7 Things We Love And 4 Things We Hate About The Switch 2

The single biggest physical design difference with the Switch 2 is that the Joy-Con now snap onto the side of the console with magnets instead of sliding along a metal track, and it feels so, so satisfying. They effortlessly click in and are easy to remove without having to scrape metal on metal. The triggers to release them are also a lot easier to press than the tiny black buttons on the original Switch, too. -Ethan Gach

It’s really nice to have a Nintendo console that actually works with my big dumb 4K TV. Previously the Switch, for a few reasons, felt like an old relic I was plugging into my modern TV. But now, I have a Mario machine that takes advantage of the modern features of my big TV and produces a super sharp image. I can’t wait to play Nintendo games like Breath of the Wild and more at smoother framerates and higher resolutions. -Zack Zwiezen

Games load noticeably faster on Switch 2. These aren’t lightning-fast PS5 SSD speeds, but they’re a big leap compared to the old hardware. Loading The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom takes only 7-8 seconds on Switch 2, roughly half what they took on the original Switch. Fast-travel in those games is roughly twice as fast as well. Even games without official Switch 2 updates are vastly improved. Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes 30 seconds less on Switch 2. Monster Hunter Rise, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have all had their load times buffed, too.

I also tested Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart World. It was roughly 18 seconds to get from starting the game to the first menu in each, which doesn’t sound all that impressive until you remember the latter takes place in a sprawling, interconnected map and lets you immediately start driving from the start menu. - EG

I always underrate how nice a giant screen is for gaming, especially when it’s just two feet from my face. The Switch OLED was marginally bigger and felt like having a weight lifted when I upgraded to it from my OG model. That feeling is magnified with Switch 2, which includes a much bigger screen with a smaller bezel and rim of plastic at the top and bottom. It’s not OLED, but it’s surprisingly crisp, clear, and vibrant for an LCD. It makes the original Switch feel washed out by comparison. - EG

I always found the Switch to feel like a kids’ toy that just so happened to play games. That’s not the case with the Switch 2. It feels incredible to hold. The buttons feel perfectly pushable, and the outer coating on the console and Joy-Con feels lovely. Not too slippery, not too rough. It also has a nice heft to it and feels substantial. It feels like a high-end tech device and not a toy, and I really appreciate that. -ZZ

It’s been years since the Switch eShop felt anywhere close to borderline usable. It chugged like a ‘90s Windows PC loaded up with malware. Menus were sluggish, icons wouldn’t load, and half the time I just gave up looking for stuff to play and went back to my PS5 or PC instead. But on Switch 2, the eShop is once again snappy and responsive. The search bar returns way better results, and I like that the store has given wishlists and personal recommendations more emphasis on the left action bar. I also like that things are slightly more spaced out, making the whole experience feel a little less cramped. - EG

Similar to the console and Joy-Con, the Switch 2 Pro Controller is a wonderful thing to hold and use. The buttons feel just clicky enough without feeling cheap or being too loud. The new GL and GR buttons are a great addition that will be useful in more complicated games. And the entire controller, like the Switch 2 console, just oozes high-end, luxury vibes. And it better, as it cost me nearly $100 after taxes and shit. -ZZ

While the eShop got a nice refresh, the rest of the Switch 2 interface, sans new features like Game Chat, looks basically identical to that of the old hardware. The home screen is still a single row of game icons surrounded by a sea of white space (or black if you use the system’s only other menu theme option). The coming back from standby screen is also the exact same, with a news bar on the left, the time at the top right, and a small icon of the last active app in the middle.

Would it kill Nintendo to add some more color options, menu themes, or background art? - EG

For as nice as the controllers feel, they are still a horrible way to play games. The stick is in the wrong place! I’ve been annoyed about this since the OG Switch and it still sucks here, too. The sticks themselves also feel tiny and too soft.

Actually playing with one single Joy-Con is an experience I’ll avoid like the plague on Switch 2. If I have to use them, I’ll attach them to the included Joy-Con grip and use both. And that will only be if my Pro Controller is missing for some horrible reason. -ZZ

I miss the old days of the original Switch when I could see all my Twitter friends and their Nintendo accounts, and I could easily shoot them a friend invite. Now I have to share my friend code. I can’t even look up people’s usernames.

It feels like such a strange old relic to have to rely on friend codes in 2025. Why can’t I link up my Discord and see other Discord buddies with Nintendo Online accounts? Ultimately, once we are friends, this problem isn’t a big deal, but it’s still not great. -ZZ

The eShop is great now on Switch 2! It loads so fast, and you can quickly navigate it. However, as I did this last night, I quickly noticed that the shop was filled with all the same slop as before. And checking out the upcoming releases revealed a big tidal wave of low-priced garbage coming down the pipeline. A reminder that, while the Switch 2 is a new console, it is bringing with it a lot of baggage. -ZZ