Nintendo is Great is devoted to exploring the world of Nintendo - their games, their consoles, their merchandise - in mostly chronological order, from the NES to the Switch 2.
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Legacy
I’ve been playing Nintendo consoles for 36 years now. I’ve seen it all. I got the NES Action Set when I was four years old, when Nintendo Fever was sweeping the nation, and kids didn’t play video games, they played “Nintendo.”
The SNES followed three years later, and my seven-year-old mind was blown. Mario couldn’t look this good, it wasn’t fair. Mode 7 graphics, early 3D experiments like Star Fox and Donkey Kong Country, and so much adventure. Link to the Past, Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, these were the days of our lives. The SNES provided everything a growing boy needed, and frankly, my adult soul is still nourished by it today.
The N64, Christmas of 1996. Super Mario 64 came along and changed everything. And yet, its gaming library was (to me) a decline from the heady highs of the SNES and NES.
The GameCube, high school days. Hours upon hours sunk into Super Smash Bros. Melee, Animal Crossing, Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, Mario Kart: Double Dash. What the N64 failed to provide, the GameCube delivered with gusto.
The Wii, launch day 2006. I’m technically an adult in college, and yet, I must play Twilight Princess right now. So I do. And Wii Sports, for hours and hours. For a brief moment, waggle controls are the future. Until they’re not, and I just want to hold a real controller again. So I buy a PS3 and get lost in Metal Gear Solid IV and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and other sprawling masterworks.
The Wii U, late 2013. I’m married, paying bills. My wife is in college, and we are broke. Somehow, I purchase a Wii U Deluxe Set with New Super Mario Bros. U/Luigi U. Even though the Wii U’s game selection is sorely lacking, I am more than satisfied with the handful they provide. Full-time job, adult responsibilities, thus limited time to play games.
I don’t buy the Switch until February 2020, a month before the world collapsed. I’m 34 years old and I can’t deny that everyone and their mother thinks the Switch is the greatest Nintendo console since at least the Wii and possibly the SNES. I buy it, along with a Pro Controller, Super Mario Odyssey and Yoshi’s Crafted World. And you know what? It’s really fun. I enjoy it. Is it my favorite Nintendo system? No, but I understand its appeal. If I was a handheld gamer, I would be overjoyed at my ability to play Breath of the Wild in an airport or something, but I don’t really care about that. Still an amazing system, but half of its appeal just doesn’t matter to me.
For more of my thoughts on Nintendo’s previous consoles, check out this post.
SWITCH 2
This brings us to the Switch 2. At 40 God-blessed years old, and with all of Nintendo’s consoles under my belt, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this system, other than more, better Switch.
But what does that mean? Is the Switch 2 really just iterating on its older brother, or are there hidden depths waiting to be uncovered?
Switch 2 is Premium Switch. Whether you’re in docked mode using a Pro Controller 2 or holding the device far too close to your eyes, the Switch 2 radiates class. Like it’s aware that you paid far too much money for the new Nintendo console, so it wants you to feel like a baller while you play.
But how does it do that? As usual with Nintendo, it’s the little touches. Softer lighting on the UI. A happy little chirp when you wake up the system. The console itself has more weight compared to its predecessor. Quicker eShop load times. Enhanced rumble capacity (HD Rumble 2, for those who care). And while I’m saving Mario Kart World for its own separate writeup, the latter game also looks/feels like Premium Nintendo in a way I haven’t experienced in a long time.
Honestly, Switch 2 makes the Switch look and feel like a kid’s toy that’s about to break. I still have the OG Switch hooked up next to the Switch 2 (gotta watch YouTube somehow) and the difference in size and appearance is pretty staggering.
I’ve kept mostly to docked mode, as is my wont, and I’ve been incredibly happy with Switch 2’s performance thus far. The console has gotten hot at times after an hour of play, but it’s never froze up on me. I’ve also never heard the fan kick on, so I’m assuming either the fan is quiet or the system runs on the warmer side. I only have a 1080p TV, so I’m not able to behold Mario’s glittering mustache hair in glorious 4K. But even without the latter, I’m impressed with the visuals in docked mode.
For this write-up, I played in handheld mode to see what it was like. The 7.9 inch, 1080p display, to me, is incredible, especially compared to the original Switch’s 6.2 inch, 720p display. Very bright and almost overwhelming in detail.
After a round or two of Mario Kart World in handheld mode, however, my eyes were not happy. I had a hard time focusing and had to look away from the screen just to ground my eyes back in reality. I think this has more to do with the fast-paced nature of the game rather than the screen itself, though. I bet if I played Tears of the Kingdom or other slower-paced games, I would not suffer the same issues.
The Joy-Cons also feel sturdier and more comfortable compared to their Switch counterparts. As they should, given that they’re larger and magnetic now. Mouse controls have also been fantastic, although admittedly, I’ve only experienced them via Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour minigames. Civilization VII Switch 2 Edition is supposed to be good, though? I’ll put the mouse controls through their paces once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond emerges in… 2025? Of course, I hope that Switch 2’s Joy-Cons don’t suffer from the debilitating (and expensive) drift issues that the originals did. Nintendo’s had eight years to fix this very fixable problem, no excuses this time around.
One point of contention: what’s the deal with the cartridge slot holder? In the Switch 1, you opened it, put your game in, snapped it shut, bam. The Switch 2’s cartridge holder has what I call a floppy hat. You open it, the hat slides up out of the cartridge holder and flops around. Thankfully, it doesn’t feel too terribly flimsy, but it just looks ridiculous and makes inserting cartridges more awkward than it needs to be.
ACCESSORIES
The Pro Controller 2 is the best Nintendo controller I’ve ever used, full stop. God bless the GameCube controller, a perennial favorite in the Cornelius household, but the Pro Controller 2 just bests it in every way. It fits perfectly in my (admittedly smallish) hands, it feels silky smooth yet doesn’t slide around while you’re playing, every button is pleasingly crisp and responds well, and the matte black finish with a light white/gray portion on the top of the controller is very aesthetically pleasing. Looking forward to using this bad boy for years to come.
The wireless GameCube controller is also a delight, specifically with the GameCube titles on NSO. If you’ve ever used a GameCube controller, you know what to expect here. With its responsive analog stick, sublime analog shoulder buttons, and well-placed button layout (the big green ‘A’ button!), it’s one of the best controllers ever made, save for its ridiculously tiny D-pad.
I have yet to purchase the Camera, since I can’t see myself playing Mario Kart World or any other multiplayer game and wanting to look at people while I do it. Perhaps in the future, the Camera will seem more necessary, but right now, it – and GameChat as a whole - seem more suited to younger generations.
Come to think of it, I haven’t heard of anyone who’s used GameChat or the Camera.
Have you purchased the Switch 2 Camera or have you used your own USB Camera with Mario Kart World? Have you used GameChat? If so, what do you think so far?
PRICE
The Switch 2 costs $449 USD by itself and $499 with Mario Kart World. The Pro Controller 2 will set you back a whopping $84.99, while the GameCube controller goes for $64.99 (to purchase the latter, you must have an Expansion Pak NSO subscription which currently costs $49.99 a year). Mario Kart World, by itself, retails for $79.99. Put all that together and you have… a lot of money.
This is, of course, only USD pricing. In certain countries, like Canada and Australia, I’ve heard the prices are far worse.
Yes, the Switch 2, its accessories, and so far, its games, are all expensive. But like any console, it’s an investment. You’re putting down a large sum of money under the pretense that this device will provide hundreds of hours of entertainment for years to come.
This is not to say I approve of Nintendo’s pricing structure this generation, however. While the console seems reasonably priced given the current market value of, well, everything on store shelves, accessory prices are absurd (thanks to tariffs, I presume – although it’s not like the original prices were super cheap). $84.99 for a controller is vomit-worthy, even if it is the best Nintendo controller I’ve ever used. $64.99 for a wireless GameCube controller that only works with Switch 2 is also a little nauseating. And yet, I bought them both. So who’s the real sucker here?
One thing’s for sure: if Nintendo wants to sell 100 million+ Switch 2 consoles, it will have to figure out more reasonably priced solutions for families. All of us know at least one household with multiple Switches. I just don’t see that happening for Switch 2, unless the inevitable Switch 2 Lite gets a severe price cut, or the world’s economy comes roaring back.
I’ll get into my thoughts on Mario Kart World’s $79.99 price tag in its writeup, but for now, I’ll say that I don’t think any game – Nintendo or otherwise – should be breaking the $69.99 barrier. Gamers were only just starting to get used to the $10 price increase on most AAA games from $59-$69, and Nintendo decimated that with Mario Kart World. The $80 Switch 2 Editions of older Switch 1 games with enhanced performance/some DLC also are egregious. Personally, I hope so few people shell out for these rip-offs that Nintendo is forced to lower their price down to something reasonable, like $50 or $60. I doubt it, but we’ll see.
CONCLUSION
Pricing aside, the Switch 2 has both met my expectations and even slightly exceeded them. I expected the console to essentially be a more powerful Switch, and it is. The fact that it isn’t just priced like a higher end product, but also feels like one is unexpected – and welcome. It’s the first Nintendo system since the GameCube that seems somewhat designed to keep up with more powerful modern consoles. Not compete directly with them per say, but just have games that look as close as possible to what the PS5 and Xbox Series X are pumping out.
As the old saying goes, a system is only as good as its games. So far, I’m looking forward to both what the Switch 2 has coming (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby Air Riders) and to visit Switch 1 games I never got around to, only with enhanced capabilities (too many to list!).
36 years after my first encounter with the NES, and with all the ups and downs of previous console generations, I’m still excited and hopeful with what Nintendo has to offer players. Let’s hope the Switch 2 provides many excellent gaming memories in the years to come!
Current 2025 Rating: 8.5 out of 10
But what do you think? Are you pleased with the Switch 2 so far? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
*image courtesy of Reddit user eleanor61
^image courtesy of Reddit user Individual_Badger705
So this old gal(age 61) has been a gamer since Pong became a home console. Actually before that because arcades…Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Wii, PlayStation etc. I can’t name all the systems and handhelds I’ve owned but Nintendo has always been my fave I’m still a gamer. I got the Switch 1 a few months after it came out. I still play it. Loved your article! Have you found your reflexes a little bit slower as you age? Ugh! I realized it when Fortnite came out and I could no longer keep up with my nephews!!! They always wanted to play with me because they always kicked my butt! Made me sad but I still love to play and keep up on all the new games. 😊
Very much mirrors my own thoughts on the console: I expected a power increase and a larger feel but virtually everything has a more premium appeal. I think I mentioned it in my own review but it always felt like the Switch was handheld first and home console second but this has changed with the Switch 2
Will be interested to read your thoughts on MK World, I wouldn't say I've soured on the game but the online experience has become a bit too frustraging for me to play, with the item balance and that stupid update that removes the Random course selection giving an extra lap