Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is worth the price, but only for big geeks like me
If you want to know all about the ins and outs of the Switch 2, Welcome Tour is well worth the entry fee
🎓 Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour offers an educational, interactive experience for $10, showcasing the console's design and technology
🧐 The game includes detailed insights, quizzes, and tech demos, appealing most to hardware enthusiasts and Nintendo fans
🎯 Minigames highlight Switch 2's capabilities but require specific accessories like the Pro Controller and a 4K TV
😮 While not for casual gamers, it provides a deep appreciation for the console's innovation and refinement
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour has been a surprisingly controversial game since its reveal, with many claiming it should have been a pack-in title. And even though it's only $10, some still believe it's too expensive.
I disagree. After playing every minigame, partaking in every tech demo, and aceing every quiz the game has to offer, I think Nintendo was right not to bundle the game in with the Switch 2. It's also well worth the $10 entry fee.
Of course, I love freebies as much as anyone. But Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour isn't just a compilation of short minigames – it's an educational, interactive experience. And fundamentally, that means it isn’t for everyone.
Class is in session
There is a ridiculous amount of information to absorb in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. Whether it's learning about how Nintendo designed a certain aspect of the system, or simply understanding some of the new display technology that the Switch 2 offers, Welcome Tour explains every decision Nintendo made in fine yet charming detail.
This feels like a game Nintendo created for anyone who thinks Switch 2 is just a slightly better version of the Switch.
Yes, many minigames show off what the console can do and provide a welcome break from reading reams of text. Mouse mode is a constant presence throughout, too, and it shows the potential on offer. But ultimately, this feels like a game Nintendo created for anyone who thinks Switch 2 is just a slightly better version of the Switch.
Believe me, after playing through Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, you'll appreciate how much work went into Nintendo's next generation console. It's truly fascinating and eye-opening at times, and it's clear the eight years we've waited for the Switch’s successor were used to refine and perfect every element.
Yes, those who attended the Switch 2 hands-on events will have played some of the minigames and tech demos and walked away thinking that Nintendo should have offered it for free. But the real meat of the game lies in reading all the insights and testing your knowledge in the quizzes that follow. And that's another reason why it wouldn't work as a pack-in game.
Fun yet educational
That may sound extremely dull to some. In fact, my girlfriend walked in during my time with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour and asked with genuine confusion, "Is this a game or what?" When I tried to explain what Welcome Tour was, she literally walked off mid conversation and yelled, "Boring!"
Those passionate about Nintendo products and the Japanese company’s history will also find something to enjoy.
In many ways, she's right. The presentation is clean and clinical, and the muted soundtrack isn’t really memorable. A lot of your time is spent running around, finding stamps to unlock new areas, and learning about stuff huge swathes of the population don’t care about. However, like an art lover appreciates a museum exhibit, I care. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour appeals to a specific audience, and I’d argue it’s mostly to hardware geeks like me.
Those passionate about Nintendo products and the Japanese company’s history will also find something to enjoy. If you’ve grown up with Nintendo consoles or handhelds, there’s plenty of fascinating insights to discover.
While I don’t think they’re the main draw, the minigames are at least fantastic, along with the various tech demos. They showcase the Switch 2's technology in an easy-to-understand yet inventive way, but also provide a challenge now and then.
That being said, they're not the types of experiences you'll rush back to play. The fact you need to slowly collect medals to unlock more minigames also pushes you down the path of learning, discovery and exploring the virtual recreations of Switch 2’s hardware, which will deter most.
Not only did my appreciation for hardware design grow as a whole, but it left me with no doubt that Nintendo poured every ounce of care into the Switch 2.
Some minigames also require specific Switch 2 accessories to complete like the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller and the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera. You'll also need a 4K TV. These minigames can be skipped using a code, but clearly, this isn't a game designed to sell players on a novel concept like motion control in Wii Sports or the Wii U GamePad in Nintendo Land. It just wouldn’t work as a pack-in.
Thanks for playing
Personally, I loved learning all about how Nintendo created the Switch 2 and some of the justifications behind its decisions. Not only did my appreciation for hardware design grow as a whole, but it left me with no doubt that Nintendo poured every ounce of care into the Switch 2.
It makes sense that we deemed the Switch 2 to be “the best console Nintendo has ever made” in our Nintendo Switch 2 review, as it really does improve on its predecessor in virtually every way.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour may not be remembered as fondly as some of the other Nintendo Switch 2 launch games looking back. However, I implore all those interested in technology, design, and gaming to try it. There's nothing else like it.
Up next: Best Nintendo Switch 2 settings: change these to get the most out of your console
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.