Verdict
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a pretty boring affair, though its minigame offerings provide a brief reprieve from mundane stamp collecting and too many quizzes.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launch was exciting, finally bringing us a new Mario Kart game as the major launch title. However, for weeks leading up to the big day, many people, including myself and several members of the PT team, couldn't help but question Nintendo's choice to put a price tag on Welcome Tour. So I consider it my duty to bring you this review to help determine whether or not it deserves your $10.
I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to attend a Mario Kart World and Welcome Tour preview in Windsor a few weeks ago, giving me some early impressions of what I considered to be a glorified tutorial. After spending 45 minutes with the new Switch game, I couldn't help but liken it to being at school. More specifically, those boring trips to the museum that you had to attend - essentially, "you're not all that bothered about being there, but it beats algebra, and there's still that one kid who's really into it."
After spending several hours exploring the exhibit and all its areas, I'm ready to double down on that statement. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour features 11 different sections for you to explore, starting with the outside of the Left Joy-Con, which you first enter after picking out a character waiting in a queue for the exhibit to open. I have to say, to all those hundreds of virtual beings, you're better off turning around - I don't care how many of you pretend to be excited as I wander about. You're not fooling anyone.
In order to progress to the next area, you need to fully explore your current location to find all of the stamps. Yeah, you're pretty much on a scavenger hunt here, but there's no reward at the end. You can't even say the journey is the reward because I'm questioning what I did to deserve this. Okay, that might be a little harsh, but need I remind you this tutorial has a price tag attached to it, while the whimsical Astro's Playroom on the PS5 is a sheer delight, filling the same role as the Switch 2's Welcome Store without charging you a single cent.
Some of the stamps are quite troublesome to grab, too. You might have a good idea of where it is, but unless you're in exactly the right spot, you won't get the prompt to collect your stamp. I spent entirely too long looking around the inside of the console; I knew where they were, but not with pinpoint accuracy. Then, after collecting every single one, I'm rewarded with a quiz. I thought I left those hellish things behind when I left school. Unless there's a pint in my hand, quizzes aren't for me. Besides, what kind of reward is that? All that effort, for more effort.
Speaking of quizzes, you can find plenty of them throughout the game, with at least one in each area. The idea is that you play the minigames, collect the stamps, pay close attention to every detail, and then go and show off your newfound knowledge. I'm going to be honest, to say I have the attention span of a goldfish is generous, particularly if boredom is beginning to set in. And, unfortunately, that's the truth of my experience with Welcome Tour in a nutshell: I was bored.
I wanted to be interested. I really did. I entered each new exhibit keen to enjoy it, but none of them grabbed me - well, beyond using the display screen as an ice rink. The repetitiveness of stamp collecting wore me down quite quickly, and not even the numerous minigames could reinvigorate me. Now, I will say that some did offer a reprieve from the mundane stamp collecting and brain-sizzling quizzes, but not enough to justify a $10 / £7.99 price tag.
Some of the minigames are interesting and even entertaining for those fleeting moments, demonstrating what the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of, and Welcome Tour is especially fond of getting you to use the mouse function on the Joy-Cons. Now, I like a couple of these, especially the one at the start where you need to avoid spiky balls while collecting coins, but after a while, it gets somewhat tiresome.
Other minigames are there to demonstrate improvements in the hardware. One, for instance, tasks you with watching a ball move and determining its frame rate (fps), which, while interesting, isn't something I need a tech demo about (most people can see the difference between 30fps and 120fps).
Finally, my biggest gripe is the lack of accomplishment. I don't really feel like I've achieved anything for all my time wandering around the Switch 2 and its accessories; all I've managed to do is lose a few hours of my life and realize that people really need to do a better job of keeping hold of their possessions. You see, besides learning about the hardware, you can find items all around the exhibit and return them to the lost and found at the help desk in the Joy-Con (L) section. However, you once again get nothing for your troubles.
Just like with the stamps, you basically go on a glorified scavenger hunt, but instead of a fun prize that's worth your time, the game acts like a disinterested receptionist, just wanting you to go away and get on with your day. Ultimately, only being able to carry one item at a time means that someone isn't getting their socks back (how did they even lose these?), because I'm here to have a jolly day out at the museum, not play delivery girl simulator. I have two hands and, I presume, pockets. But if my virtual self doesn't care enough to carry more than one item, then why should I?
On a positive note, the game runs smoothly, with no performance issues in sight - it'd be ironic if the tutorial about how everything works didn't perform well, to be honest. If I could return to my school/museum analogy, that one kid who this game is for is surely out there. If you're a tech head who wants to know all of the ins and outs of the console, this may be your jam. And, if you're a stamp collector, this is your time to shine. This is what you've been training for.
Overall, no, I absolutely don't consider Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome 2 worth $10 / £7.99. It feels like you don't really get anything out of it, unlike a trip to a real museum where you can at least get something from the gift shop. However, if you like quizzes, want to get a feel for the Joy-Con 2 mouse and other Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, or have a diehard love of hardware, you could be that 'one kid.' I hope you enjoy it, but please don't sit next to me on the bus to talk about it.
If you want to learn our thoughts about the actual hardware and accessories, make sure you read our Nintendo Switch 2 review, Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review, and our Nintendo Switch 2 Camera review, and maybe consult our Nintendo Switch 2 controllers guide if you need something for player two.