The Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 5th, so that puts us exactly 3 months after its release and I thought it would be a nice opportunity to recap the main reasons you should be getting yourself a shiny new Nintendo console, or if you’re better off sticking to the original Switch for a little while longer.
5. The eShop experience
This might seem like a silly one to start with, but browsing the Nintendo eShop on the OG Switch, is a headache. It loads slowly, you have to wait for new items to appear when reaching the bottom of the page and filtering is a hassle. Now, with the arrival of the Switch 2, there has been an eShop update on both consoles, but the speed of browsing is still vastly quicker on the Nintendo Switch 2 and it also helps that games exclusively available for NS2 have their own dedicated section.
There is even a new section “Game Finds for You”, based on your recent played or purchased games. I’m hoping this will improve game discoverability in the long run, especially for indie games that get drowned out by the 1st party Nintendo titles.
4. Your already owned games run better on it!
A lot of older releases will run considerably faster and smoother on the Nintendo Switch 2. The hardware was holding back the performance of some pretty significant titles like, Monster Hunter Stories 2, which went from 30-40 fps to a solid and steady 60fps. XCOM 2 was practically unplayable on the original Switch, with delays and stutters and now runs butter-smooth.
Even Nintendo’s own Pokémon Scarlet and Violet struggled to perform before and have received an actual update, not just an inherent performance boost, now with 60fps and improved resolution. Both Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity play significantly better on the Nintendo Switch 2 due to its more powerful hardware.
And New Pokémon Snap was one of my favourite games on the Nintendo Switch. Now you can replay it with crisper shadows, better draw distance and improved resolution.
It’s just a few examples, but checking your entire library for improvements on your shiny new console is a fun experience, so let us know if you’ve discovered any significant upgrades in any of your favourite games!
3. Some games received paid updates for Nintendo Switch 2
This doesn’t sound like that huge of a “get” on paper, since you have to pay for the upgrade, but luckily, it usually comes with extra content. I had friends who really had a great time with Mario Party Jamboree, and the added minigames that make good use of the mouse controls the new hardware allows enriched the party gaming experience for them.
But for the purpose of this section, I’ll focus on Kirby and the Forgotten Land, as it’s easily one of my favourite games to release on a Nintendo platform… possibly ever? It was released right after Elden Ring, and I needed a quick “feel-good” game after such a heavy theme and hard-fought wins.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World just released, and I kid you not: It’s my favourite experience on the NS2 by a mile. It acts as DLC for the main game, taking place after the events in the story and adding new takes on existing levels, with crystals you can trigger that unlock new routes in fantastic ways, kind of similar to how Super Mario Bros Wonder does its wonder flower sections. It’s an absolute delight, and I’m grinning from ear to ear when I play this, letting the Nintendorphins course through my veins and bringing me gaming bliss!
Other than the new content, Kirby looks absolutely amazing on the HDR screen, and it has received a resolution upgrade, sharper details and most importantly: better draw distance and performance. On Switch 1, the enemies in the distance almost looked like 3-frame GIFs looping the same animation over and over, and now it’s all buttery smooth and crisp as hell. Don’t sleep on this game!
2. Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World is the Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, and for good reason. Mario Kart 8 has consistently been the best-selling game on the platform for years and was usually the title people bought alongside the console regardless. Now, Nintendo has added an open world to explore and Cups with races that stretch from one end of the world to the other, which makes the whole experience feel more seamless.
I’ve put a lot of time into the game already, but I’m shocked at myself with how little of it was spent exploring to hunt down the blue challenge markers, because I just didn’t feel like the rewards were there for it and the challenges themselves were not always as fun. But players going for 100% in Mario Kart world will be busy for hours on end and there is a ton of content here.
The new elimination style races are also thrilling and make more sense now with the longer laps, I’ve actually grown to prefer them over the regular races. It’s just a shame that the way Mario Kart has always worked prevents you from using all the cool items, as the player in first place only gets coins, bananas and boost mushrooms. I did see a lot of epic plays online of people in last place sneaking in a win at the last second by using the shortcuts and items to maximum effect.
I’m curious if there will be a decent pro esports organisation around the event with local and international tournaments.
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
Mario, it’s time to hand in your crown, there is a new king in town! Donkey Kong Bananza is every bit as fun as it looks in trailers and the digging gameplay feels so fresh and new. It’s actually mind-blowing how deep you can dig into some levels without wrecking the flow or destroying your patch to completing the current layer.
In Donkey Kong Bananza, our buddy DK teams up with Pauline, a younger version of the mayor of New Donk City from Mario: Odyssey, and they make quite a pair: DK brings the muscles, the digging and the pummeling of bad guys when needed, and Pauline can sing to power him up in Bananza mode (where he changes into various animals to use their unique skills) or to unlock certain gates or locks. But most importantly, she brings heart. Pauline’s random ramblings when you rest for the night to restore some health are human, likeable and extremely endearing.
The level design of Donkey Kong Bananza is amazing, the content seems neverending, and there is always a collectible just within reach, making it impossible to put down. My only two nitpicks are that there is so much to collect and it happens so frequently, that the act of collecting stops feeling special a little too soon, and that boss battles are over in just a few hits.
But there is no denying that Donkey Kong Bananza is the best Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive available at the moment and a solid reason to own the console in the first place.
OOOOOOOH. BANANA!
Robby lives and breathes video games. When he’s not playing them, he’s talking about them on social media or convincing other people to pick up a controller themselves. He’s online so often, he could practically list the internet as his legal domicile. Belgian games-industry know-it-all.
