I bought a Nintendo Switch 2. And it’s great. The end.
Part of me wanted to stop right there, but perhaps that’s not the most helpful statement to help others decide on a big purchase.
I was a nervous shopper. As a dad in his 40s, would I get hold of this new console and realise why I hadn’t played games properly in 15 years, or would I be sucked back into an exciting world of graphical and story-based distraction?
So, as always, let’s start with some history and background and work from there.
I made some specific decisions on game console ownership that were, and are, largely unwavering:
- I can’t be tethered to a TV in one room of my house. With a family, this would limit my opportunity to use the device, and I would find my only game time being reserved for time with the kids. Being able to move between TVs/rooms is a must.
- Because I want a kid-safe space with gaming, Nintendo was the most likely option if I want to limit in-game chat, control access through parental controls, a hard-stop feature, and manage who they can play online with through friend codes when they are older. Whilst most consoles have some of these features, the Nintendo ecosystem seems just that bit more flexible and can be managed from the iOS app.
- I want access to Zelda games. I didn’t get to play Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and _Tears of the Kingdom_when they released originally. Also, there should also be a new Zelda game for the Switch 2 within its lifespan, though they have bought a bit of time by announcing a remake of Ocarina of Time. OOT is held up as one of the best games of all time, the first Zelda in 3D, and has fantastic storytelling whilst delivering ground-breaking mechanics (back in 1998). A remake, in full 2026 graphical glory, sounds like it will be worth a play.
- Handheld play would be nice. I really like my old Nintendo DS Lite. Maybe I could even take a handheld out and about.
Honestly, that didn’t make the console choice very difficult. A second-hand Wii U, a handheld 3DS, a Switch (Gen 1, Lite, or OLED), or a Switch 2. The Switch (all types) would be the only console on the list that would provide me access to nearly all the Zelda games I wanted (the 3DS is still the only way to play A Link Between Worlds - damn you, Nintendo).
My own gaming journey made this decision easy too. My first real console was a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) that I received for Christmas in 1988. It was the Mario/Duck Hunt version, and I also received the original Zelda game shortly afterwards. Amazing.
I ended up owning a Game Boy, a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), N64, DS, GameCube, and Wii during my Nintendo years. I branched out to the Dreamcast (still home to some of the best games I have ever played), PlayStation, PS2, then an Xbox (a later version with XBMC—Xbox Media Center), and finally a PS3. I have great gaming memories from the PlayStation years, but the PS3, a Nintendo Wii, and a Nintendo DS Lite were where my gaming adventure paused. For years.
The Apple TV 4K refuelled my gaming a little as I found some fantastic games to start playing with the kids -Sneaky Sasquatch, anyone? - especially as I could connect a couple of controllers to the system really easily. But Zelda was calling!
I also needed a little mental health break of my own. A few injuries and challenges have kept me away from rock climbing, cut back my cycling, and caused me to give up running. Whilst I hope to return to some of those soon, having something to actually look forward to is no bad thing. With young kids, time to myself after bedtime and the house clean-up is reduced and not always enough to be massively productive. Thirty minutes of gaming can fill that space nicely. The commute when I’m stuck on a train can also be filled easily.
To start helping me make my decision, I hit Marketplace, CEX, Amazon, and the big-box stores to compare prices. I will also say that this was months before I took the plunge.
Whilst researching the prices, a number of products jumped in price considerably. PlayStation consoles increased a bit, the Xbox jumped a ton, Steam Decks became eye-wateringly expensive, and the Switch 2… marched on with the promise of a September price increase from Nintendo.
During the couple of months I was watching the prices, I quickly decided that if I could get a Switch 2 below £340, then I should jump. And, thanks to Amazon, it hit the goal. So I jumped.
The Switch 2 effectively became cheaper and better value compared to the rest of the market. So long as the available games ticked all the boxes.
As I continued my research, I also made a list of must-buy games, followed by second-and third-tier games (not based on quality, but on time and money), and accessories I would need immediately and before long.
Games for me: Zelda: Breath of The Wild; Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze; Cyberpunk 2077; Zelda: Ocarina of Time; Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom; bonus: Pokopia.
Games for the family and kids: Lego: Star Wars Skywalker Saga; Lego: Ninjago; Lego: City; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Shredder’s Revenge; Minecraft: Mario Kart 8 or World.
Accessories: A JSAUX screen protector; Belkin hard case; Nintendo Pro 2 controller
I sat and watched Amazon until the price hit the magic mark. Then I bought it from a local big-box retailer who would price match and provide an additional discount. I doubt I will ever get a better price on a new Switch 2 than I managed.
Interesting fact: you cannot buy your first Nintendo eShop game except from a Switch. I didn’t have a Switch. I don’t know anyone with a Switch.
Why is this important, do I hear you ask?
Nintendo had an amazing sale over in the EU with lots of great deals (not quite as good as the US Summer Sale, but pretty good), and I wanted to take advantage. But I couldn’t. Notably from my list, I missed out on Cyberpunk 2077 at a great price.
The day my Switch turned up, many of the desirable deals had finished, but I was still able to grab the LEGO games I wanted and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for between 30% and 65% off full price. So the kids were sorted.
Tropical Freeze was in stock at my local second-hand games store, and I swapped a couple of old games I had lying around, so I got that for pocket money.
Zelda came from Amazon at £20 off retail.
I was doing well.
Let’s fast-forward a month.
More than thirty hours of Zelda play solo and a 10% of Donkey Kong completed with the kids. So, how did I do against the wish lists?
Zelda: Breath of the Wild - was an obvious starting place and I grabbed the Switch 2 edition of Nintendo’s first real open world Zelda game. It is simply out of this world. It might be a nine year old game but it doesn’t look or feel like it. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was a difficult decision over the remastered Country HD. Ultimately, Tropical Freeze is a game I have never played and is cheaper to buy. It is fantastic though I’m thinking of also picking up Country HD too. Cyberpunk 2077 was in the EU sale that I missed out on. Will have to wait until I finish Zelda and can get this cheaper. Looks awesome. A decision on the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will have to wait until the reviews are in but it would be epic to play a remastered version of this game after all these years. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom requires a good year off from BOTW so I hear before exploring this one. Pokopia is a notable mention and I might take a chance on it if I find it with a discount. Whilst the reviews are great, I’m not 100% this is my ideal game. I also ended up with the Nintendo online subscription but I’m not blown away by it at this point.
Lego Star Wars. Damn this is good compared to the iOS version we had. The game plays out exactly like the movies with players taking the role of the main characters in each scene. My youngest is finding it a bit much but the six year old is loving this. Also amazing to play with my son and get him further immersed into the world of Star Wars. A bargain with all the extras for £11. Lego Ninjago hasn’t seen much play time but the tutorial was strong and the character moves were different. Worth £3 on sale. Lego: City was also on that £3 sale and is like a kids GTA. Will be good during the winter I suspect. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge was also on sale and we play this on the Apple TV a lot. But I only have 2 controllers that connect to the Apple TV and four that work with the Switch 2. We have hardly touched this because I realised that you have to pay extra from Metal Head and some of the other characters who, of course, the kids like because they make the game slightly easier. This game is hard as nails. Very enjoyable for £6 though. Minecraft is also on the list but we will wait for the Switch 2 version that is expected before Xmas 2026. Likewise, Mario Kart World or 8 will be a winter purchase for the family. Cannot decide which to go for but because we want this to be a simple family racer I’m leaning to Mario Kart 8. TBC. The kids have been dipping into the Nintendo online sub and really like Yoshi’s Adventure on N64. Hate Mario Party (wasn’t expecting the hate part), have had a solid attempt at 3D versions of the big ones like Donkey Kong and Mario but it seems that they too prefer 2D versions of platformers. That will surely change over time but for now it’s old school all the way.
I grabbed the highest rated tempered screen protector from Amazon. It came with an applicator. One bubble that then disappeared with a bit of force from the provided squeegee and I cannot tell there is a screen protector on there. Pretty amazing for £8. Very happy. The Belkin hard case can hold more games than I have along with the Switch 2 with Joy Cons attached. It has a nifty strap and a place for a hidden AirTag. For £11 I more than happy and looks like a sensible keyboard case rather than a gaudy toy. Works well for taking to work. I must admin that I’m on the lookout for a case that only takes the screen so I can take my CRKD Neo S as the travel controller. Nothing has come up yet but I will keep looking.My final purchase was the Nintendo Pro 2 Controller. I have a separate half-review here. Short version, it’s amazing.
This is the best console I have ever owned, and I am enjoying Zelda: Breath of the Wild more than any game I can remember - partly because of the gap since my last serious game, and partly because it really is a wonderful game.
Some extra things I learned, in no particular order:
- Memory cards are expensive, but with 256GB built in, I don’t think I’ll need one for a while. Cyberpunk 2077 might be a future tipping point at about 60Gb on digital download.
- The Switch is a heavy handheld. It’s a bit unwieldy on the train, and on my lap I prefer to put the stand out so it rests on my legs. It is handy having a single unit, and I have happily spent an hour playing Zelda with the built-in Joy-Cons. They do a decent job.
- Having said that, there is no doubt I prefer the Nintendo Pro 2 Controller or the CRKD Neo S over the Joy-Cons. If I had known that, I might have looked for a different case that can take a controller and just the screen part. Do these even exist for Switch 2?
- Charging on the go is easy with USB-C.
- Pick your physical cartridge vs digital game carefully. I always thought I would stick with physical game cartridges, but there is something very cool about not having to store them and swap them out. My case has cartridge speces, but if I were to buy a cosy game like Pokopia (Minecraft crossed with Animal Crossing and Pokémon, so I’m told), then I would want that game permanently on the console for easy and regular access.
- Donkey Kong Country HD or Tropical Freeze are such old-school, hard-as-nails games. Wonderful.
- Nintendo Switch Online is really cool, especially the Wii games. But I now have too many games and no time - or desire - to play anything except Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The kids have found some games they enjoy and the Zelda notes function of the Nintendo app is very cool for storing weapons and shields if I’m over capacity in the game.
- You can’t run apps on the Switch. No BBC iPlayer or Netflix. Nothing. Doesn’t bother me, but it might be a pain for you.
- There is no real jailbreak scene and therefore no homebrew applications. The Switch 2 is definitely just a games console for now.
- That 1080p screen is really nice.
- Picking the console off its stand and switching seamlessly to handheld mode is like magic. As is walking off to the kitchen to continue a game.
Summary
I have no regrets. This feels like the best console I have ever owned and is exactly what I needed right now.