Nintendo Switch 2 review - worth the hype

Verdict

The Nintendo Switch 2 offers fantastic performance, a display that feels like a massive upgrade despite the move from OLED back to LCD hardware, and no shortage of ways to play your favorite games. If not for its slightly disappointing battery life and slow charging, plus an ultimately underwhelming list of launch titles, it would be the perfect hybrid console.

Pros

• Stellar performance
• Great display
• Much-improved software
• Generous storage
• Sleek form factor

Cons

• Battery life could be better
• Slow charging speed
• Not enough first-party launch titles

After years of anticipation, months of build-up, and one of the biggest launches in the history of gaming, it's finally here, folks. Yes, it's the Nintendo Switch 2. Having now spent more than a week with the successor to the console that revitalized one of the biggest names in the industry, I'm ready to offer my in-depth thoughts, touching on everything from performance to battery life in our detailed breakdown.

I don't want to spoil anything here, but if you were hoping to read a cynical review picking faults at every juncture, this isn't that. No, this is more of a celebration of something it feels like I've waited a lifetime for, with just a couple of caveats. Yes, it's more expensive than the original or the Switch OLED, and it's a console that seemingly marks the end of Nintendo's insistence on going all-in on innovation with each new hardware launch, but honestly, that second point might be a good thing. So, let's get into it, shall we?

Price and availability

Okay, let's get the slightly boring stuff out of the way first. The Nintendo Switch 2 is now available to order for $449.99, either from Nintendo directly or through third-party retailers such as Best Buy or Walmart. If you're reading this in the UK, you can order yours through Nintendo's official online store or from the likes of Currys and Argos for £399.99.

The stock situation is a little all over the place following the launch, with pre-orders selling out weeks before the release, but if you're reading this after June 2025, you should be able to find a retailer with units for sale. As is almost always the case with new console launches, just be wary about ordering a Switch 2 through eBay, as we've already heard some horror stories about customers not reading the fine print and getting ripped off.

Performance and gaming

The difference between the performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the original console is as day and night as I've seen in a generational upgrade. I don't know what sort of magic has gone on behind the scenes at Nintendo and Nvidia, the producer of the console's custom processor, but the results speak for themselves. All the launch titles, from Mario Kart World to Cyberpunk 2077, run like a dream. It might not be on the same level as the likes of the PS5 Pro or a kitted-out gaming PC, but for what is effectively a handheld console that you can plug into your TV, I don't know what more you could reasonably expect.

The Switch 2's stellar performance isn't just evident in the new games. Some of the best Switch games have received free Switch 2 updates, and after a few hours checking out Pokémon Violet, I can't see myself going back to playing it on my Switch OLED. The most noticeable difference is in the mass outbreak feature, where a specific Pokémon appears in swarms at a certain location. My OLED model struggled to load more than ten Pokémon at a time, but on the Switch 2, an outbreak looks how I'd always wanted it to, with legions of Metang swirling around in the frosty Polar Biome. The ninth-generation Pokémon game still isn't visually stunning, but it's a lot better than what I'm used to.

Still, the best example of the Switch 2's enhanced performance is in the Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This pair of beautiful games already looked spellbinding on the original console, but now, they're almost mind-blowing. Thanks to the console's high-tech GPU and 12GB of RAM, you can see for what feels like miles while Link floats effortlessly through the air, load times are much more rapid, and the frame rate hardly ever drops. I didn't think I could love this pair of games more than I already did, but on Switch 2, they're truly something to behold.

While the Switch 2's performance is as impressive as I was hoping for, it gets a little toastier than I ever remember experiencing with the original or OLED model. Fortunately, it never gets too hot to handle, and I noticed the console heating up more in docked mode than when in handheld mode, which might explain why Nintendo decided to equip the dock with some new cooling tech. Either way, it's not a massive problem, but just don't be surprised if the console is hotter than you anticipated when removing it from the dock.

Display

The Switch 2's 7.9-inch display is a serious step up from the original Switch and, in my opinion, even the Switch OLED. This upgrade is especially noticeable in handheld mode, with the 1080p screen offering a level of quality that even some of the high-end picks from our guide to the best handheld consoles can't compete with. I'm coming from spending the last few months glued to my Steam Deck OLED, but after a week or so playing the Switch 2, I'm already tossing Valve's console to one side like Toy Story's Andy discarding Woody following the arrival of a certain Buzz Lightyear.

While it's true that Switch 2's LCD display isn't quite as capable of offering the inky blacks of the Switch OLED, for me, it's not a deal-breaker. The improvement in frame and refresh rates and the HDR factor make gameplay feel that much smoother, so I don't mind that the darkness in games such as Hades and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom isn't quite as deep as I'm used to. Besides, this console has no problem in terms of offering vivid colors, and there's no better example of that than spending half an hour roaming through Mario Kart World, which is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the rest of your gaming senses.

Not only does the Switch 2's display shine as an example of how LCD tech can still compete with OLED displays in the year 2025, but gameplay looks great on the big screen, too. This is very much the case for Mario Kart World, which you can run in either 4K at 60fps or 1440p at 120fps. Having spent the last couple of years telling anyone who'll listen that I don't really care all that much about frame rates, seeing Monty Mole, my personal favorite of the new Mario Kart World characters, zip around a corner in 120fps may well have moved me an inch closer to the hardware geek dark side.

My only issue with the Switch 2's display is that it's a proper dust and smudge magnet. I've started keeping a microfiber cloth in my console's case just to give it a quick clean every time I pick it up, as, even though I barely use the touchscreen, it doesn't take much at all to leave a big old thumbprint on the screen.

Design, Joy-Cons, and dock

While the form factor of the Switch 2 had already won me over from my time testing games at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in London, I'm an even bigger fan of it now that I've had time to use the handheld in my own home. Due to the bigger screen and elongated Joy-Con 2 controllers, the console somehow feels thinner than the OLED I've spent the last few years with, even though it's the exact same thickness. This isn't a bad thing at all; if anything, I'm a big fan of it, as it adds to the sleek design aesthetic that Nintendo aced with its last couple of consoles.

There's an all-around premium feeling to the Nintendo Switch 2. It's likely due to the combination of the upgraded kickstand, which feels pretty sturdy and offers more flexibility in terms of viewing angles, and the Joy-Con 2 controllers' lovely matte finish with orange and blue highlights. But given all the furor about the console's price point before the big launch, I do think it feels like a $450 console. Even the dock, though still not the most aesthetically adventurous piece of kit, seems much more premium than that of the original console.

On the subject of the Joy-Con 2 controllers, they're another marked improvement from the original. The magnetic attachments make them much easier to use compared to the occasionally frustrating rail system of the original, and the bigger joysticks are ideal for getting those drift boosts in all the bendiest Mario Kart World tracks or for anyone, like me, with big Sasquatch hands.

While the Joy-Con 2 controllers feel like a big upgrade, the new mouse controls are a bit of a mixed bag. I can't fault the responsiveness and accuracy; Nintendo has certainly pulled that off. If you're a fan of FPS games, I'd recommend at least trying your right Joy-Con 2 in mouse mode to feel the benefit when aiming your weapon. For me, though, there's a practicality problem.

I don't sit at a desk when I'm gaming, so if I want to use the mouse controller functionality, I have to pull out my desk tray while I'm on the sofa, which isn't the most comfortable gaming setup. On the back of this, I'm hoping that when the Switch 2's first mainline Mario game arrives, it doesn't force you to use mouse controls. It's a fine enough gimmick and likely a big win for some, but I don't want to have to use it when I'd rather be playing in handheld mode.

As for the Switch 2 dock I mentioned earlier, it's pretty similar to the original but with a fan hidden behind the casing to keep your device cool, or at least try to. I honestly don't have all that much to say about the dock; it's pretty plain-looking and easy to use, boasting two USB-C A ports for any of your wired controllers. An extra USB-C slot might be nice, so you don't have to remove the lead for the Switch 2's optional camera accessory every time you remove the console to play handheld, but I'm not going to cry about it.

Software, features, and games

It might not be the most exciting thing about the console, but setting up the Switch 2 is remarkably easy. It takes less than half an hour or so, maybe a little more if you've got a massive library of screenshots to transfer over, and the step-by-step instructions serve as a great introduction to anyone picking this up who didn't check out the original Switch.

Don't worry about those screenshots taking up too much space either, as the Switch 2 has a relatively generous storage capacity of 256GB, which is much more in line with what I expect from a console in 2025 compared to the underwhelming 32GB of the original. Once setup is complete, backwards compatible games associated with your account should begin to download automatically.

Out of all the software improvements for the Nintendo Switch 2, the most obvious, and the one I was most hoping for, is the new eShop. It's so much better. I'm particularly keen on the new For You feature, which presents you with a selection of games based on your interests that refreshes every Saturday. Given that I'm a games journalist with an inbox full of recommendations from PR companies, I don't really need it, but for most users, this offers a great way to find something new to play that you're more than likely to enjoy. Outside of For You, the eShop just feels that much smoother to use, with none of the irritating lag that I so often experienced on the original Switch.

One of the most advertised features going into the Switch 2 launch was GameChat, Nintendo's new in-game communication tool that allows you to chat and share your screen with up to 12 of your friends. I tried it out with a bunch of other journalists, and it's a pretty neat feature, provided you've got a solid Wi-Fi connection. My internet is a little patchy, and at points, the console automatically turned off my camera and screen sharing due to the poor signal, but this shouldn't be an issue for most.

The most impressive thing about GameChat is the Switch 2's noise reduction software. It does a genuinely remarkable job, and all you should be able to hear when using the feature is the sounds of your friend's voices - though, if they've just hit you with a blue shell in Mario Kart World, you might not want to. I don't think GameChat is something I'll use all that often, but if you're a social gamer, it's a big step up from the original Switch's meager and convoluted approach to in-game communication.

While it's not exactly a criticism of the console itself, I'm a little underwhelmed by the Switch 2's launch titles. I love Mario Kart World, as I've already made clear in my 9/10 review, but outside of that, nothing is really calling to me. I'm still yet to check out Welcome Tour, having poured most of my time into drift boosting, but outside of that, there's little from the plethora of third-party titles and GameCube games that I desperately want to play or haven't already completed on another console. Donkey Kong Bananza should remedy that soon enough, but for now, it's a bit disappointing.

Battery life and charging

I'll be honest, my first impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2's battery life were pretty disappointing, but I've changed my tune a little after using the console for around a week. It's still not great, not compared to the Switch OLED, at least, but it's not quite as worrying as I first thought. It turns out that I, like others, had fallen victim to the Nintendo Switch 2 battery life display issue that made the battery seem worse than it was.

On average, I tend to get somewhere between two to three hours of game time in handheld mode, depending on what I'm playing. In Mario Kart World, it's about two and a half hours, but I've managed about three with some juice remaining in Deltarune and Monster Train 2. Those results aren't as noteworthy as I'd feared when Nintendo first shared its battery life estimates in the build-up to the console's launch, which I had wrongly assumed might be a little optimistic.

While the Switch 2's 5,220mAh battery isn't as bad as I first thought, I still wish charging speeds were better. It takes around three hours to charge the console from flat to full, or longer still if you're still using it. Speaking of things that should be longer, I'm a bit disappointed by the charging cable that comes with the AC adapter in the Switch 2's box. It's too short to be practical if you're playing in handheld mode while charging, and I'm already thinking about picking up a third-party replacement so I can game on the sofa without getting in a tangle every time I try to move.

Should you buy the Nintendo Switch 2?

As far as I'm concerned, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a triumph, and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone. In almost every department, it's an upgrade on the original, offering souped-up performance, a lovely display, much-needed software tweaks, and much more. I spent the last seven years loving my original Switch, and provided no major issues pop up over the next couple of months after the big launch - please no stick drift, please no stick drift, please no stick drift - I can only assume I'll spend the next seven loving its successor.

Still, it's important to note that the Switch 2 isn't perfect. The battery life, while not abysmal, is an obvious step back from the Switch OLED, the list of launch titles is a little underwhelming, and I'm still not sold on mouse controls. At least two out of three of those issues are pretty subjective, though, and really, the only improvement I'd make to this console is a longer-lasting battery and a quicker charging rate.

In my eyes, the Switch 2 is Nintendo's continuity candidate. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but why should it? Given the massive success of the original Switch, Nintendo has done the most sensible thing in offering a successor that feels like an upgrade in almost every sense of the word. After all the hype and anticipation, the Japanese gaming monolith has delivered in droves with its latest console, and it looks like its post-Wii U renaissance era isn't ending anytime soon. Now, where's my new 3D Mario platformer?

There you have it, our Nintendo Switch 2 review. If you're looking for something to play on the hybrid console, be sure to check out our Mario Kart World review, Yakuza 0 Director's Cut Switch 2 review, and Cyberpunk 2077 Switch 2 review while you're here. Or, if you're in need of accessories to complete your setup, see our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras.