Nintendo updates its top-selling Switch console with a new version, imaginatively called the Nintendo Switch 2.

In the box, you’ll find everything you need to get going. There’s the Switch 2 device, two magnetic Joy-Con controllers, two Joy-Con 2 straps, a Joy-Con 2 grip frame, the Switch 2 dock, an HDMI cable, a USB Type-C to Type-A cable and a USB power plug.

Following on from Sony and Microsoft, with their PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, the Switch 2 doesn’t discard what’s gone before, and instead is more of an update. This means instead of a new console that’ll make your old games obsolete, like in the days of old, most of your OG Switch games will run fine on it, or even better.

This is excellent news, as not only is the console a rather breathtaking AUD$700, but the games, as well, are now over 100 bucks a piece. You may do well to play a few of your old games, albeit in a higher resolution and faster framerate, whilst you save up for some of the new Switch 2 exclusives.

It’s also a bit crafty, as the new console already has a vast day-one library if you count the OG Switch games. Handy, as there are not really that many new Switch 2 games available for launch.

I’ll be open and honest about this. Whilst I’ve found portable gaming systems to be fun, it’s not since the PlayStation Portable that I’ve really got on with them. The PSP blew my mind in that I could play proper FIFA on the go, but it’s been downhill from there.

Perhaps it’s the older I get, the more self-conscious I become. And that, when I’m in a position for a bit of gaming on the go, I feel a grown man with grey hair pulling out a console looks a bit odd.

It could also be that the performance difference between a portable version of a game and a regular console (or PC) is just too great. So, unless I’m a captive audience on a plane or something, I’ll be playing the best version of a game on the most powerful machine (which isn’t going to be a Switch, let’s be honest).

Either way, in spite of trying, I’ve a difficult relationship with portable gaming. Made even more troublesome with the likes of the ROG Ally bringing PC gaming to a portable platform.

Of course, Nintendo brings its exclusives to the table. I bought a GameCube just so I could play The Legend of Zelda: Windwalker. And that was pretty much the same story with the Switch and Breath of the Wild.

The biggest draw for Nintendo’s Switch 2 is the games. With the day one launch of Mario Kart World, as well as updated versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, joining all those backward compatible Switch games (some of which you can pick up for pennies from the online store), Switch 2 early adopters are laughing.

The Switch 2 feels a lot more robust and grown-up than its predecessor. It seems a lot less like a toy and more like a prestigious, high-end device. It’s not as plasticky as the OG Switch, with slightly more weight.

The way the Joy-Con 2s clip into place with magnets as opposed to sliding on rails adds to that first-class experience. And good news: you can put the Joy-Con 2s on the Switch 2 back to front and upside down. Whilst they still won’t work, unlike their predecessors doing so will not get them stuck in place.

The Joy-Con 2’s straps also just clip into the controllers. Not only do the straps stop you from hurling the Joy-Cons at your TV, but they also become the base that turns the controllers into mice. And you don’t even need a mouse mat to use them as such; they work anywhere, even on your lap.

The button layout of the Joy-Con 2s is identical to that of the original Switch. The shoulder buttons are a bit bigger, and there’s an extra “C” button for the new inclusion of built-in game chat. The Switch 2 also supports Amiibos, which are activated on the right Joy-Con.

Whilst it’s not an OLED screen, which is surprising, considering the cost of the console, it is a very nice and bright LED 1080p HDR display. The 7.9-inch screen is capable of refresh rates up to 120Hz. Compared to the OG Switch’s 6.2-inch 720p SDR screen running up to 60Hz, you can see why it looks an order of magnitude better.

The screen is virtually indestructible. But it’s easy to scratch, though, as there’s a fragile layer of plastic film covering the glass screen. Apparently, this film is to stop the glass screen, if broken, from creating thousands of sharp little shards of glass. If you pick up the Nintendo carry case, you will get a plastic screen protector, but you are better off buying a proper screen protector like the Tempered glass one from amFilm.

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of UFS 3.1 onboard storage (compared with the OG Switch’s 32GB) and 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM (compared to 4GB LPDDR4). The Switch 2’s storage can be expanded with a microSD Express card. These are not the same as the microSD card for the original or OLED Switch.

The Switch utilises a custom Nvidia Tegra T239 system-on-chip processor featuring an octa-core ARM Cortex-A78C CPU and a 12 SM Ampere GPU. The Nvidia GPU brings with it DLSS upscaling, real-time ray-tracing and variable refresh rates (VRR) using Nvidia’s G-Sync capabilities, just like the company’s PC desktop graphics cards. When docked, the Switch 2 becomes even more powerful, cranking up the processor timings to support 4K HDR with VRR up to 120Hz.

In every way the Switch 2 is an improvement over its predecessor, except that the screen is not OLED. The Joy-Con 2 still having digital triggers instead of analogue is also a bit weird.

Another cool thing about the Switch 2 is that you can use your OG Switch Pro controllers with it. You can also use 3^rd-party controllers, like the Gulikit KK3 Max.

The Nintendo Online service +Expansions not only give you access to online saves, but also the free Switch 2 upgrades for the two Zelda games, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Membership also gives you access to various emulators with loads of old games, including the GameCube emulator with Soul Caliber 2 and The Legend of Zelda: The Windwalker. These libraries are ever-expanding.  Nintendo’s online service is a lot cheaper than other console online subscriptions, and there’s a family option as well that makes it pretty good value.

Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom look great on the Switch 2 screen. On the TV, the visuals are crisp and not smudged like they are on the OG Switch. The Wipeout-inspired futuristic racing game, Fast Fusion, is a great budget title that is not only a great game but also shows off the console’s visual prowess.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is another cheap game that’s worth a look. It should really have been a freebie, but still, it appeals to the nerd in me. The game is an interactive intro to the Switch 2’s technology via demos and mini games. There are quizzes as well as stamps to collect as you discover what’s under the portable console’s hood.

The Switch 2 still lags behind its contemporary consoles in performance. However, Nintendo is not pitching the Switch 2 against either the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X|S. It’s a machine that’s a breed apart, and a significant step up from its predecessor.

If you have already invested in the Nintendo ecosystem with the OG, Lite or OLED Switch, picking up a Switch 2 should be a serious consideration. It’s not cheap, though, especially for a brand that tends to appeal to a younger demographic. You are unlikely, however, to find such a high-quality and versatile portable gaming device with such a unique library at a comparable cost to the Switch 2.