For years, one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming was the rumored “Switch Pro,” a mid-console update to the Nintendo Switch akin to the PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One X that would increase the system’s hardware capabilities.
While Switch was a massive success, there was no denying its technical limitations. It already lagged behind Sony and Microsoft’s consoles at launch, and the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only widened that gap. A Switch Pro made sense, and it could even attract third-party developers to the system.
Finally, in 2021, four years after the launch of the Nintendo Switch, we got that mid-console update with the Nintendo Switch OLED, featuring an improved screen and…nothing else. The system was the exact same under the hood. To say that fans were disappointed was putting it lightly. Of course, you have to consider the fact that Nintendo hasn’t been interested in the graphical arms race for quite some time.
While the Nintendo GameCube, which debuted in 2001 until its discontinuation in 2007 following the launch of the Nintendo Wii, was a graphical powerhouse, subsequent Nintendo consoles haven’t been. The Wii, for example, forgoed HD graphics and instead focused on being a slightly more powerful Xbox with motion controls. It was a nice idea that Nintendo was finally looking to update its hardware, allowing us to play our favorite third-party games on the go without having to purchase a Steam Deck, but it didn’t come to fruition.
Until now.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Is Essentially Just A More Powerful Switch. That’s A Good Thing.
From one worst-kept secret to another, let’s talk about the Switch 2. Heading into 2025, we were approaching the 8th anniversary of the Nintendo Switch’s launch, and there was plenty of speculation and even confirmation of a new system coming from Nintendo. It had been decades since Nintendo’s newest hardware options weren’t an attempt to innovate the industry or be packed with gimmicks; the Wii had motion controls. The Wii U gave us the GamePad controller. The same is true in the handheld space; the Nintendo DS introduced a second screen, while the Nintendo 3DS allowed for 3D visuals without the need for 3D glasses.
Some of these were wildly successful. Others were, in a word, not. The Nintendo Switch felt like the perfect combination of everything Nintendo learned over the past 20 years: great games you can play from your couch or in the palm of your hand, all on one device. It, you know, just wasn’t as powerful as a PlayStation or Xbox, and while the Switch 2 still isn’t on par with a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, the gap has closed.
Having said that, there are no real defining features for the Switch 2 that scream groundbreaking or innovative. Yes, it introduces GameChat, but that’s just a worse version of Discord voice calls. At its heart, this is still the same Nintendo Switch we’ve been playing since 2017, but now it’s more powerful. In other words, it’s the long-awaited Switch Pro, and that’s just A-OK.
First, our favorite Switch games now look better than ever. Or, in the case of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, they can actually run efficiently instead of being a buggy mess with a frame rate that’s stuck in molasses. Breath of the Wild has never looked better. Enhancements and DLC for some of my favorite Switch games are very welcome, even if the price for them is frustrating. As much fun as games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza have been, I’ve honestly spent most of my time with the Switch 2 playing games made for the Switch 1. That’s not me saying that I’m not happy with the launch line-up of games; I’ve been very pleased with them. No, it’s me saying that for the first time in who knows how long, I’m actually using my Switch console; the Switch 2 is lighter, more comfortable, and the allure of new games has me traversing back through my old library.
Or, in other words, I finally have my Switch Pro and it’s helping me fall in love with the system all over again.
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