Name: Nintendo Switch 2
Brand: Nintendo

When I was sick with a cold on the couch, I spent more time than I care to admit scrolling posts about the Nintendo Switch 2 (thanks Pokopia-tok). I loved reading about the experience, not just the features, especially for the amount the gaming giant put on the price tag. And despite being the type of person who even hangs onto cell phone for like 8-10 years before getting a new one, I was sold on the Switch 2 fairly quicky once I read past the shop specs.

Here’s what’s really resonated with me in my transition from the original Switch and what I think you’ll appreciate too.

Table of Contents

Build Quality is a Genuine Upgrade

Not just a marketing talking point, gamers who have upgraded from the original Switch to the Switch 2 are consistently surprised and pleased by how much more substantial the console feels in their hands.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically now instead of sliding into rails, and the tactile difference is the sort of thing you feel every single time you pick it up. The button that releases the Joy-Con from the console also has a click that is satisfying in the way that good packaging or a perfectly functioning pen is oddly satisfying.

The Joy-Cons themselves are also larger, which sounds minor until you have spent any amount of time cramping your hands around the originals during a long handheld session. For anyone with larger hands, or has quietly complained about hand fatigue on the first Switch, this is for you.

Small things add up to a console that feels premium in a way the original Switch might not feel now (as much).

Old Switch Games Run Better!

I don’t think people are yelling this loudly enough, especially retailers who just want you to buy the new games.

Even without downloading patches or paying for upgrade packs, many original Nintendo Switch titles run noticeably better on the Switch 2. Faster load times, improved frame rates, smoother overall performance, all because the hardware is simply more powerful.

If you have a shelf of Switch 1 games you love but found sometimes frustrating, the Switch 2 gives you a better version of the library you already own. That can be so meaningful when you are justifying the price tag.

The Screen is Easier To See

Especially When You Don’t Want To Wear Your Glasses

The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch LCD touchscreen, which means players with less than perfect vision will find it easier to enjoy. As a stubborn girly who sometimes just doesn’t want to wear glasses, I can remember many a time I’d put myself through gaming sessions full of squinting at my original Switch on the couch or in bed. No need now!

GameChat Is Such a Cozy Multiplayer Feature

Nintendo’s GameChat lets you voice chat, share your screen, and video chat while playing, all from within the system itself. The Switch 2 also has a built-in microphone with noise filtering, so you don’t need a headset to use it.

For anyone who wants to play games with friends in other cities, or who wants to recreate the feeling of sitting on a couch together without the travel, GameChat is quietly a big deal.

You Don’t Have to Think of Yourself as a Gamer to Appreciate Switch 2

The Switch’s long-standing reputation as the console that “converts” non-gamers will be even more true of the Switch 2. Combining approachable party/group games, non-competitive and non-stressful cozy game options, first-party titles, and portable play make this console the one that’s designed to be fun.

With three play modes (TV, tabletop and handheld), you can adapt your version of gaming to how you actually live and enjoy your leisure. I can already see tabletop as very handy for travel and commutes, kickstanding the console on tray tables and the like without needing additional accessories.

Plus, if there is someone in your life who is curious about gaming but intimidated by the learning curve of other systems, the Switch 2 is a genuinely good entry point.

Can’t Not Mention Pokopia!

Pokémon Pokopia is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, which means there will be no Switch 1 version and no workaround to make it work on the original Switch.

With every screenshot and video of gameplay, it is exactly the kind of exclusive that moves consoles, and Nintendo is very aware of what they are doing with this release.

Whether you are a longtime Pokémon fan who has been waiting for something that feels genuinely new, or you just want a concrete reason to justify the purchase of a Switch 2 to yourself, Pokopia is a full answer in itself. Many are already saying the game is scratching an itch they so badly wanted scratched by Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 Worth the Price?

If you are new to gaming or buying for someone who is, the Switch 2 is one of the more justifiable consoles at this price, especially when you consider the depth of the game library since it can play titles for both Switch 2 and the original Switch.

Upgrade-wise, the build quality improvement, the automatic performance boost for existing games, the better screen, and the growing exclusive library all hold up without any spin.

If you are on the fence, I can promise you that people who have bought it are not regretting it and for six hundred dollars, that is not a small thing.