How was your April 24? Like me, did you try your damndest to preorder a Nintendo Switch 2? And, also like me, did you manage to make it happen?
It wasn’t an easy endeavour, with multiple retailers experiencing website crashes thanks to the demand for the new device. I’m historically not a patient person when it comes to these sorts of things (well, really, I’m not patient when it comes to anything, but that’s a whole other matter) and I know, had I not been able to score a pre-order, I’d have wound up obsessively checking websites for the opportunity after the fact. So, colour me relieved, as I am now just waiting for the June 5 release date.
In the meantime, the day after the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order, Anya and I had the chance to visit the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience as it made its way to Toronto at the Enercare Centre. Our friends at Craft PR ensured we were on the media list, and the event itself was a lot of fun, as attendees were among the first worldwide to get their hands on the new device.
I’ll admit to some ambivalence about the Nintendo Switch 2 before the event. Nothing I’d seen in videos or pictures stood out as making the device an instant must-have. However, I started feeling differently once I held it in my hands.
Not only is it not particularly heavy, which is essential for a handheld device, but the Nintendo Switch 2 also feels premium. As someone who has had a few Steam Decks, including an OLED model, I can tell you neither has felt as light or as quality as the Switch 2. In that regard, the console, with its magnetic Joy-Cons, is a big step up from the original.
Throughout the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience, Anya and I competed in the new Mario Kart World Knockout Mode, where you’re pitted against other players in an elimination race. While the standard aspect of the game felt like just another iteration, Knockout Mode was a hell of a lot of fun. We also played Donkey Kong Bananza, where you can smash anything in your path. Again, another fun game to try out.
It’s worth noting that, with its 4K and HDR capabilities, everything I saw on the Nintendo Switch 2 looked excellent, upping its graphics to a level competitive with the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. While both Anya and I have mainly used our Switches in handheld mode in the past, I think this hardware upgrade will see the Switch 2 docked and on the big TV screen regularly.
Anya and I spent close to two hours at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience, and throughout it, I kept thinking that the device’s hype is real. Building upon the groundwork of a console like the original Switch is a tough challenge, especially considering it sold 150 million consoles worldwide—no small feat. It seems that Nintendo is up for the challenge, with Switch 2 being the next exciting addition to the company’s history.
Did you manage to order your own Nintendo Switch 2? Let us know!
