Blog #05 - The New Super Nintendo Switch 2 Advance
Direct Edition
12 April, 2025
A little over a week ago Nintendo released their much anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 direct, I'm sure everyone's been keeping track of the pricing and tariff situation. I don't expect this post to be an expansive - here's absolutely everything about the system, I'd like this post today to instead focus on what I'm interested in and filling some gaps commentators may have missed... I do this for fun of course, I am no expert.
I was almost right with the pricing in Australia! My gut said $650, and I thought perhaps Nintendo would ease off and go for a $600 price point. In reality it's $699, and the Mario Kart World bundle is $769. The fun math is, once you factor in the price of Mario Kart World on its own $109... I was maybe $10 off.
Speaking of Mario Kart World, my previous blog I wondered if there would be more varied paths like in Tour and whilst technically I was correct, World does have a broad range of paths you can take and a free roaming mode that allows you to explore these courses beyond the borders of the race track - yes you can play Mario Kart World like an action adventure game much like Diddy Kong Racing. The bigger additions seem to be travelling between stages, which feels very much like an Outrun experience. It's cool to see Nintendo branch out with the formula.
Donkey Kong Bananza looks like Land of the Lost or something. It's an unexpected direction moving towards an action platformer style game... Donkey Kong feels reminiscent of The Hulk in the way he smashes everything. I did not get a full view at the Treehouse videos, I'm intrigued but not sold yet.
Console developers seem to like positioning their console as the everything box and the Nintendo Switch 2 is no different. I actually think it's smart for the Switch 2 to incorporate mouse controls and position their console as an "everything box". Nintendo's direct competitor in my opinion is Steam and the Steamdeck, if Nintendo is able to successfully show that the Switch 2 can be used as a PC alternative that can be taken on the go and can be used as a console, that would be the ideal outcome.
I don't want to discount Drag x Drive, Nintendo looks to be showing the capabilities of the software - but showcasing how a mouse and WASD set-up could be incorporated into Metroid Prime 4 and Civ or whatever would bring attention to the function and potential goal. I feel currently most of the curiousity and excitement for the mouse is lost completely.
Nintendo are also trying to embed themselves as a Discord alternative, maybe 15 years too late! Discord is the standard for game based chat. I commend them for creating an accessible starting point for streaming, however it feels as though the boat on a dedicated game chat has sailed for a vast majority of gamers. I like the idea of keeping a friend company while engaging in parallel play though, the microphone and video reminds me of Wii Speak on Animal Crossing City Folk and Wii U's camera specifically.
In terms of value, I think some consumers forget that owning the console Day 1 means they'll make the most of their purchase. I don't think the price will drop, and if it does not dramatically. I see the Switch as an anomaly time wise, but let's say the Switch 2 has a 6 year shelf life, that amounts to $100 a year which seems much more resonable.
I am looking on thinking... man it would be nice to play through Gamecube games I missed... comfortably on a handheld while watching TV. Or to play an up-res version of Switch games I haven't put much time into like - Tears of the Kingdom, Echoes of Wisdom, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and Arms. Mario Kart World looks amazing, and now I think of it I never mentioned the new Kirby content or Kirby Air Riders... or even Duskbloods, the new Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
But I've now spent maybe an hour writing this and I've got some games to play.
Updates
Since last month, I ran into Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast at a game store - I knew generally what I was in for, unexpectedly it plays much like Ridge Racer tournament modes but with gear shift based drifting like in Daytone USA; it also has missions with gameplay pulls from Crazy Taxi (impressing the girl passenger), 18 Wheeler and other Sega Racers... I'd say Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a sequel series honestly.Last night I put some time into Daytona USA at a bar, learning how to drift and bettering my lap times. It's just fun to play, however I find the drift difficult to master, either timing it too early and coming off the track or too late and slamming into a wall.
I was craving a MMORPG feeling game, with chill vibes. I've played a tonne of RuneScape in the past and landed on Fantasy Life on the 3DS. I started a new file and are slowly learning the jobs... I like the idea of getting everything myself instead of purchasing from the shops, I'll see how I go. I figure when quests dry up and there's no real need to farm oak logs, then buying will be the easier path outside of incidental famring.
Lastly, I've been playing Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition. Since a new title was announced, I considered that I haven't finished the original and the sequel Age of Calamity is also partially played through. Learning how to efficiently play a Musou has been a tonne of fun, it's rewarding when you see your troops make up most of the map, you're able to leisurely collect the Skulltula art pieces and find hearts. I'm up to the villain arcs with Ganon and Cia, I may have spoiled how many missions are left - but there are still Hero Mode, Expert Difficulties as well as DLC content to try out. I am by no means a completionist. Just having fun playing some Zelda fanfic story.
Thanks for reading. I could not be bothered hyperlinking these into the blog; here's an list of videos or articles referenced in the blog about Switch 2.