The day of reckoning has arrived and finally, we’ve got an official look at the Nintendo Switch 2 and all it’s going to bring to the table. The eight-year-long wait finally came to an end on Thursday 16 during a short video uploaded online, where Ninty graciously showed off the upgraded handheld. We got confirmation that the Switch 2 is not only called the Switch 2, but that it’s sporting a new all-black color with larger Joy-Con controllers, a larger screen, backwards compatibility, and a new fresh look for the dock- not too different from what I, and the rest of the rumor mill, expected.
We still have to wait until at least April 2, 2025, for the upcoming Direct presentation to see exactly what specs are hiding under the hood. But at a quick glance, it's looking more and more like a contender for one of the best gaming handhelds and a worthy upgrade from its predecessor. With Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility also good to go (with some limitations), I’m hoping we can expect to see games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door running at 4K, and smoother performance from new titles thanks to the handheld’s rumored DLSS capabilities. Rumors have also hinted that it will at least rival the power of Valve’s Steam Deck handheld but even if it falls short, there will still be a lot to love about the Switch 2.
I didn’t get the Nintendo Switch at launch. That may come as a surprise, but my finances were a little different then. Instead, I first got my hands on it shortly after the release of Super Mario Odyssey. For years afterward, it came with me everywhere I went, and became my go-to console. I’ve been playing games portably since the initial release of the Game Boy, but it took the Switch to officially convert me to preferring gaming on the go.
