drag x Drive, I found that my wrists ended up turning my hands inward to a 45-degree angle in order to ease any discomfort, not to mention I kept catching face buttons at this odd angle. If you’re curious, Mouse Mode works well enough when played directly on your legs, with wrinkles in fabric posing the biggest challenge to control and composure.

As far as more traditional control schemes go, Nintendo also brought a new Pro Controller to the table alongside the Switch 2. It’s aesthetically and ergonomically almost identical to the previous Pro Controller, with the added benefit of GL and GR buttons on the underside of the grips, integrated audio (with a built-in 3.5mm headphone socket) and, of course, that all-important new ‘C’ button, to access the Switch 2’s new GameChat feature.

In practice, the difference in feel between the first and second-gen Pro Controllers is negligible, with both offering larger face buttons and a more conventional form factor than the Joy-Cons. As such, those in possession of the first-gen controller need only worry about upgrading if you absolutely insist on retaining home button-to-wake functionality, which frustratingly is exclusive to the Switch 2 Pro Controller.

I also tried out the new GameCube controller, announced as a tie-in to the new GameCube virtual console that comes as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass experience, exclusively on Switch 2.

Running around Outset Island in Wind Waker (one of the first titles to come to the GameCube virtual console), felt exactly the same, and while there are minor tweaks, ergonomically and haptically, this new GameCube controller feels just like the original; right down to the squeeze-and-click analogue shoulder buttons. It does include new GameChat and Home buttons, positioned along the top face, next to a new USB-C charging port, but otherwise looks and feels unchanged.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to go on sale in select markets internationally, on 5 June.