Nintendo Switch 2 Console Review

ThisGenGaming June 29, 2025 Comments Closed 1,621 views 0 like Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews, Product Review, Reviews

Thank you to Nintendo UK for providing a Switch 2 review unit for this review.

Back in 2017, when we reviewed the original Nintendo Switch, we called it one of the best Nintendo consoles ever released. That statement was quickly backed up by the quality of titles that followed—and, of course, by the incredible sales numbers the Switch would go on to rack up over the next eight years, showing just how popular and beloved it became among gamers.

It was also a little beast at the time—though that might sound crazy today, considering how the Switch would eventually become known for being underpowered. But it’s important to remember that this handheld was delivering serious console-level gaming on the go. In many cases, especially with Wii U ports, it actually offered a better and more powerful experience. Mario Kart 8 is a great example: when docked, the Switch version ran at 1080p compared to the Wii U’s 720p, and even in handheld mode, it maintained parity with the Wii U version at 720p. Back then, it was wild to think that a full Wii U title could run that smoothly on a portable system.

However, without a mid-gen refresh like the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, the Switch started to noticeably fall behind as we moved into a new era of gaming—one filled with bigger ideas that demanded more and more power to bring to life. Sure, the original Switch pulled off the impossible with ports like Doom (2016) and The Witcher 3, but as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S arrived, it became increasingly clear that a new Switch was needed. And with handheld gaming tech growing stronger throughout the 2020s, the thought of what could be possible with a Nintendo Switch 2 was always an exciting one.

And now, fast forward to 2025—and we finally have the Nintendo Switch 2. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Once again, Nintendo has released a console that I personally consider to be one of their best ever. It would be easy to just say, “It’s the original Switch, but better,” because honestly, that’s pretty much what it is. But underneath the surface, there are a few key things I want to highlight to show you, the reader, why this is such a solid and meaningful improvement over the first Switch.

The first thing I want to talk about is the design of the console itself. It’s going to feel familiar after so many years with the original Switch—and that’s a good thing. Don’t fix what isn’t broken, really. But you’re going to notice straight away just how much bigger the Switch 2 is. After years of using the first model, it felt massive at first and took a bit of time to get used to. But once I adjusted, I could really appreciate how good this console looks, even in handheld mode, especially thanks to the nice bump in resolution—from 720p on the original Switch to 1080p on the Switch 2.

Every game I tested on the Switch 2, even older titles, weirdly felt like a new experience in handheld mode. Games that once looked a bit soft or had noticeable frame drops now looked sharper and ran smoother than ever. It really hit me how much of a difference that new screen made—it’s crisp, clean, and seriously impressive when you’re playing on the go.

And on that note, I have to give major credit to the backwards compatibility support on the Nintendo Switch 2. It wasn’t talked about much before launch, which is surprising—because it’s seriously incredible. The power of the Switch 2, even without any patches, manages to breathe new life into some of the original Switch’s most struggling games. Take Batman: Arkham Knight and WWE 2K18, for example—two of the worst-performing titles I can remember playing on the original Switch. The frame rates were awful, and the image quality was a mess.

But thanks to the raw power of the Switch 2, both of these games—once considered nearly unplayable—are now completely playable. They hit close to a locked 30fps, and the image quality looks much cleaner thanks to dynamic resolution holding steady instead of constantly dropping. It’s just really wild to see. Like I said, these improvements are all happening without any updates—just the Switch 2 doing its own magic.

Going back to the Switch console itself and how it feels in handheld mode, one of the things I was really curious to try was how secure the new Joy-Cons would be. With the Switch 2, they no longer lock in with a sliding mechanism like the original Switch—instead, they attach magnetically. That immediately had me wondering: how sturdy is this really going to be?

To my surprise, it’s incredibly sturdy. I tested it by being as rough with the Switch 2 as I reasonably could, just to see if the Joy-Cons would accidentally pop off or feel loose in any way—but there were no issues at all. It honestly felt like the Joy-Cons were permanently attached. The magnetic connection is strong, and the whole thing feels solid in your hands, which was a big relief.

As for how the Switch 2 handles actual Switch 2 games, we’re impressed so far. Mario Kart has never looked better, and it’s going bigger than ever with insane 24-player races for the first time—running flawlessly without a hitch. I also played Yakuza 0, and I was genuinely impressed with how it looked and ran in both docked and handheld modes. As a third-party PS4-era title, it actually looks better than the original PS4 version in my opinion, which really shows how far the Switch 2 pushes the idea of next-gen handheld gaming.

That said, with handheld consoles advancing so quickly, it does raise the question: how long will the Switch 2 hold onto that “beast” status like the original did? I do think it’s going to age better this time around. The leap from PS3-level visuals on Switch 1 to something closer to PS4+ on Switch 2 is massive, and that kind of jump should give it a longer shelf life before it starts to feel outdated.

For a more in-depth look at Mario Kart World and Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, make sure to keep an eye out for our full reviews coming soon.

The Final Verdict

All in all, the Switch 2 feels like exactly the upgrade we hoped for—powerful, refined, and built to last. If you loved the original, you’re going to feel right at home, only better. And if you skipped the first one, there’s never been a better time to jump in.