Nintendo Switch 2: One Year Later

One year ago today, Nintendo released the Switch 2. The successor to the original Switch boasts a larger screen, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, a new C for "Chat" button for its social hooks, and most importantly, more powerful internal hardware. The Switch 2 is still the place to play Nintendo first-party games–and more and more of them are becoming exclusive to the new hardware, forgoing the Switch 1. But the increased horsepower means the Switch 2 is a viable platform for big third-party games such as Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth, Capcom's Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem, and CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077.  We're marking the occasion by looking back at the last year on the platform–our favorite games, our biggest surprises, and our disappointments. Some of the shine has come off the new hardware, even as we reveled in new experiences. Here's what we think about the first year of the Switch 2.  Switch 2 Hasn't Been The Steam Deck Replacement I Expected Even with a good gaming PC, recent years have seen me spend more and more of my gaming time curled up with a Steam Deck. I always loved my Nintendo Switch and was extremely excited at the prospect of Switch 2, expecting it would become my console of choice for anything multiplatform that didn't heavily benefit from higher-end hardware. And while that initially did prove to be the case, Switch 2 has transitioned into more of an exclusives-only machine than I anticipated. That largely comes down to two factors: I often find performance in multiplatform games to be better on Steam Deck than Switch 2, and it's just so damn much cheaper to buy digital PC games, be it through Steam sales or third-party sites that offer Steam keys. Plus, having the flexibility to scale up a given game's visuals to enjoy it on a high-end PC, the expectation that those Steam games will be easily playable for longer into the future, Deck's rear buttons (mediocre, but better than nothing or having to buy third-party Joy-Cons) and the continued lack of Achievements on Switch (I still get a kick out of unlocking them) all make Deck my preferred option.  Beyond all this, the number of exclusives I care that much about has been lower than I would've expected. Pokopia and Tomodachi Life are fun, but my standout experience on Switch 2 has been high-frame-rate Tears of the Kingdom, for better or worse. I do still really enjoy using my Switch 2, but I'm hoping Nintendo can find some ways to make it a more worthwhile option for me, particularly for games that I can choose to play elsewhere.  (Music on the eShop wouldn't hurt, either.) –Chris Pereira I Regretted Buying My Switch 2–And Then Pokopia Happened With age, I have become far less susceptible to "FOMO," the fear of missing out. When the Nintendo Switch 2 was first announced, I quickly decided I was not going to purchase it on day one and felt largely content with my choice. Despite it being the first time I'd opted out of a day-one purchase with any of the big three's consoles in at least two generations, the Switch 2 just didn't entice me enough to merit its $500 price tag. I had a perfectly functional Switch, a moderately powerful gaming PC, a Steam Deck, an Xbox Series X, and a PlayStation 5 Pro. Was it worth paying that much for what would essentially become a Mario Kart World machine? In my eyes, absolutely not. As I watched all my peers unbox their shiny new consoles, I still somehow felt immune from envy.  And then, Metroid Prime 4's release date was announced.  Yes, I could play it on Switch, but as a certified Samus fan-girl, I knew that I wanted to experience it in its most optimized form, and that meant forking over the cash for a new system. Fortunately by this time, Donkey Kong Bananza had been released to rave reviews, making me feel as though I wasn't spending an absurdly large sum on just one game. No, in the months since its release, the Switch 2 had begun to accrue a proper catalog, and I felt a bit better about the purchase. But then I played its games. I'm not trying to be a hater, I promise. But in my opinion, Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, and Metroid Prime 4 were all simply … fine. So fine that, even after all this time, I still haven't felt compelled to finish any of them. The Switch 2 became the thing I had worried it would be: a very expensive shelf decoration. For a while, I didn't have a particularly high opinion of the Switch 2. The system itself was comfortable, sleek, and a marked improvement, but I didn't see real value in having one. If a friend was asking me what handheld console they should buy, I recommended the Steam Deck with zero hesitation. "There isn't much point to grabbing a Switch 2 right now," I'd tell them. But that was all before Pokemon Pokopia hit shelves. Though it might not be in a literal sense, I firmly believe Pokemon Pokopia is the Switch 2 launch title and, at least for the time being, the system's defining game. The charming life-sim-meets-town-build

One year ago today, Nintendo released the Switch 2. The successor to the original Switch boasts a larger screen, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, a new C for "Chat" button for its social hooks, and most importantly, more powerful internal hardware. The Switch 2 is still the place to play Nintendo first-party games–and more and more of…

One year ago today, Nintendo released the Switch 2. The successor to the original Switch boasts a larger screen, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, a new C for "Chat" button for its social hooks, and most importantly, more powerful internal hardware. The Switch 2 is still the place to play Nintendo first-party games–and more and more of them are becoming exclusive to the new hardware, forgoing the Switch 1. But the increased horsepower means the Switch 2 is a viable platform for big third-party games such as…