VERY Critical Switch 2 Thoughts Two Days Later

 So the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct happened two days ago, and now that some time’s passed and more info has dropped, I think the honeymoon phase is kinda over. I wanna really sit down and give my thoughts on the console—where it stands now, how it fits into Nintendo’s legacy, what Nintendo consoles mean to me as someone who’s been playing them my whole life, and what I think the future holds for the company.

First off, let's talk about the Switch 2 itself. It looks like a great console—like, genuinely. Tons of improvements over the original Switch, and it’s a big deal that, for the first time since the GameCube, Nintendo’s finally caught up with industry-standard hardware. That whole era of third-party games getting butchered to run on the Switch? Hopefully over. Multiplats won’t be downgraded into oblivion, and games will actually run on par with other platforms.

Plus, with mouse support and new control features, there's potential for DS games, touch screen titles, and even better FPS controls than other systems. The backwards compatibility is also super promising—you get the entire Switch library on launch, with some games even getting patches and performance upgrades. On paper, the Switch 2’s looking like a major win.

However… I gotta be real—I'm not that excited for it. And here’s why.

Even with all the pros, the Direct itself felt mid as hell for what’s supposed to kick off the next generation. I liked all the announcements, don’t get me wrong, but most of them were just upgraded Switch games or ports. Only five original first-party games were announced—one of them was already revealed three months ago, only three were actually shown with gameplay, and one of them didn’t even have gameplay at all (even though the announcement itself was sick).

I’m hyped for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Kirby Air Riders, especially the latter, but both are releasing later in the year. Donkey Kong Bananza looks fantastic and I have no complaints there. But Mario Kart World as the launch title? First of all, $80 for Mario Kart is insane. Second, the bundle that includes it is limited time only—which just doesn’t sit right with me.

Then there’s Drag X Dive—basically a tech demo looking game that would’ve made a perfect pack-in title. Like, if you're charging $450 for a console, at least include something. Even if it ends up being decent, I’m getting major ARMS vibes: good idea, cool mechanics, but probably won’t hit like it should.

And then we get to Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which… why is this a paid downloadable title? It’s literally just a minigame collection of tech demos that would’ve been perfect as a free pack-in. Sony gave people an entire 3D platformer for free with the PS5, and Nintendo wants us to pay for this? Make it make sense.

As for the rest of the Direct? Mostly Switch 1 games with expansions—some cool like Jamboree and Forgotten Land, and some just baffling like the open-world Zelda re-releases. And don’t even get me started on the Switch 2 editions of upcoming Switch 1 games that add literally nothing besides better performance and maybe mouse support for Prime 4 (…what?).

So when you look at everything, the only game that feels like a true Switch 2 showcase—something that feels fresh, exciting, and like a symbol of a new era—is Donkey Kong Bananza. Everything else either should’ve been at launch, is coming way later, or just doesn’t represent the new generation all that well. Even Mario Kart World, as great as it looks, isn’t really doing anything worth EIGHTY DOLLARS. It’s just… Mario Kart but open world, and that’s fine, but it's not something that screams “worth more than the average PS5 Game”

And the business decisions? Just straight-up weird. That paid voice chat system when the Joy-Con literally has a call button built in? Ridiculously overpriced accessories? It just feels like a cash grab in spots. There’s probably more I’m forgetting, but overall, the launch year’s not looking great—and honestly, the Switch 2 feels like a continuation of the last generation, not the start of a new one.

Now, you might be thinking, “Talxic, how is that a bad thing?” And you’re right—it’s not bad per se. But is it exciting? Not really. What I love about Nintendo consoles, even the ones that flopped (cough Wii U), is that they were always different. Every generation had something unique, something to remember it by. This time? It’s giving GameCube or Wii U launch energy, and maybe even worse. At least the GameCube had Smash, Pikmin, and Luigi’s Mansion early on, plus tons of announcements for the future. Switch 2 has… Drag X Dive?

Even the original Switch had ARMS a few months in—unique, stylish, different. The Wii U launched with Nintendo Land, which, while it wasn’t what they needed at the time, was still a creative, full-on Nintendo celebration. Switch 2, despite being less gimmicky than the Wii U, still could’ve had something special like that—a creative, personality-filled new IP. Instead, we’re getting robot wheelchair basketball with zero identity as the "Welcome Tour."

It feels like Nintendo thinks just slapping the Switch name on things and dropping an overpriced Mario Kart is enough. And it might work for sales, but for fans? For people who’ve been here since day one? It’s underwhelming. Especially in this economy, asking people to drop $500+ on what’s essentially a slightly better Switch and a new Mario Kart is a tough ask. This is supposed to be the next Nintendo console. The only one we’ll have for the next 5+ years. That’s a big deal—and this ain’t a big deal launch.

Back in the GameCube and Wii U eras, you at least had the GBA or 3DS backing things up. Even the Wii had the DS when it started leaning too hard into casual stuff. This time? It’s just Switch again. And for people who’ve been in that ecosystem for the last eight years, there’s no real reason to buy into the Switch 2—at least not right away.

Nintendo console launches are supposed to be moments. Even the 3DS had a rough launch, but just months later we got Mario Kart and a brand-new 3D Mario game on a handheld, plus a price cut. That kind of turnaround? That’s what Nintendo needs to keep in mind.

Now look, I know I’ve been harsh. But I’m only this critical because I care. Nintendo means the world to me. Their games literally helped shape who I am. I’ve made lifelong friendships through Nintendo. I remember playing Double Dash and Sunshine on my cousin’s GameCube, getting 3D Land for my birthday, owning my first DS, getting my 3DS, playing 8-player Smash 4 with my cousins and losing our minds when PAC-MAN was revealed. Kirby’s Adventure was the first game I beat on my own. I played Metroid on Wii VC and got absolutely lost in that world, even while dying over and over again.

I criticize Nintendo not because I hate them—but because what they’ve made means so much to me. But they’re still a corporation. And they’re far from perfect. I just hope this feedback—this rant, whatever you wanna call it—gets across that there is a better version of this console launch out there. And I want the Switch 2 to be that version.

Whether you agree or not is totally cool. If you’re hyped, I’m genuinely happy for you. I still look forward to Mario Kart, Kirby Air Riders, Jamboree TV, Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed Worlds, Donkey Kong Bananza, and even Drag X Dive (despite how much I just roasted it).

But that’s all I got for now.
Cya!!