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GAMING FEATURE

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HANDS-ON WITH THE NINTENDO SWITCH 2 It’s release month for the hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2. Having the opportunity for an early hands-on, here’s what we learned about this exciting new hybrid console. Words Amy Flower

than the tiny tab of the original, or even the larger flap of the later OLED model, this is a wide, foldout bar that also allows you to adjust the angle upon which the Switch 2 faces. As seen on TV When the Switch 2 is connected to a television, you can really notice the improved graphics of the new system. When output in such a way, where games support it, you can take in glorious 4K vision complete with HDR, also with up to a smooth 120Hz frame rate.

The screen itself, while not OLED, still looks very good, with the leap in resolution from 720p to 1080p this time out bringing the key improvement, as well as HDR capability for brighter whites and deeper blacks. Tabletop time! Not surprisingly, there’s little difference between tabletop mode on the Switch 2 to that of the original Switch, although the slightly

In-hand When we first encountered the original

Switch, we were surprised at how big it was. When we first encountered the Switch 2, we were surprised that it wasn’t bigger than we expected! Handhelds sure have grown in recent years. It is, however, actually quite a bit larger – with a 7.9-inch screen in place of a 6.2-inch one – and the attached Joy-Con 2 controllers have also grown to accommodate this. Those Joy-Cons 2 are now a doddle to remove, with a button each side at top rear that slides sideways to release their pleasingly solid magnetic hold. Looking at the sides that are usually hidden when attached to the screen, the SL and SR buttons are now larger, which works a treat when using them singly as controllers.

bigger screen does mean a little less squinting for some of us. The big improvement is actually on the back of the Switch 2, in the shape of the new stand. Rather

The new Mario Kart World is a wonderful showcase, as we reckon many a new Switch 2 owner will discover on launch day. Meanwhile, Zelda fans are going to love the improvements in graphical fidelity made to both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdo m via their Switch 2 updates.

JUNE 2025

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