Hooked Gamers at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience
Feature
Upon entering the event, we were greeted with the soon-to-be-released television advertisement starring Andy Lee and AFL stars Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) and Patrick Cripps (Carlton) playing Mario Kart World from the comfort of their own homes. Spoiler Alert: Bontempelli wins…is there anything he can’t do?
After that we were able to get a hands on with the new console to play a one-on-one with Mario Kart World. My first thought when handing the Nintendo Switch 2 was that it was light. At just over half a kilogram, it is lighter than the Steam Deck I have been using recently. Although it is slightly heavier than the original Switch, which I was expecting, given the larger screen on the Switch 2. The 7.9inch LCD screen makes a huge difference, with the 1080p resolution providing vibrant colours particularly for Mario Kart World. The animations too looked smooth throughout.
Games
Gamewise, we had several titles available to test. Of course, it began with Mario Kart World, where we took part in a one-on-one racing battle with the Switch 2 docked and displayed on the large screen. When docked, the 4K visuals on the TV screen look gorgeous, although the cartoonish quality of Mario Kart World does not fully utilise the improved visual capability of the new console.
We then had the opportunity to play Mario Kart World with the device in handheld mode. This gave me the opportunity to roam the world a bit more before entering a race. This gives players a feel for the various tracks and how to gain some advantages during races, and allows them to collect coins and costumes that can customise their chosen character. As mentioned before, the 7.9 inch display on the console is clear and colours appear vibrant. Overall, Mario Kart World adds on from the existing series while adding a few nice touches.
Next on the horizon was Donkey Kong Bonanza...a 3D platforming game where you play as Donkey Kong doing his best Hulk impersonation, smashing everything around him. As well as bashing through caves and other destructible environments, Donkey Kong Bonanza allows players to explore, as they search for special banana-shaped diamonds.
Both Donkey Kong and Mario Kart use the traditional JoyCon controller scheme. However, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond was where I was really impressed with the new console and in particular, the Joy Con controllers. Upon turning the controllers onto their side (the side that magnetically clicks onto the console), they essentially become a mouse. Playing a shooter such as Metroid is ideal for this mouse mode, allowing gamers to aim more accurately than with a standard controller - one thing this PC gamer was thankful for.
The Mouse mode for the JoyCons can be used in other third-party games such as Civilization VII and Cyberpunk. And although the latter was displayed with a standard controller, it looked absolutely gorgeous - something that I was surprised about before heading in to test it. From the shortish gametime with the JoyCons in Mouse mode, the feature works quite well. However, the small control buttons (ABXY) on the side did feel a little awkward at times.
DRAGxDRIVE goes a step further in the innovation. The game has players (in up to 3v3 games) taking control of a wheelchair basketballer in a game reminiscent of Rocket League. Players use each of the JonCons positioned on their sides to represent the arms of the wheelchair athlete. Players will scroll the controllers forward in order to move the wheelchair. Playing a game is quite a workout, as you'll be scrolling feverishly throughout the game to get your wheelchair moving. The controls also use a throwing motion to throw the ball at the hoop. Of all the games on the showfloor, DRAGxDRIVE was probably my favourite because of the innovative controls.
A Nintendo gaming PC?
From what we saw and played at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience, the new console has some wonderful new features that will enable some innovative games. The larger screen and improved resolution of the handheld looks great, and is still lightweight enough to be portable. From a PC gamer perspective, I love the JoyCon feature that essentially allows the controller to become a mouse. Sure, the buttons will take some getting used to, but it is certainly a feature that some gamers will adore. And looking at how the controls have been implemented for DRAGxDRIVE, I'm certainly interested to see how other games can use this feature.
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