Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth it?

[Ikagura]

If you want a mount to get around faster, you gotta get the Epona Amiibo.

Jokes aside I always felt like horses were kinda useless in BotW considering the options to travel.

 

[evercaptor]

I got one launch day, replacing my launch switch which has some... battery issues. I've used the Sputch about as much as I thought I would and the games made with it in mind are noticibly better looking.

As a brand embassador, if "pokemon za looks a bit nicer and splatoon 3 loads a bit faster" doesn't butter your briskets, I'd recommend waiting until there are 5 games you want to play on it (whether thats for portability or exclusivity reasons). My partner is still doing everything they want to on the oled switch and if you aren't hurting for it, just hang on to the money and earn some interest on it.

Post automatically merged: Dec 10, 2025

Jokes aside I always felt like horses were kinda useless in BotW considering the options to travel.

They were useful in the early game and trailer off in usefulness when the fast travel network became better. It's just about knowing when they're a good investment for your time.

 

[Alopex]

It has been for me, before even getting to the new games, the performance boost so many of my Switch 1 games have recieved has been transformative, it even lead me to buying some games I avoided on the OG system because they ran like ass, like Bakeru, Klonoa and Ni No Kuni 2. On Switch 2 these games are buttery smooth.

There's some real surprises in there, like Trials of Mana, I thought that was locked at 30FPS, but apparently it was double buffered and now runs at a constant 60 on Switch 2.

It also sadly helps that my Switch 1's battery decided to pack it in the exact same day that I brought the new system home, all it has left is enough juice to power on when connected to the mains.

 

[Ikagura]

it even lead me to buying some games I avoided on the OG system because they ran like ass, like Bakeru, Klonoa and Ni No Kuni 2. On Switch 2 these games are buttery smooth.

It has been several years but I don't recall Klonoa having issues.

 

[Alopex]

It has been several years but I don't recall Klonoa having issues.

It's playable on Switch, it has the least issues of the games I listed, but thanks to it being a quick and dirty Unity game it has a lot of little framerate stutters, Klonoa 2 is worse and drops frames constantly. I just didn't think that was good enough for me to plonk down the asking price when it's not doing anything the system shouldn't be able to handle.

 

[Ikagura]

It's playable on Switch, it has the least issues of the games I listed, but thanks to it being a quick and dirty Unity game it has a lot of little framerate stutters, Klonoa 2 is worse and drops frames constantly. I just didn't think that was good enough for me to plonk down the asking price when it's not doing anything the system shouldn't be able to handle.

It's quite bad when the first Klonoa is based on the Wii remake, a weaker Nintendo console.

In a better reality we would've gotten an HD version of the Playstation build like G-Darius and more recently R-Type Delta.

 

[Axineton]

I got a boxed one from CEX yesterday with a voucher I had for trading in loads of old games and tech I picked up at charity shops and carboot sales. Well happy cos I didn’t spend anywhere near the £375 they’re selling them for so I’ll say yes it is worth it if you enjoy Nintendo products or don’t have a switch 1

 

[tselinoyarsk]

Not if I can emulate their games on PC, then nope. Same thing for the Switch 1, I'd rather just play them on a computer anyways.

 

[Ikagura]

Not if I can emulate their games on PC, then nope. Same thing for the Switch 1, I'd rather just play them on a computer anyways.

You could say that for any hardware to be honest.

But I'd wait the console to be around 5 years old to start emulating anything from it.

 

[Kovlak]

Only Donkey Kong: Bananza and Cyberpunk 2077 make me think of the Switch 2 right now. That is not nearly enough to make me spend 450€ on the console.

 

[thanonyx thanonyx]

I got around 20 games or so on my wish list. But yeah, still gonna wait for more.

 

[Turbo Kid]

I got a used one for a decent price. I have a little extra disposable income right now so I decided, "why the hell not?". Since I got it second hand, Nintendo didn't get a cent from me. I basically got one just to play Donkey Kong Bonanza and maybe that new Hyrule Warriors game. I probably won't ever touch it again after that.

With all the talk of RAM supposedly making everything more expensive next year I figured I'd grab one while I could get it at a good price. Now I just hope someone figures out how to hack it.

 

[Lena CE]

Nintendo hardware is one of those things where given the time, it will always justify itself. If you don't think you'll have a stellar PC to handle Switch 2 emulation when it finally happens. It will inevitably get modded, if you are someone that still buys games you will inevitably get a handful of stellar exclusives.

But as with any hardware, early on it's only justifiable for people really hardcore or who just have the spare cash to throw at a product that will take time to truly spread its wings. For what it is I love my Switch 2 so far, I got the best version of Metroid Prime 4 and Kirby Air Riders and upgraded versions of a bunch of games. With a lot of Switch 1 games /finally/ hitting solid discounts I'm able to catch up on a lot of exclusives I skipped over or put on my backlog and many of them are patched to be better than ever. I also have games I'm highly anticipating like Duskbloods and Pokemon gen 10.

I like the screen, I like the joycons themselves, aside from battery life I have no real complaints so far.

Would I recommend it to anyone else though? Not exactly. There is some merit to potentially getting in now because there is a solid chance the hardware has a price hike in the next year or so, but that's not exactly a great incentive to buy a new system. If you aren't comfortable paying $450 for a console and don't want to spend $70-80 on every AAA first party game then steer clear, obviously.

 

[Arkista]

I still haven't got the Switch 2 because I can't justify it since I've barely played my regular Switch

 

[Turbo Kid]

So I finally got this piece of shit in my possesion and it can't even connect to my internet without problems. I keep getting errors claiming something is wrong with my signal or my password even though everything else in my house (including other handheld devices) is connected to it just fine.

Fuck you Nintendo

 

[Kovlak]

That happens to me too with the Switch Light. Makes me think the new router the Telecom company installed isn't that great, but I really don't know...

 

[Turbo Kid]

If you ever wanted to understand why people support DRM free games, get a Switch 2. I bought Donkey Kong Bonanza from the eshop and it won't let me play the game because it says my Switch 2 isn't set up as the primary system on my online account. Yet when I access my online account on my laptop, it only shows the Switch 2 being linked to it. There are no other systems.

So now I can't play the game I just paid for because of online, DRM bullshit

FUCK...NINTENDO.

Christ, I can go pick up my Odin2 Portal right now or my modded Switch 1 and just fucking play a game without any of this bullshit. Or just go on a PC and play a GOG game offline. I'm so sick of these heavy handed control systems on consoles by dick companies like Sony and Nintendo.

 

[NeonKnights]

The biggest thing keeping me from getting a Switch 2 is that there are so many Switch 1 games that I missed out on, I already have a Switch and I'll play them there.
All other issues aside, the LCD screen ghosting is a serious deal breaker for me.
The value proposition of the Switch is using the system docked, and in handheld mode. The Switch 2 handheld mode is an inferior experience to the Switch 1 OLED where the screen is concerned. That along with the lack of any games that I truly want to play so far will keep me away from this system until a revision featuring an OLED screen, or an OLED screen mod is released midway through the consoles life.

 

[Mr. SyS]

Deck? Free to use. Switch 2? Locked down to the point of absurdity. I like open platforms.

 

[blahbleh]

We've got emulators so download some games and see for yourself

 

[Ikagura]

Deck? Free to use. Switch 2? Locked down to the point of absurdity. I like open platforms.

The Steam Deck is a computer. Consoles are locked down, that's the thing about consoles after all.

 

[sandogma sandogma]

Deck? Free to use. Switch 2? Locked down to the point of absurdity. I like open platforms.

Locked down "to the point of absurdity" would imply you would have to register an account or sign in before you can do anything and that is not true for the Switch 1 nor Switch 2.
You can literally buy a Switch 2 and a game (thats not a "game-key card") and play offline without having to do anything else. Do you think that fits your description of "locked down to absurdity"?

I'm not saying the Switch isn't locked down, but to echo the above post, all consoles are locked down to a degree.

 

[Ikagura]

Locked down "to the point of absurdity" would imply you would have to register an account or sign in before you can do anything and that is not true for the Switch 1 nor Switch 2.
You can literally buy a Switch 2 and a game (thats not a "game-key card") and play offline without having to do anything else. Do you think that fits your description of "locked down to absurdity"?

I think it may refer to the fact that the save files are using a proprietary format or that there's apparently a way to brick the console if you're modding it but I'm not sure.

I forgot but can you save on a PS3 or a X360 without a gamertag/profile?

I know that having no profile on the Switch just means no e-shop, no online nor cloud saves as far as I know.

I'm not saying the Switch isn't locked down, but to echo the above post, all consoles are locked down to a degree.

Yeah, it's like saying that it's too bad you cannot play a Xbox nor Wii U game only by inserting a Xbox disc in the PC.

Even the Steam Deck has the disadvantage that since it runs on Proton you have to make sure it's compatible with it and good luck to make Win98 era PC games running natively on it (no VM nor Wine).

 

[gastd]

Yes, the device is worth it but I would wait a year or two until the device becomes a little cheaper and when it has stability in the system.

 

[Dyne]

With all the talk of RAM supposedly making everything more expensive next year I figured I'd grab one while I could get it at a good price. Now I just hope someone figures out how to hack it.

This is an interesting point...

I chose to get an AYN Thor instead of a Switch 2. (for now)
They both play Switch 1 games but I'm really loving my Thor. Its kind of the perfect handheld imo.