I spent 4 hours with the Nintendo Switch 2 and this is what I learnt

• I spent 4 hours with the Nintendo Switch 2.
• It included demos of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.
• But what did I learn from my time with the console?

After years of rumour and speculation, the Nintendo Switch 2 is real - and it is almost here. The highly anticipated console was fully revealed earlier this month.

I was invited to an event at the ExCeL London to spend four hours with the console by Nintendo UK. It gave me a real sense of what it is like - and how the big name games stack up.

This is what I played and what I learnt from my time with the Switch 2. See my full impressions:

What is my history with the Nintendo Switch?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a Nintendo console or handheld in some form. There was an OG Gameboy in a draw in our dining room and I can vividly recall getting Pokémon Yellow after completing my first swimming badge.

However around the time that the Wii U came out, I found myself drifting away. Perhaps that was because I was a student who couldn’t really afford to buy a new console.

But like millions of others, I was pulled back in again with the Switch. I had just started working and saved up for months before finally getting my hands on one in late 2017.

My Switch has remained in regular use in the 8 years since, a companion through job changes, house moves and a pandemic. So to say my expectations for a sequel to probably my favourite console of all-time were high, would be an understatement.

What was it like using the Nintendo Switch 2?

The event on April 11 gave us the opportunity to try out demos of games such as Mario Kart World, Metroid Prime 4, Donkey Kong Banazana and many, many more. They lasted for between 10 minutes and 20 minutes each - it included using it in handheld mode, docked and in mouse mode.

It feels lighter than expected

One of the first things I noticed about the Switch 2 was that it felt much lighter than I expected. It has a bigger screen and more beefed up specs, so I wasn’t sure if it would feel chunkier and less portable.

But the handheld mode felt very similar to when I used my OG Switch in that way. The caveat of course being that it was we only had 10 minute demos or so at a time, so perhaps over a long period of time this could change.

The screen was impressive and vivid

A lot of the chatter online after the reveal of the Switch 2 was disappointment at the screen being LED instead of OLED. However when using the console, I found it to be a very impressive screen.

The colours popped in a much more vibrant way than the classic Switch. The picture was crisp and clear - although it will be nice to see how it fares in a brighter setting than a convention hall.

Mouse mode could be a winner

One of the big new features announced for the Switch 2 is the ability to use the new Joy Cons in mouse mode. It sounded like it could be just a gimmick, but after playing through the Metroid Prime 4 demo it feels essential.

I have never really had a PC that could be used for gaming, so my only experience of playing first person shooters is with a controller. However after using the mouse mode for the Metroid demo, I may just be a convert.

DragxDrive might have a steep learning curve

Speaking of mouse mode, another of the games being demonstrated was DragxDrive. A three-vs-three wheelchair basketball game that heavily uses the new feature.

It feels a bit like Rocket League, but it may take you a bit of time to get the hang of it. The demo wasn’t long enough for me to feel like I’d fully grasped the mechanics - but there was the thrill of trying to help your team win and probably will be great fun to play with friends.

Mario Kart World is incredibly fun

There were two different Mario Kart World demos at the event. One let you try out the new Grand Prix mode and the other was the new Knockout mode.

It was the latter in particular that seemed to go down best in the room. A thrilling race involving 24 players, who are eliminated until just four players are left to race for the finish line.

The mode is absolute chaos and gets your heart pounding with tension. Every time I narrowly escaped the latest cut-off was a pure joy - until I got a bit cocky and became a victim of my own hubris.

A really fun touch is that while you are waiting for the other players to join the race, you are free to explore around and lose yourself in the open world. It sure beats just staring at a loading screen!

Donkey Kong Bananza is a great showcase for Switch 2

The last big reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 direct was a brand new 3D Donkey Kong game - the famous apes first fully new outing in over a decade. And after spending 20 minutes or so with it, the game feels like a real showcase for what the new console can do.

They weren’t kidding when they said that everything can be smashed (within reason). But even in such a brief play session, I got to experience how the mechanics can be mixed up to keep it varied.

I can’t wait to find out all the secrets and learn what was actually happening in the story. Oh and to find out who the little rock pal accompanying Donkey Kong actually is.

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