I Skipped the Switch, But I’m Getting a Switch 2 at Launch

I’ve owned most Nintendo’s consoles, but the last one I purchased was a Wii U. Yeah, I skipped a pretty big one, but you can bet I’m getting a Switch 2.

The Switch 2 Is Backwards Compatible

When Nintendo teased that the Switch 2 would be backward compatible, that was the only detail I needed to hear to pretty much guarantee a sale. When their official trailer confirmed that physical cartridges would also be supported, it was a done deal.

I missed the entire Nintendo Switch era, which means there is a whole generation of games out there that I haven’t played. The last Zelda game I played was 2011’s Skyward Sword. Before I get to Tears of the Kingdom, I still have to experience Breath of the Wild.

Xenoblade Chronicles became my favorite game when I played it on the original Wii, but I sold my Wii U before Xenoblade Chronicles X came out. I’ve since missed out on two more sequels.

The ability to catch up on the back catalog was reason enough for me to put off getting my kids the Switch they were starting to ask for last year because the Switch 2 is almost here.

I’m Expecting Better Performance from Old Games

It’s no secret that many Switch that didn’t perform all that well. After all, I hear even Breath of the Wild, as a launch game, was already pushing what the system could do. Open-world games like Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet also run up against the Switch’s limits.

Ports like Doom and The Witcher 3 came to the Switch, but they had to make substantial compromises to do so.

While the Switch 2 won’t magically improve the texture detail in these sorts of games, it could feasibly run them at a higher frame rate. There is precedent for this sort of improvement. After all, there are some games that play better on an Xbox Series S/X than on their original Xbox 360.

The Switch 2 Should Be More Comfortable

I may not have owned a Switch, but it should come as no surprise that I’ve held one. They’re everywhere. Each time I hold one in my hands, I’m surprised by how uncomfortable I find the console to be.

The Joy-Cons feel cramped, whether I have them attached to the Switch or I’m holding them individually. The buttons are small, and the joysticks match.

The Switch 2 is larger, which should be easier for hands like mine to hold. I don’t have big hands, but I do have long fingers, and small controllers make my hands cramp up. The larger Switch 2 will hopefully be something I can hold without needing to buy a third-party accessory.

I also dig the look of the Switch 2 more. While the original Switch is also available in black, the look of the Switch 2 feels like it’s geared a bit more toward adults. I’m sure more colors will become available that will feel right at home next to a bright blue Switch Lite, but the launch color lands just right for me.

I Want Something for Couch Multiplayer

Quite honestly, I’m perfectly content playing games on my phone, firing up NVIDIA GeForce NOW whenever I want to play a more meaty PC title. But I have kids, and sometimes our family of four wants to play video games together. Mobile gaming isn’t great for this, and a Steam Deck isn’t much better.

Couch multiplayer is where Nintendo absolutely shines, and it’s the single biggest reason I want a Switch. While many other publishers have abandoned in-person multiplayer for online play, Nintendo still sells Mario Kart, Smash Bros., and Mario Party. My wife and I had great fun playing Nintendo Land on the Wii U, and while that game appears to be one of the few hits not to get ported to the Switch, I know there are plenty of other couch multiplayer options out there with an age-rating my young kids can enjoy.

There’s one other way that the Switch isn’t like the Wii U or the Wii before it: I (probably) won’t have to stock up on Wiimotes to make the magic happen. The two Bluetooth controllers I’ve bought for my phone should work with the console, meaning that on day one we already have enough for all four of us to play the new Mario Kart expected to launch alongside or shortly after the system hits store shelves. The 8BitDo Pro 2 can continue to be my go-to gamepad for whatever game I play, at least when the system is docked.

I’m Not Expecting a Huge Price Tag

Nintendo makes consoles for the whole family, and its consoles are usually priced accordingly. Without a cheaper Nintendo 3DS line still around to buy kids instead, a $500 Switch 2 would price Nintendo out of the affordable handheld gaming segment. I don’t think Nintendo is willing to completely hand this market segment over to Android tablets and iPads.

There are also lessons to be learned from history. The PlayStation 3 launched at around $500, depending on how much storage you wanted, making it twice the starting price of the PlayStation 2. The PlayStation 2 may have been the best-selling home console, but its successor suffered regardless. Nintendo can also learn from its own past. The 3DS launched at $250, only to drop to $180 six months later, at which point it started to catch on (it’s still worth buying a 3DS, just by the way).

A Switch 2 that costs more than $400 starts to compete directly with handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go. None of these machines provides as seamless an experience as the Switch and if they aren’t already more powerful than the Switch 2, their successors almost certainly will be. Nintendo needs to undercut or get as close to the mark as possible if it wants to move anywhere near as many units as it did last time (when competition was non-existent).

Like many others, I don’t expect the Switch 2 to cost much more than the current one. That means if I’m going to drop a few hundred dollars on a Switch, it might as well be the new one. I’ve already gone eight years without a Switch. What’s a few more months?

Get the full low-down on the Switch 2, what to expect in terms of hardware, and learn more about how Nintendo can set the Switch 2 apart from the original.