There was a time when the designers of the Switch 2 were considering calling their new machine the Super Nintendo Switch. They decided against it, however, because it would be able to play original Switch games – and 1990’s Super NES had no backwards compatibility with 1983’s NES. After playing with it for the weekend, I’d say a more accurate name would be the Switch Pro: effectively a modernised and highly refined version of the original console, rather than a whole new generation.
The larger screen and more powerful processor are the most obvious upgrades, but every facet of the console is higher spec. The larger Joy-Cons feel more robust and are easier to use – the way they magnetically clip on to the console is very pleasing. The user interface is a graceful if slightly boring iteration of the Switch’s, enhanced with subtle haptic feedback and delightfully subtle bleeps and blips.
