The Switch 2 is fine, but the Pricing has Issues and it Starts with Mario Kart World

I was literally the first person in line when my GameStop opened at 10 a.m. the day Switch 2 pre-orders went on sale. Like many others there, I gleefully placed my order for the Switch 2 bundled with Mario Kart World, a Pro Controller for the Switch 2, a 1TB Express SD card, Donkey Kong Bananza, the Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 edition, and a set of Joy-Con Wheels for Mario Kart World. I was so excited to pick it up on release day that I got there early enough to be no. 14 in line. By the time we ended up back home, unboxed everything, and completed the setup process, my partner and I decided to play one cup of Mario Kart World, but agreed we would save the true gaming for the next morning. 

After spending the next day and many other days since then using the Switch, playing Mario Kart World, and even playing some of my Switch games on the newer hardware just to see how much better it runs and plays, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what the system can do, and who might benefit from the system. I’m also going to throw in a Mario Kart World review for free, but just like Nintendo, I am bundling it with my Switch 2 review. So, with that in mind, let’s examine the Switch 2 and its major launch title, Mario Kart World. 

The first thing I noticed about the Switch 2 was how much more efficiently things load up on the Switch 2. When you click on things, they just work. Take the Nintendo e-Shop for example. If you’re using an older Switch, it takes 30 seconds to a minute to load up the e-Shop. On Switch 2, it loads up rather instantly, and so too with the items you click on while in the shop. The store also looks a bit more refined, but time will tell if they’ve addressed the massive problem with low-effort slop games intended to cash in on gaming trends without providing real value to the consumer in return. This was a huge problem on the Switch, so fans are hoping to see a significant improvement from Nintendo on this front. 

When in docked mode, the system truly comes to life. While upgrades and their pricing are largely going to be determined on a developer-by-developer basis, there are a good number of games that have received graphical and frame-rate upgrades as a result of the Switch 2’s processing power. I’ve been having fun replaying Kirby and the Forgotten Kingdom in anticipation of their Switch 2 upgrade in August, which will offer an entirely new story called Star-Crossed World. From what I’ve gathered from the trailers, it seems like it takes every level in the game and completely changes how they are played, and even adds in new paths in old levels, all complete with new bosses and challenges. 

The Switch 2 Pro Controller is one of the most comfortable and satisfying controllers I have ever used. The triggers on the controller feel so satisfying to click, I find myself playing with the Pro Controller even more than the regular Joy-Cons because of that feeling. My buddy loved it so much that he literally sent me a text message asking how he could get a gaming setup just like mine with that controller. He loved using it so much that he wanted his own. It also has programmable buttons on the back, and that software is built into the Switch 2, so you can assign them with simplicity and ease. 

When it comes to Mario Kart World, I think that fans of Mario Kart are going to appreciate it just like any other Mario Kart game. I do think it has the potential to be the best Mario Kart ever made, but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is so packed with levels, characters, cars, and multiplayer options that Mario Kart World has some time and DLC they’ll need if they want to surpass them. What Nintendo has offered up in the initial launch is absolutely fantastic, but eight cups are not going to compete with 24 cups, no matter how many different ways you let fans experience them. With all of that said, Mario Kart World feels like it was built to have more content added to it at a later time. 

It would be fairly easy, I imagine, for Nintendo to incorporate older tracks with modern designs as DLC at a future time. I would argue they need it because the boring intermission tracks are going to wear on people more and more as the state of limerance ends. What is on offer right now is certainly enjoyable, though. I’ll get into the positives and negatives of Free Roam here in a minute, but I want to talk about the Grand Prix and Knockout Cups next. This is where the majority of people will spend their time in this game, and it is also what I spent the most time doing.     

The only change to Grand Prix mode is the introduction of these intermission tracks that count as laps driving to the next course. Instead of doing three traditional laps at various locations, you’ll start the first race, and after it’s over, you immediately begin a second race. Instead of that second race being at the next location, it starts with intermission tracks that lead you to the next track, where your final two laps will be on location. It’s a much different way to play the game, but nothing has effectively changed. You race, you try to win. It’s super difficult to get lost in this game, as most everything seems to lead you right to where you need to be, encouraging exploration for shortcuts and better routes. 

It’s Knockout Tour, where the entire game of Mario Kart changes. Knockout Tour setup allows you to choose as many races as you would like to compete in, provided you meet the positioning requirements from the previous track. In other words, you’ll need to finish above a certain position to even move on to the next race. The required position increases the further you go in the competition. Your first track may say be in the top 20,  while the next race demands you finish 16th or higher, the next demanding 10th or better, and so on. It’s an exciting way to play one of the most chaotic party games ever. 

If you’re thinking Knockout Tour sounds like you need a ton of luck to win, you’d be right, but you’d also be wrong and missing the point. There is a strategy to the game, and I’ll leave that to you to explore, but the chaos is the point. Anyone can truly win, and that is appealing to many people. Sure, there can be frustration with getting blue-shelled literally as you’re about to cross the finish line, but that’s literally the game and part of why we love it. If you love chaos and can handle going from first to worst with some grace, then Knockout Tour is the mode for you. Just remember that you can also go worst to first, and there is no greater feeling than delivering that same pain to everyone in your race as you cruise to victory past a legion of pissed-off Mario Karters. MKW’s Free Roam is exactly what it sounds like. You can pick a character and a cart to drive around the various biomes and tracks. The world around you is littered with P-Switches, Question boxes, and Peach Medallions. By completing the tasks given to you by the P-Switch and hitting the boxes, you will unlock stickers and characters. The tasks can range from races to mini-races to grind challenges and so much more. Some of them are pretty fun, others can be downright frustrating and impossible, but this is where switch characters and karts come into play. 

If the challenges require your character to linger in the air for an extended period before using a jump to reach another area, perhaps try using a faster car with a lighter character. If the challenge requires a high top-end speed, try using a heavier character to reach maximum speed. The character you use will allow you to complete some challenges while seemingly being useless in another challenge. The game wants you to experiment with different characters and vehicles in Free Roam, and this is how they encourage that. It is a pretty decent amount of fun. 

If I have any problems with Free Roam, it’s that it doesn’t keep me engaged for long gaming sessions. It can be hard for me to get excited about doing the same thing over and over and over again when the reward on offer is a sticker. Had Nintendo thrown in boss battles or truly interesting challenges that made use of the environment in non-superficial ways, like grinding “driving through cows,” this game could have been something special. As it is, it’s a fun game, but it’s nowhere close to an $80 game. If my Switch 2 had not included the title, there simply isn’t enough in this game to convince me that $80 is a fair price for what you get in return. 

That’s sort of how I feel about the Switch 2, in general. The console is definitely something you should buy if you use your Switch all the time. If, like me, you constantly pack your Switch in a to-go bag for the bus to work or while waiting in a doctor’s office, then you’re going to get tremendous value out of the system. I would recommend getting a battery to go with it until Nintendo can sort out some of the battery consumption, but the larger size and improvements to the overall design are welcome additions. 

Wrapping up, I would say that not everyone needs a Switch 2. If you’re wondering if you should buy one, ask yourself a couple of questions before you do so. Do you use your Switch extremely often? Do you have an extended backlog of Switch games? If yes to the last question, are you going to be okay paying $10-$20 per upgrade to play them on your Switch 2? No, you don’t have to pay for the upgrades; you could play the base game, but then why are you buying the Switch 2? You could have just played them on your Switch. 

The only game the Switch 2 has out right now, exclusive to the system, is Mario Kart World. If you’re not a Mario Kart World fan, specifically, then there’s nothing the Switch 2 can offer you right now that can’t be enjoyed in a far better presentation, even after upgrades, on another system. CyberPunk 2077 on Switch 2 has received really positive reviews and feedback, but a screenshot of the Switch 2 version next to a screenshot of a base PS5, both showing the same image, shows just how much the Switch 2 had to sacrifice to make it playable on the console. You can absolutely wait for more content to drop on the console before investing your hard-earned money. 

It’s okay to wait. That’s exactly what my recommendation would be for many people. Yes, having the new thing is fun and exciting, but anyone who purchased an Xbox Series X knows how fun and exciting it was to buy that system, but then nothing ever came out for it, and it will likely be put to bed without ever having released anything that made people feel like they got what they paid for in regards to the system. I know I haven’t turned on my Series X but ONCE, and it wasn’t for Starfield. I do think the Switch 2 is going to far surpass the Xbox Series X in terms of content and first-party titles, but I don’t think you need to run around from zip code to zip code trying to obtain one. 

At least wait until Donkey Kong Bananza comes out toward the end of June. By then, you’ll have a good idea of what’s on the horizon for the system, and when you can expect the type of games that you are looking forward to playing. Mario Kart World is always going to be there, and there’s nothing in that game that you’re going to miss out on if you decide to wait a few extra months. If you are the type of person who loves their Switch and brings it with them everywhere, then I think the Switch 2 is perfect for you. You’re the type of person who would benefit from this system. Just make sure you get the bundle because you’ll save $30 on Mario Kart World, and when you finally play, you’ll thank me for saving you that $30, I promise.

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