It’s been a crazy release season after the previous article in our spring issue. Since then I’ve finished The First Berserker: Khazan, another run of Lies of P in preparation for the DLC, and I’ve begun my journey in this year’s surprise hit, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Summer is always an event overload for gamers with Summer Game Fest, PlayStation’s State of Play, Xbox’s Showcase, and other gaming showcases. However, arguably the largest event this summer was the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, a console Nintendo fans have been desperately in need of for the past few years. I say this because the last round of major Nintendo first-party releases, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Bayonetta 3, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and other third-party games on the 7-year-old system, all released with framerate and minor technical issues.
I struggled a bit when writing this article because it’s a system that to me is too far overdue and almost too late in some respects. However, I’d like to dive into why I’m hopeful for the system and Nintendo, while also covering the reasons I decided not to immediately pre-order one. I’ll also check in with one TOM staff member who was lucky to get a Switch 2.
The Nintendo Switch 2’s launch was a bit different for me compared to past Nintendo hardware. Growing up, I’ve owned every system except for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. I remember playing Mega Man IV on my Game Boy, celebrating getting a Game Boy Pocket with Pokemon Blue for Easter, gaming on my Game Boy Advance while riding the school bus, playing DS between classes in college, and buying a 3DS for Monster Hunter 4 after moving to Japan.
When it came to their home consoles, I couldn’t wait to get a Nintendo 64 with Star Fox 64 and to try out Wii Sports with all the waggle features of the Wii Remote for the Wii. I always wanted a Gamecube for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, but I wasn’t able to get one. And the Wii U, well I’m not the only gamer to have skipped out on it.
I say all of this above because no matter what Nintendo system I bought, there was always a go-to game for me to play or a hardware feature I was excited to try. But with the Nintendo Switch 2, it’s the same Switch 1 form factor with minor upgrades. Meanwhile, Mario Kart™ World, the system seller, is surrounded by older titles I already own on other systems.
This is excellent news for those who don’t have a PC or other consoles to finally play recent standout titles, but I primarily play single player games. For launch, I would have loved to try the Joy-Con 2’s mouse functionality in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, or to play Donkey Kong Bananza for its crazy terrain destruction and fun platforming gameplay.
I remember speaking with another TOM staff member after the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct about how excited I was for those games. However, they mentioned none of the games shown got them excited. I thought of the other first-party franchises that found massive success on the original Switch like Fire Emblem, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon. Where were they at?
This brings me to my next point and why I was happy to hold off on pre-ordering a Switch 2. The games aren’t there yet, but they’re coming. Follow-ups to the titles I mentioned, plus a new single player Kirby, a new RPG from Monolith Soft, the next Zelda title after Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, maybe a new Pikmin, and of course, the next proper Mario title.
Nintendo’s first-party titles almost always offer a fresh take on themselves with each iteration, and this means they are worth the wait. I’m also looking forward to them creating a new IP or franchise for the new hardware like they did with Splatoon for the original Switch. Outside of Drag x Drive, I wonder what new experiences could we be getting for the mouse functionality?
The Switch 2’s hardware specs are closer to last gen’s PlayStation 4/Pro, and Nintendo can confidently reach out to more third-party devs about exclusive partnerships like we saw with The Duskbloods from FromSoftware Inc. More third-party titles on the system that run with greater fidelity is great for the video game industry, since gamers who just have the Switch 2 can also enjoy newer releases with confidence. Just imagine if the Switch 2 was out a few years ago, I could have been playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on it.
However, how long will the Switch 2 last before we get newer Switch 2 iterations? I would like to hold out for the Switch 2 OLED model, if or when it comes. But the hardware will once again be outdated compared to the next PlayStation and Xbox systems once it debuts. Just as we saw with the original Switch OLED model, Nintendo opted not to increase internal hardware specs in terms of the processor, GPU, and RAM. But can they do the same thing again?
We’ve hit a point in video games where even Nintendo has to play the specs game in order to keep third-party devs and their fans satisfied. While Nintendo’s teams are great at optimizing their games’ performance on their consoles, it’s not the same with third-party devs since the specs will be limited compared to the competition. As development shifts to those next iterations from Nintendo’s competitors, they will need to ensure that developers can scale the versions of their games down to run on the lower powered system, both in handheld and docked modes. If not, I’m afraid we’ll end up in the original Switch situation where it becomes only a Nintendo first-party machine.
Thus, I hesitate, do I wait it out for that updated model or buy it sooner for the Nintendo first-party titles? In the past, my answer has always been the latter. However, after playing the Switch OLED, I felt like the screen and size upgrade compared to my Switch 1 made it the definitive model.
Let’s recap. I haven’t pre-ordered or bought a Switch 2 yet because the software isn’t there for me, and I’m contemplating just waiting for the hardware’s next iteration. However, a lucky gamer here at TOM took the plunge and was able to get a Switch 2 on launch day! Here’s my short interview with Oliver!
Leon: How was your experience getting a pre-order here in Japan?
I can’t say actually! I didn’t enter the lottery. To prevent scalping Japan uses a lottery system to control inventory, and you have to “sign up” ahead of time to “win” the opportunity to pre-order a Switch. Each store will have their own rules, but Japan has two versions of the console, right?
The “regular” version is actually partially region locked in the sense that you can only login with a Japanese Nintendo account and can’t change the system language to Japanese. This would result in games defaulting to Japanese if you can’t change the language in game. There’s also the “multilingual” version which is actually just the version sold in the rest of the world, but it costs an extra 30,000 yen. This version is only sold by Nintendo directly through their online store, and the conditions are way stricter than normal stores.
You need X amount of gameplay hours logged on a Switch, and you need to have paid for a Nintendo Online subscription for X years. Anyways, I didn’t meet the requirements. So my wife entered on our behalf, and we were lucky enough to win in the first round. If you don’t win, you automatically get entered into the next until you’re finally able to buy one.
Leon: How does it compare with other Nintendo hardware launches you’ve participated in the past?
The only other console I bought at launch was the Wii, and that story is so insane and long that I can’t share it here. I’m also under oath to never publicly speak about what happened that night.
Leon: Which game(s) and accessories did you buy?
Just Mario Kart™ World and the Pro Controller.
Leon: How has your experience been with the hardware? Controllers, screen, stand, etc.
The new joy-cons are very cool. The magnetic snap mechanism for attaching and detaching joy-cons is very satisfying. Have you ever accidentally put on a joy-con on the Switch 1 upside down or something? You can’t do that anymore. The friction hinge for the stand is great because it adjusts to any angle. It’s a lot like the hinge on a Microsoft Surface, if you know what that’s like.
Leon: Did you discover any neat surprises or something interesting after playing with the hardware?
Yeah, the new Pro controller is really good. A little lighter, and the soft touch plastic makes it less disgusting after long play sessions. It’s probably the one extra thing I strongly recommend you pick up at the same time.
Also, if you’re going to use a webcam for the new video chat function, you can use any USB C camera, not just the ones made for the Switch 2. This means if you have a capture card for streaming, you can do some really wacky stuff. I saw a post of a guy who got a Game Boy Camera working on it by putting it into a Super Gameboy, running it into a Super Nintendo connected to an HDMI converter, and running that into a capture card.
Leon: How’s the battery life so far?
It’s fine. Like it’s not great, but it’s not super bad. You’ll get around two hours from a full charge, so you’ll want to dock it after every play session if you’re going handheld mode.
Leon: What do you enjoy most about playing Mario Kart™ World, and what do you think others will enjoy when they play it?
It’s like Mario Kart 8, but better, and it's the first new Mario Kart in 10 years.
Leon: Have you tried any Switch 1 games on it, and if so, how did they run?
Not me personally, but my wife has been finishing up Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on it. It’s…about what you’d expect? The biggest change I’ve seen is Pokemon Scarlet/Violet which now runs at 60fps with less frame drops and less animation culling. Spawn rate is higher too, so if you’re Shiny hunting it’s way easier.
Not all games will run better though, as they need to be patched by the developer.
Leon: What upcoming software are you looking forward to?
Pokemon Legends Z-A for sure, but aside from that, I don’t know? The new FromSoft game looks interesting, The Duskbloods.
Despite all the negatives like Game-Key cards, Mario Kart™ World’s $80 USD price, and pre-order woes, Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch 2 sold over 3.5 million units globally in its first four days after launching on June 5, 2025. This makes it the fastest-selling Nintendo game system ever!
I know those numbers will only grow since there are a ton of other gamers like me waiting for their favorite Nintendo franchises to return and a larger collection of games to play on the system.
I would like to reiterate that I’m positive about the system’s future. Nintendo games still make me smile, laugh, and produce the purest form of “play” there is in gaming. That alone is reason enough for me to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 when the time comes. But for now, I’ll let Nintendo cook. Happy gaming this summer, and I’ll see you in the fall for another TOMZINE gaming article!
Nintendo Switch 2 pictures taken by Oliver