Switch 2 Outshines Original: 10 Key Improvements

Rejoice, fellow Nintendo fans! On Wednesday, the clouds parted, the sun rose, and the divine hand of Miyamoto reached down from the sky to grace us with Nintendo’s latest marvel, the Switch 2. After years of speculation, we finally have a clear look at this mysterious console hybrid.

Sadly, the sleek, compact, and powerful Switch 2 does not pack a tiny Reggie into every GPU as the rumors suggested. However, after spending an hour during the Direct, glued to every word, dissecting it, screenshotting every image, and poring over captured video for tiny clues, we can finally share some solid facts about this new device. Let's explore how it leaves its beloved predecessor in the dust.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

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1. Switch 2 packs in a lot more raw graphical power than Switch

   This revelation is not surprising, as practically every next-gen Nintendo console has been significantly improved over its predecessor. When released in 2017, the original Switch was not a cutting-edge powerhouse compared to Sony and Xbox consoles, and eight years later, it struggles with demanding games. This week's showcase promised a vastly improved experience: handheld resolutions up to 1080p, docked up to 4K, both with HDR, and framerates extending to 120 fps. This upgrade should allow a wider variety of games to come to Switch 2. We've already seen the fruits of this in EA's decision to host soccer and football games on Switch 2, and 2K's intention to do the same with wrestling and basketball. Third parties revealed current-gen games to give us an idea of the Switch 2's increased capabilities, showing a console/handheld capable of handling Elden Ring, Street Fighter 6, and other demanding software. Nintendo's new first-party offerings were simply gorgeous.

2. Switch plays GameCube games. Switch 2 doesn’t

   The beloved GameCube games are now available on Nintendo Switch Online, exclusively on Switch 2. Nintendo has drawn a clear line between online experiences on the original Switch and Switch 2, meaning that those who want to play some of Nintendo’s best retro games will need to upgrade. While only three games are available now, they are absolute classics: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and, astonishingly, Soul Calibur 2, complete with Link.

   Soul Calibur 2 is incredible. If you've never played it with a friend, you're in for a treat.

3. Switch 2 recognizes the existence of the Internet

   When humanity later reviews this glorious day in video game history, the opening chapter won't be about Mario Kart resembling Forza Horizon, Donkey Kong’s return in Bananza, or the announcement of the secret project, Duskblood. Instead, it will focus on the most significantly un-Nintendo thing to happen this week: easy integration of online features commonly available on other platforms.

   The company that brought us Friend Codes now introduces GameChat, a feature-rich communication and visual sharing set for Switch 2. A noise-cancelling mic picks up your voice and shares it with friends. An optional desktop camera allows you to share your face, both in window-corners and in compatible games like Mario Party. You can also share screens across consoles remotely. It's much of what we gave up asking Nintendo for years ago—a simple, straightforward tool for playing with friends. I’m eager to see how it plays out.

   Talk to your friends! See your friends! Easily! At last, Nintendo. So much potential awaits with this feature. My mind keeps going to Monster Hunter, with teams of four benefiting from shared screens as they pursue and trap their prey. It’s unthinkable for Nintendo to offer such a useful array of online features, but here we are, living in the future at last.

4. Magnetic Joy-Cons

   We had already guessed this, but it's still really cool. Joy-Cons now magnetically snap to the Switch 2 body rather than slotting in. Nintendo demonstrated how the steel shoulder buttons on each controller attract to the magnetic facing along the sides of the screen, locking them together. A press of a button releases the magnetic grip.

   This feature is a game-changer for my home setup, where a shelf top obstructs removing the Joy-Cons without removing the entire Switch from the dock, sometimes leading to knocking the whole thing down. I’m a fan.

5. A bigger screen

   Bigger isn't always better with handhelds, but given the sharper resolution of the 1080p portable screen and the nature of most Switch games, the slight increase in size to 7.9 inches should be a net gain for most players. The first Switch sacrificed screen real estate for portability, but Nintendo is making the right call in giving these elaborate, feature-rich games more space to shine.

6. Mouse controls

   Nintendo was excited to show off its innovative Joy-Con mouse features. A Switch 2 Joy-Con laid on its side can be moved across a tabletop, and its telemetry tracked to provide precise pointing and rotation. This feature is heavily supported at launch by games like Drag x Drive, Civ 7, and Metroid Prime 4.

   I do love wacky Nintendo. My guess is the mouse feature won’t see much use past the launch window (much like the microphone on the old DS), but I’m all in on playing Metroid Prime 4 with a mouse. As a PC gamer, I rarely enjoy FPS games that force me to use a controller, so this surprising option feels liberating. Hopefully, we get Mario Paint 2.

7. More storage

   This is a bit of a double-edged sword. Nintendo packed the Switch 2 with 256GB of external storage, much more than the original Switch. However, with all the Switch 2’s extra graphics capacity, those asset-rich game files will be much larger too, so it may be close to a wash. The memory is quicker to deal with larger game files, meaning you'll need a new, faster memory card for supplemental storage.

8. Quality of life improvements are no small deal on Switch 2

   Nintendo tweaked the Switch hardware in response to nearly a decade of feedback. Switch 2 now features two USB-C ports, with one added on top to assist in charging while playing in kickstand mode. Nintendo added a fan to the dock to aid in cooling consistency. Sticks are larger, and sound capabilities are improved.

   Even the Switch 2 Pro Controller is a step up, with an audio jack (at last!) and assignable buttons. No telling yet if the new controller contains the same miniaturized star that exists at the core of every Switch Pro Controller, giving it near-unlimited battery life.

   One of the most subtle features might be the most useful. I do a fair bit of Switch playing on my tabletop. The fact that the Switch 2 screen angle is adjustable in kickstand mode is a huge deal for me. Too often, ambient light at an airport or the angle of a tight airplane tray table makes playing in kickstand mode seem futile. But with the ability to subtly shift angles, coupled with the new mouse feature, I might actually enjoy a serious game of Civilization 7 on the go.

9. Switch 2 gives you more choices

   First off, Switch 2 is backward compatible. That’s always good. Microsoft has already blazed a trail toward optimized backward compatibility on Xbox, and Nintendo has taken a note from its own GameCube to Wii to Wii U history, making most Switch games a snap to play on new hardware. Backward compatibility helps sell consoles in their first year.

   While the Nintendo Switch 2 is backward compatible with Switch games, it also supports special new Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of certain Switch titles like Metroid Prime 4. These enhanced titles offer new features, including a selection between a higher-res Quality Mode or a faster frame rate in Performance Mode.

   One really cool feature of these Nintendo Switch 2 Editions is that if you already own the original game on Switch, you can purchase a simple Switch 2 Edition upgrade and enjoy all the new features on your new hardware. Let's hope it's not too expensive.

   It’s also possible that Switch 2 Editions of Switch’s notoriously janky Pokémon games could be improved by these features. Let's hope so. Throwing hardware at things can’t solve every problem, but sometimes it really helps.

10. You need Switch 2 to play the newest games by the best developers on earth

    Mario Kart World does everything we expect of Mario Kart and adds two key elements. The first is the ability to traverse a continuous world Forza Horizon-style, racing from course to course, free mode exploring, fooling around, and so on. The second is the swelling of the field size to 24 carts, which is a lot to get one’s head around when the shells start flying. It sounds like absolute bedlam. I can’t wait.

    Nintendo took its time showing off new games but toward the end of the show, we got a minute tease of a new Kirby’s Air Ride game, Kirby’s Air Riders. This announcement would likely have resulted in a thunderous snooze were it not for the surprising involvement of Mr. Sakurai, known equally for his self-immolating work ethic and his status as the god of Smash Bros. I love Kirby, but Air Ride sucked... BUT it’s Sakurai, so I’m now 100% in.

    Then there was The Duskbloods, a trailer that produced some hysterics in me. At first, I thought it was Bloodborne 2, then a licensed FROM Software take on Castlevania, and finally, I accepted that it was an entirely original Miyazaki game exclusive to Switch. My friends, remember: FROM Software does not miss. You will probably die. You will probably dodge roll. And certainly, you will have a blast.

    Which Nintendo Switch 2 Game Are You Most Excited For?

    The DuskbloodsDonkey Kong: BananzaMario Kart WorldHollow Knight: Silksong
    AnswerSee ResultsAnd of course, the real King of Kong makes his triumphant return to 3D with Donkey Kong Bananza. It’s a moment of absolution for Nintendo: 26 years after dropping the barbequed turd Donkey Kong 64 on an unsuspecting planet, a wiser, more skilled Nintendo has returned to the drawing board with what’s sure to be a landmark adventure.

    Nintendo devs have been absolutely excelling in 3D platforming on the Switch, not just with Odyssey and Bowser’s Fury, but also with Kirby’s incredible journey to the shores of the Forgotten Lands. Bananza was constructed to showcase far more capable hardware than these modern-day classics, which means that the devs had opportunities to iterate on ideas that wouldn’t have been possible on a basic Switch.