I will admit — I put off getting the Nintendo Switch 2 for a while. When the Nintendo Directs kept coming out ahead of its launch, I found myself questioning what part people were genuinely excited about. But like any gamer, I eventually gave in. 

In many ways, I’m glad I did. I enjoy the Nintendo Switch 2’s new design. Yes, it looks like the original Nintendo Switch — no big innovations here — but it has a smoother matte finish, a brighter and larger display, and Joy-Cons that use magnets to snap in. And so far, no Joy-Con drift! I also have enjoyed some of the games I’ve been playing, like Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Tamadachi Life: Living the Dream, Kirby Air Riders, and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. If you are a fan of Nintendo, I don’t see why you wouldn’t enjoy the Nintendo Switch 2. However, there are a lot of things that could have been done better. 

One of the reasons I was originally planning to delay my Nintendo Switch 2 purchase was that the Nintendo Directs just… didn’t have any games. The biggest initial announcement was Mario Kart World, which feels similar to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but with added game modes and an open world. Most of the other original titles were just Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of existing titles and indie games that didn’t catch my attention. The only reason I purchased a console with barely any games was due to my boyfriend wanting to split the cost so he could play Pokémon Legends: Z-A. That game deserves its own negative rant. 

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been out for over a year now and the number of blockbuster original games that have come out can be counted on your fingers — Donkey Kong Bananza, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Pokopia, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Mario Kart World… I’m just repeating myself now. No new Zelda game, no new Mario game… I feel like the console is not really worth paying the price with the lack of games available right now. 

That leads me to another gripe. The Nintendo Switch 2 cost $449.99 to purchase when it was released, and the price is going up to $499.99 in September 2026. That price hike is tough to stomach, despite having nearly no exciting games to play. If the Switch actually had a plethora of Mario games that weren’t available on other consoles, I’d think the launch price was fair. However, the console price is not really all there is to it. 

Due to United States’ market conditions, including a continued struggle to find memory cards for its consoles — thanks to out-of-control memory pricing — Nintendo raised the price on all of its accessories as well. The most frustrating part, however, is probably the games. Mario Kart World shocked the gaming community with its $80 price tag, and many other games have gone up to $70. If you want the upgraded Switch 2 Edition of an existing game, that will also cost you. Perhaps most shocking, the Welcome Tour — a tutorial on how to use the console — is $10! 

While you can say it’s somewhat expected from Nintendo, that doesn’t make it okay. And I’d have a hard time recommending the Switch 2 to anyone that has a strict budget.

The entire novelty of the Nintendo Switch is that it’s portable, right? If there aren’t any exclusive Mario games on it, the only notable thing setting it apart from the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 is the ability to play it on the go. It has a nice LCD screen for it and everything. 

Unfortunately, this aspect is a bit undermined by the fact that the Nintendo Switch 2 has a pretty poor battery life — the average battery life is about 4.5 hours. Most gamers will tell you that it only lasts between two to six hours, depending on what kind of game you’re playing. This is not as long as the original Nintendo Switch, which is a bit of a bummer. 

I have brought my Nintendo Switch 2 on trips before, especially back when I was addicted to Kirby Air Riders, and it barely ever lasted over a few hours on the flight. And you definitely need to charge it overnight in the hotel room if you want it to last throughout the following day. 

The fact that you paid good money for the new Switch generation, just to have to carry around a mobile power bank to keep it charged while playing more demanding games, is definitely a huge bummer. 

The gaming world had a bit of a meltdown when Nintendo announced the game-key card concept, which doesn’t have the full game data inside. Nintendo explained that these games would have a key to download the full game while connected to the internet. Then, you’d insert the game-key card and start up the game. Basically, you’re still given the packaging and card of a physical copy but it’s technically a digital copy — it’s somewhere in between the two. 

Physical versus digital has been a controversy in gaming for years, with many arguing that you don’t truly own the digital copy. Steam even confirms you’re purchasing a revocable license to access the content, not the game itself. Without a physical copy, gamers can’t return the game or share it with a friend.

When the game-key card thing was first revealed, Nintendo was public enemy number one. However, a recent announcement from Sony has softened the blow. Following in Microsoft’s footsteps, Sony will no longer release physical copies of its games in 2028. At least Nintendo still has physical games alongside digital and game-key card purchases. 

Praising Nintendo as the least selfish publisher is definitely a surprising take nobody probably had on their 2026 gaming bingo cards, but I still have to fault Nintendo for finding yet another way to move away from physical games.