Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on: my biggest fear turned into my favorite feature
But new fear unlocked: prices could increase in the US due to tariffs
Update: Our new Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide has the latest information on the officially confirmed date and time in the US for April 24, 2025.
Fun fact: there are (N)64 days between April 2’s Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event and June 5’s release date. Nintendo totally did that on purpose. And I now have that long to decide if this console is worth $449 – or possibly more due to US tariffs.
dbrand Killswitch case for Switch 2
I already put $3 down on sponsor dbrand’s Killswitch case for Switch 2, which is launching alongside Nintendo’s console in June. The biggest sell for me: the ergonomic grips for the Joy-Cons, which I felt were much-needed after demoing the Switch 2 this past weekend. Plus, I want their Travel Cover for on-the-go protection.
🙌 Massively improved comfort vs the standard Joy-Con controllers thanks to the ergonomic grips. You can still detach the Joy-Cons from the console when using the Killswitch case
🔌 Custom Dock Adapter with USB4 pass-through, ensuring compatibility with Nintendo’s official dock without needing to remove the case
🧳 The snap-on Travel Cover is rated for over 120lbs of crush-proof protection while taking your Switch 2 on the go, and includes an integrated Game Card Holder for up to 10 games
💸 $3 reservation today guarantees priority access to this accessory
Learn more about The Shortcut sponsorships to work with us
My Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on
My Switch 2 hands-on time tempered my biggest fear: does the return to an LCD screen feel like a downgrade over my Switch OLED? To put it simply: no. The 7.9-inch screen is not only bigger, but it boasts 1080p graphics at 120fps with HDR and VRR. This isn’t the same screen technology as the eight-year-old original Switch. You’ll love it.
Our Asus ROG Ally X review shows that PC handhelds have their place with over-the-top specs. But they can’t replicate one thing: Mario and other Nintendo game franchises. Everyone on The Shortcut team wants to buy a Switch 2 to play Mario Kart World together with the new camera – just to brutally taunt each other in GameChat.
Still, some big unknowns await my Switch 2 review. Does the Nintendo Switch 2 battery life meet Nintendo’s promise? How much will the AI-powered Nvidia DLSS upscaling be a game-changer? Will it be worth its price? Are the games really going to be worth $80? I was lucky enough to attend Nintendo’s Switch 2 Experience in NYC to find out as much information as I could.
Let’s take a tour of Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order update
📆 US pre-order date delay. I’ll email The Shortcut subscribers about the new pre-order date and time as soon as Nintendo revises its timeline.
🌟 Walmart: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🏷️ Best Buy Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🎯 Target Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🛑 GameStop Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
📦 Amazon (not live; we’ll see if Amazon even sells it at launch)
🚀 Launch date is still June 5. Two months from today, you’ll be able to play with the Switch 2. The actual release date hasn’t been delayed.
💰 $449 is a lot of Mario coins. We’ll see if US tariffs increase the price, but for now, it’s $150 more than 2017’s Switch 1, and $100 more than 2021’s Switch 1 OLED. Sony is suddenly selling PS5 Slim with the family-friendly Astro Bot included for $449 thanks to a recent price drop. Curious timing, Sony.
💸 Games cost… how much?! The real kicker: Nintendo is pricing some games at $70 and $80 – and charging a $10 premium for cartridge-based versions. Some have argued that N64 games were $50 and $60 in 1996… that was 28 years ago!
💯 You need to buy this bundle. Seriously! PSA: don’t buy the Switch 2 standalone console if you want Mario Kart World. At $499, the bundle costs $50 more than the standalone, yet the game by itself costs $80 digitally. Save yourself $30.
❌ Switch 2 $450
❌ Mario Kart World $80
✅ Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle $500 (save $30)
About that screen
📺 This LCD is impressive. Nintendo has reverted to an LCD screen four years after touting the superior tech of OLED. Everyone was skeptical, including me. Thankfully, this isn’t the dim display you experienced in 2017. It’s brighter with a higher 1080p resolution (up from 720p) and supports HDR10 and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. That means smoother and more responsive visuals in compatible Nintendo Switch 2 120fps games.
📐 Big 7.9-inch = big difference. You won’t be able to return to a 6.2-inch Switch 1 or a 7-inch Switch OLED. The nearly 8-inch Switch 2 screen feels more immersive on the go. Note: this means the console’s width increased by 1.3 inches, so pack smart. However, it’s the same thickness as the original Switch.
⏩ 120fps VRR feels fresh. Switch 2 can reach double the frame rate of the Switch 1, a boon for the fast-paced, high-action titles I played, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. With VRR (variable refresh rate), the games didn’t skip a beat.
👀 4K docked to a TV is a sight. My sore eyes, for eight years, were trained on a 4K TV playing my 1080p-capped Switch 1 in TV mode. What a waste of pixels on all of the TVs we review! So, I was thrilled to play nine games on Switch 2 in TV mode using 4K TVs at Nintendo’s event – there were four times the pixels in the highly animated Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.
Switch 2 specs
⛓️💥 Detaching the Joy-Con easily. I detached the magnetically-held left and right Joy-Con controllers with a simple button press. This forced a piece of internal plastic to jut out and physically separate the Joy-Con from the screen body. It’s very simple.
🧲 Magnets clip the Joy-Con back in. Magnets inside the screen body and metal SL and SR buttons made for a strong connection. Not once did it feel like the Joy-Con would fall off. It’s easier than the rail system used by the prior Switch consoles.
🕹️ No Hall Effect sticks. Joy-Con 2’s analog sticks felt durable during my demos, but we got word that they aren’t Hall Effect sticks. I hope they’ve been designed to be more durable than the Joy-Con 1 analog sticks that exhibited stick drift over time.🤞
🔌 TWO USB-C ports. This is so convenient. The top and bottom USB-C ports allow me to charge and attach an accessory simultaneously. I can also charge in tabletop mode. This fixes one of my few gripes about the Switch 1.
🗼 Full-width Kickstand gets low. The built-in kickstand can position the Switch 2 from a low angle in tabletop mode. This U-shaped, full-width stand is a bigger deal if you’re upgrading from the flimsy Switch 1 (non-OLED) console.
🎮 Upgraded $80 Pro controller. I haven’t seen many people detail their hands-on time with the Switch 2 Pro controller, so let me say this: it’s a big upgrade with a more comfortable design and new customizable buttons on the rear grips (GL and GR). I tested the Pro controller on both Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, and it was my favorite way to play in TV mode. I didn’t play any games that used the D-Pad, but I hope the overly sensitive Switch 1 Pro controller’s D-Pad has been fixed (it leads to far too many accidental hard drops of puzzle pieces in Tetris 99).
🙌 My least favorite way to play got better. I love the idea of sharing a detached right or left controller with a friend for impromptu multiplayer. But I avoid playing with detached Joy-Con on Switch 1 because the SL and SR buttons are small and hard to press. Switch 2 addresses this with bigger metal buttons on the side of the Joy-Con. You actually stand a chance in Mario Kart World.
📷 Camera fun in Mario Party.
and I teamed up in Mario Party Jamboree TV to test the new camera accessory. Serious work! On-camera mini-games had us bopping punch boxes with our fists, balancing falling Goomba on our heads, and making motions while screaming to win. We won the first two rounds against our opponents. Neither of us screeched loudly enough to win the last round. Fitting four people on the screen reminded me of short-lived Kinect and EyeToy games – if Microsoft and Sony didn’t abandon their respective ideas.🗄️ 256GB of onboard storage. Some of the Switch 2 games I demoed wouldn’t fit on the Switch 1 console’s 32GB of onboard storage if they had the chance. Case in point: Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion are being squeezed into a 64GB cartridge and will be available to download. This is a big, unavoidable upgrade. Thankfully, the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards mean you can expand the console’s storage, and the new format isn’t too expensive.
🪭 Fan inside the dock. Nintendo’s dock for TV mode contains a fan that cools the dock, which makes sense when the console is running at 4K 60fps or 1440p (2K basically) at the maximum 120fps. The internal fan is meant to cool the dock (not the system), so the dbrand Killswitch adapter that puts the Switch 2 on the outside of the dock (and displays your console like a trophy) will be fine.
Nintendo Switch 2 games
🏎️ Mario Kart World already has me addicted. I’ll be pre-ordering Mario Kart World with the console as it’s the best video game deal of 2025: just $50 more when bundled. I’d still pay the full $80 for this experience if I had to. There’s more to do vs Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, with an interconnected track world, the ability to free roam to investigate every nook and cranny, better graphics and character animations, and tons of new and classic weapons!
🤯 24-player Knockout Mode is an instant Mario Kart classic. It’s chaos. Pure chaos at every turn. Nintendo set us up with the new 24-player Knockout Mode, which eliminated groups of lagging drivers at various track checkpoints. You could hear audible “Noooo!” screams every time a group of people got eliminated or a blue spiny blue shell or Bullet Bill weapon knocked over lead players. It reminded me of the mayhem invited by Fall Guys, but on go-karts. There’s so much pressure not to be left behind and so many banana peels everywhere. I can’t wait to play more.
👴 GameCube is so back! It’s been 24 years, but GameCube has returned – as a new controller and as Nintendo Classics for Switch 2. The lightweight gamepad feels exactly like 2001’s purple GameCube controller, only it’s now wireless (no bulky WaveBird RF controller needed) and it has new buttons at the top to cycle through menus. I played Soul Calibur II (with secret character Link) and F-Zero GX, but there were also games like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Super Mario Strikers on hand.
📝 Note: Both the new GameCube controller and GameCube games are exclusive to the Switch 2, even if you have a paid Nintendo Online membership. You’ll need to upgrade your console if you want virtual games beyond the N64 era.
🐭 Mouse controls for Metroid Prime 4. I played as Samus Aran like never before – with mouse controls. The Switch 2 version of this game (it’s also coming to Switch 1) had me split apart the Joy-Con to use the inner half of one against a table and aim – as if it were a computer mouse. The other Joy-Con allowed me to move as normal with the analog stick. It took some time to get used to this new configuration, but it does work. I had a (morph) ball playing this way.
🤔 Welcome Tour should be free (it’s $10). This is Nintendo’s interactive instruction manual with some neat mini-games, but you’d expect exploring the console would be added as pack-in software like Wii Sports. Nope. It’s $10.
🍄 Mario 1-1 like you’ve never seen it before. I did appreciate one game: the first frame of Super Mario’s classic World 1-1 on a postage-sized stamp to showcase the extra pixels 4K provides. The rest of the screen is in black until you move rightward (or down the fourth warp pipe), shining a light on your linear progression while the entire level stays in the TV frame.
Here it is in action:
⚔️ Zelda upgraded on Switch 2. Hyrule deserves a 4K HDR upgrade, and that’s exactly what we’re getting from Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. I can tell these games look great and run smoothly on the Switch 2, even if I haven’t been able to do side-by-side comparisons. Expect that analysis in our full Switch 2 review.
💰 Save $20 on this: The Switch 2 versions of Tears of the Kingdom ($80) and Breath of the Wild ($80) feel expensive. But if you already own the Switch 1 versions, it’s only $10 to upgrade. Don’t own them? You can get Tears of the Kingdom for $50 at Walmart (so $60 total with the upgrade). Breath of the Wild is $51 on Amazon (so $66). Better yet, upgrades will be free with a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
What’s left to be tested?
🔋 Switch 2 battery life. Nintendo says its new console lasts “approximately 2 to 6.5 hours” on a full charge. That’s about the same battery life as the Switch 1 in 2017. “These are rough estimates,” according to Nintendo. “The battery life will depend on the games you play.” So, if you’re playing Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut or CyberPunk 2077, it might drain faster than something like Welcome Tour or Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S.
⚡ Charging times. The more significant rub for me is that Switch 2 will take three hours to charge fully. In a world where my iPhone 16 Pro Max can fast charge to 50% in just 26 minutes, I feel this is the first thing Nintendo should change in a revised model in the future. The technology is out there.
🤝 GameShare will save you money. Nintendo is allowing select games to be shared with friends and family who have a Switch 1 or Switch 2. You can share games locally, like Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV, while others, like Super Mario 3D World + Boswer’s Fury and Super Mario Odyssey, can be shared locally and online via GameChat. This will save parents a lot of cash.
Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV (share locally)
Super Mario Odyssey (share locally and online)
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain (share locally and online)
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (share locally and online)
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics (share locally and online)
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (share locally and online)
🙋♂️ GameChat. Max and I tested the Switch 2 camera in Mario Party Jamboree, and its wide-angle lens captured our gestures and voices well during the frantic mini-games. We’re shoo-ins if The Shortcut goes south and we have to get jobs as Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm-Flailing Tubeman. Still, the main reason to buy Nintendo’s $50 camera is GameChat – especially when playing Mario Kart World with friends online. Will the video quality be good enough? Will the screen sharing be distracting? These are questions I have that weren’t answered at this preview event.
🟩 Nvidia DLSS. Nintendo’s console can do real-time ray-tracing and DLSS powered by Nvidia. Shout out to The Shortcut’s Kevin Lee for writing a DLSS for Switch 2 explainer. This doesn’t mean we’ll see GTA 6 on Switch 2, but games that require PS5 and Xbox-level specs aren’t out of the question now.
Wait for The Shortcut’s full Switch 2 review
This is just a taste of what it’s like to spend a few hours with the new console. Is it worth $450? If you’ve been itching for true successors to the 2017 Switch and Mario Kart 8, then the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World will feel like natural upgrades. Plus, there are two dozen Switch 2 launch games you may want to see. For everyone else on the fence, especially if you’re on a budget, The Shortcut will thoroughly test the Nintendo Switch 2 for review when it launches – and have an unboxing video for you the moment we get it in our hands.
You say games can be shared online via GameChat. Do you mean a switch online subscription or is that online game share via Switch 2 only and not for Switch 1 games?