It’s here! The Nintendo Switch 2 launched on the 5th of June, 2025, and this meerkat was lucky enough to get his grubby paws on one! What are my early impressions?!
The Hardware
Like the original Switch, the Switch 2 is a hybrid console, capable of working in hand-held mode, and as a conventional console. It is generally larger, with a 7.9″ screen, compared to the 6.2″ screen of the original. Without going into the nitty-gritty, the Switch 2 is all-round more powerful than the original, and supports features the original lacked, such as a voice chat system. The Switch 2 also has a clearer, sharper screen, and can run games at a faster frame-rate. It more internal storage (256GB), and this can be expanded via micro-SD cards.
The Joy-Cons are correspondingly bigger, and now clip into the console via a magnetic lock, which is more secure, and certainly more satisfying!
Accessories
At the time of rewriting this post, I don’t yet have any of the accessories, so I can’t pass too much comment. There is a webcam attachment available, including one designed to look like a piranha plant. There’s a pro controller, which I will probably invest in eventually, though a starting price of £75 is asking a bit much. Additional Joy-Con 2 controllers, along with charging grips, are also available.
The Games
The primary launch title of the Switch 2 is Mario Kart World, and I will ultimately have more to say on this at a later date. It’s a reasonably madcap affair, and the main focus of Nintendo’s launch. There is also Cyberpunk 2077, which was a huge, if bug-ridden game when it first launched for the PS4, but it has come some way since. Hitman: Word of Assassination is another big title, as is Split Fiction, and there are a host of other games. Alongside this, The Switch 2 has backward compatibility with most Switch games, and people who have Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom can get upgraded editions of these Zelda games.
These are early thoughts, which will no doubt get fleshed out with time. Let us see how the Switch 2 develops!