GAME: RESET

With all its bells and whistles, is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth the $719 price tag? The Straits Times looks under the hood of the console

- Teo Kai Xiang

Nintendo has done it again. Eight years ago, the Nintendo Switch revolutionised console gaming by offering a hybrid experience that combines handheld gaming and home consoles. Now, the Switch 2—which launched globally on June 5 and in Singapore on June 26—has brought key refinements to the Japanese gamemaker's flagship console.

The question is not whether the Switch 2 improves on its predecessor—it does—but whether the improvements justify the hike from the first iteration's $425 launch price.

Despite key improvements, play-testing the console reminds me more of the modest step from Nintendo's Wii to the Wii U, rather than the revolutionary leap between the latter console and the Switch.

THE GOOD: A BETTER SWITCH

The Switch 2's most noticeable upgrade is its 7.9-inch 1080p screen with up to 120Hz refresh rates—a big improvement over the original's 6.2-inch 720p screen. Games look visibly sharper and crisper, and the larger screen makes extended handheld sessions more comfortable.

Under the hood, hardware improvements enable technically demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (2020) to run smoothly on Nintendo hardware for the first time.

Storage also receives a long-overdue upgrade from 32GB of internal storage to 256GB. This addresses one of the Switch's most frustrating limitations: insufficient space for today's increasingly expansive digital games.