Nintendo Switch 2 is Amazing, but SO EXPENSIVE

The great Switch 2 Direct is here and with it, an hour full of games coming to the new system. The Switch 2 body is a good amount larger than the original model, with a good amount more screen space, we get 1080p as well as 4k upscaling for TV mode. One thing that might make you do a double-take is the price tag. The stand-alone console is $450 in the States, and if you want the bundle, that’ll cost you $500. This price is a bit steep if you consider that $500 is the price of a PS5 or Steam Deck and the fact that the two games announced with prices are $70 and $80 respectively. This will be an expensive purchase and era of gaming for Nintendo fans.

One of the best features added is the chat feature that turns your Switch into Discord. Get in a group call with up to four people and voice call together no matter what game everyone is playing. If you want to screen share (poorly), you can give a glimpse of what you’re playing (at 7 fps). Hopefully, if you have a great internet connection, the fps can be a bit better.

One of the oddest add-ons is the camera. Hooked up by USB, you can show your face on the chat screens or in select games. I think that the background removal looks really choppy and even the full image capture looks grainy. I will be passing on this $50 gimmick.

The new joycons being mice are a great way to include point-and-click games into the Switch 2 library, so I am excited about the new usage. I expect a few first-party titles to lean hard into using the mice function (like Mario Party).

Gameshare is such a needed mechanic for multiplayer games. Steam has already had a way of doing this “only buy a game once, but play with friends” style, so it’s about time Nintendo joined them.

We are finally getting a GameCube service added to the Nintendo Online Expanded version (only available on Switch 2) and with it comes some of the biggest knock outs from the system. Wind Waker, Gale of Darkness, Chibi-Robo, and Colosseum are all gracing us at the start. As someone who does not have the expanded version, I might need to get the upgrade for a month or two so I can play these games.

Switch 2 Editions

Getting the Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury treatment, a handful of Switch 1 games are getting enhancements for the Switch 2. Not only do the visuals see improvements, but there’s more content shoved into the new editions.

The minor upgrades won’t be enticing enough to re-buy any of the games, but there are upgrade packs to upgrade the Switch 1 version into the enhanced one.

Luckily, we do get some free upgrades for select games (like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet). These games are most likely only getting some improved framerates and a graphics upgrade, which will be nice for those games that seemed to suffer a bit on the original console.

Ports

I was not expecting something as intense as Elden Ring to be coming to a Nintendo console. The Tarnished Edition seems to look great of what we saw properly reflects what the game will look like on the system.

Having the original Hades on the original Switch means it’s only right to have Hades II be on the Switch II. It’s almost poetic in a way - full circle. The game will probably come out once it finishes up its early access period.

I’ve heard a few things about the Bravely Default games. I knew there was two games in the franchise, but I have never heard of Bravely Default Flying Fairy. I have no idea how this game differs from the mainline games in the franchise, it does seem to have the core mechanics that go along with the series.

Never in a million years did I think someone would be able to play Yakuza 0 on a Nintendo system, but here we are. The newest hardware from Nintendo now allows people to play the first in the Yakuza series.

A series as big as Borderlands is a huge win for the Nintendo fan base who might only get a single gaming device. Borderlands 4 coming to the new Switch is great for those who are Nintendo only and might not have a PC.

Cyberpunk had a rough launch with a lack of optimization, and it never stood a chance of running well on the Switch. The Switch 2 seems to be a massive specs improvement because Cyberpunk plus DLC looks like it can run great on the new system.

Mario Kart World

Everyone knew that a new Mario Kart would be coming to the Switch 2 and many were hoping that it would be a release title. Those hopes and prayers were answered, but not with Mario Kart X like many thought, but with Mario Kart World! All of the modes seem like a great move forward for the franchise. The wide, expansive world is filled with race tracks that all connect to one another. You can get a good deal on this whopping $80 game by getting the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle for $500. This means the game is basically only $50, so a good discount on a Nintendo first-party title.

Modes

Take part in the classic Grand Prix and race four track against the other 23 racers. The newest addition to the madness is that you drive straight from one course to another. This means that the races feel like one long marathon and first place can fear the blue shell for even longer.

Knockout Tour seems to be the best idea since Double Dash. Having an endless race that slowly eliminates participants is the coolest thing that I will be able to play.

Free Roam is perfect for a world crafted around race tracks. Being able to go around and see what life is like in each of the sections is a smart move. This one simple inclusion of off-roading will also add so much time to the game because you can explore by yourself, and I expect a lot of challenges and adventures with friends (someone is gonna play hide-and-seek, I just know it).

Daemon X Machina

Having only heard terrible things about the Switch 1 Daemon X Machina game, I didn’t connect the franchise to the gameplay that I was seeing. This game actually looks incredibly fun. The graphics look clean, the movement looks fluid, and the gameplay looks interesting enough to keep me playing. Big mechs that fly around and shoot things are always a fun time, so I hope this game does better than the last entry.

Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment

I am always down for a new game in a franchise that I am enjoying, so when I saw another game set in Hyrule I was thrilled. Seeing that it follows Zelda’s time spent in the past was so exciting because there so much of that can be done with this idea. I was a bit sad seeing that it was a warriors game, but I’ve heard great things about the second Zelda Warriors game (and it’s canon to the story, just like this upcoming one), so I’m still happy about this game.

Survival Kids

This looks like a multiplayer survival game that I will be playing with friends for a month or two until we burn ourselves out and run out of content. This looks fun and colorful, and I love a good puzzle. Crafting ways to get to new areas of this abandoned island and fishing off the shore sounds like such a fun time.

The Duskboods

Who would have thought that one day, we would be living in a world were Nintendo has an exclusive From Software title for their system? The Duskbloods seem to be another title full of the same love and effort as Eldenring. The trailer left me with more questions than answers, but one day, when I get the game, I will be able to answer those questions.

Kirby Air Riders

Since I never owned a GameCube, I never got to play the original Kirby Air Ride. I don’t have any of that nostalgia connecting me to the game, but I do love the overall Kirby franchise, so I am really excited to (in a way) get a taste of the Kirby racing game.

Donkey Kong Bananza

I have been begging for a brand new Donkey Kong game for years and it has finally happened! Bananza seems like a perfect game. It looks gorgeous! The gameplay looks incredible! I want this game, this might be the one that pushes me to get the new console sooner rather than later. This looks like Donkey Kong’s Odyssey equivalent, a large open world that you can explore and destroy. All of the moves you can use to traverse the world and the inclusion of the 2D section has this game jumping to my most anticipated game for the Switch 2!