With the latest Nintendo Direct on April 2, we finally have a clear picture of Nintendo’s next console: the Switch 2.
Reactions online have been mixed — some people are hyped, others a little more cautious. As someone who grew up with Nintendo games, it feels only right to share my own thoughts on this new powerhouse system.
In this post, I’ll break it down with three positives, three negatives, and a final conclusion.
Let’s dive in!
Huge Buff In Performance
This one might be obvious, but it’s worth celebrating: the Switch 2 is getting a massive performance upgrade — and honestly, it’s long overdue.
I still enjoy playing my original Switch to this day, but let’s be real: the cracks have been showing for a while. It’s become more and more clear that an upgrade couldn’t wait any longer, especially for third-party developers.
The Switch 1 was a nightmare for bigger games — lag, crashes, and visuals that didn’t come close to what you’d see on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. But those days? They’re finally over.
The game lineup already announced for the Switch 2 proves that studios are taking this hardware seriously. These are titles that simply wouldn’t have been possible on the previous system. The future is looking really bright.
Click here for a full overview of the differences
Fixing Switch 1 Issues
The Switch has always been a perfect concept — and because of that, it doesn’t need to change. That’s why I’m glad to see that the Switch 2 focuses on fixing what didn’t work, instead of reinventing the wheel.
Take the Joy-Cons, for example. I count myself lucky — I never had major issues with drift — but almost everyone I know has experienced it at least once. Seeing Nintendo address that? Huge.
The console itself is also a bit bigger now, which is a nice change. Playing with the Joy-Cons detached always felt way too small for me. I even bought third-party Joy-Cons just to get something a bit more comfortable. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one, because Nintendo’s made some size improvements that should help.
Then there’s voice chat — finally! Every gamer knows Discord, and most of us use it to talk to friends while gaming. But if you’re chilling on the couch without your PC nearby, it’s annoying. Now, with built-in voice chat, playing with friends on the Switch 2 becomes way more accessible.
And let’s not forget the dual USB-C ports. It’s such a simple addition, but a really useful one. No more having to choose between charging your controller or charging the console — now you can do both. Easy win.
All in all, it really feels like Nintendo listened this time. They looked at what didn’t work with the Switch 1 and actually fixed it.
Backwards Compatibility And Upgrades
Although it was pretty much a given, Nintendo has officially confirmed that the Switch 2 will support backwards compatibility — both physical and digital games from the original Switch. That alone is a big win.
But what really stands out to me is this: some games will get a free upgrade when played on the new system. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are already confirmed to be getting this treatment — and like I mentioned earlier, you could really start to feel the limits of the Switch 1 with those titles.
Once again, it feels like Nintendo is paying attention. They’ve acknowledged the performance issues with certain games and are addressing them head-on.
Some upgrades will be free, while others might come with a small fee — but honestly, if you’re a fan of Nintendo’s library, it’s a no-brainer to want those games running at their best.
Pricing
Let me just address the biggest elephant in the room right away: pricing. And no, I’m not talking about the console itself. Most fans were hoping the Switch 2 would be a bit cheaper, but overall, people seem willing to live with it.
The real issue — and the thing that has fans concerned or outright frustrated — is the price of the games.
Mario Kart World, for example, is launching at €79.99 digitally and €89.99 physically here in Europe. Yes, there’s a bundle deal that makes it cheaper, but even then… that’s still a hefty price tag.
Donkey Kong Bananza is coming in €10 cheaper, so there’s a chance not all games will hit that high mark. But regardless, it’s hard to ignore the trend — game prices are going up, and I hate to say it, but it was probably inevitable. Everything in life is getting more expensive, and the gaming industry is no different.
No one wanted to be the first to raise prices, but now that Nintendo has taken the plunge, I think we’re going to see more of it across the board.
Fans have been spamming Nintendo’s social channels, asking them to lower prices — and while I don’t expect any changes to what’s already been announced, let’s hope Nintendo is paying attention and keeps things reasonable going forward.
Battery Life
Since the Switch 2 is a console you can take on the go, battery life matters. And with all the performance upgrades and the ability to run heavier games, I wasn’t expecting miracles to begin with.
Nintendo has announced that the battery will last anywhere between two and six and a half hours, depending on what game you’re playing and settings like brightness. Not amazing, but not terrible either — it’s what you’d expect from a more powerful handheld.
Personally, it’s not a dealbreaker for me. But I can see why some people might be worried, especially if battery drain ends up affecting performance or gameplay down the line.
That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo eventually releases an updated version — just like they did with the original Switch — probably with an OLED screen and better battery life. And when that happens? Everyone will be happy again.
Performance
I had to think hard about what to include as my third negative — because honestly, there aren’t that many downsides beyond the first two I mentioned.
But if I had to pick one, it would still be performance — at least in a relative sense.
It’s no secret that Nintendo consoles have never aimed to match the raw power of gaming PCs, PlayStations, or Xbox systems. And for some gamers, that’s a dealbreaker. If high-end performance is your priority, the Switch 2 still won’t fully compete in that space.
But personally, I don’t think a Nintendo console needs to. Nintendo plays in a different sandbox, with games that usually don’t require insane specs to shine. Their titles focus more on creative gameplay, art direction, and unique experiences — not just graphical horsepower.
So yes, this can be seen as a negative — but only if it applies to your preferences. And I think for a good number of gamers out there, it still might.
Final Thoughts
When I look back at my overall feeling after the Nintendo Direct, it was definitely positive.
I know for a fact that I’ll be playing Nintendo games for a long time — I mean, where else can you play the new Pokémon titles? But beyond that, it’s also because I still genuinely enjoy my current Switch. I think it’s a fantastic concept, even after all these years.
The fact that Nintendo is keeping the core idea the same, while bringing in huge upgrades, makes it a no-brainer for me:
I’ll be pre-ordering it the moment I get the chance.