Nintendo Switch 2 is here, and it feels like we’ve already settled into a nice rhythm with the new console. It arrived with something of a whimper thanks to its lacklustre launch selection and general design choice to iterate rather than innovate. It’s another Switch with all the bells and whistles we’ve been accustomed to elsewhere for almost a decade now.
But what more did we expect? After dominating the previous generation with the OG Switch and learning from the mistakes of the Wii U, Nintendo found itself in a position where it could once again either experiment or settle for a safe option that would ensure its market dominance. It made the correct decision, if current sales figures are any indication, with it cemented as the quickest-selling console of all time, with almost four million units placed on shopping trolleys in a matter of days.
With this predictability, however, comes an approachability in which the excitement we used to have when learning a new console has all but faded away. It’s the same as before.
Nintendo Switch 2’s System Transfer Is Too Good To Be True
Remember the Nintendo Wii and 3DS? If you happened to buy a new system and needed to transfer data from the Wii to the Wii U or to another 3DS, this process wasn’t just carried out by a bunch of generic menu options, but by an army of adorable Pikmin. The alien creatures had the task of transporting my data from one console to another, a process which could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Those little guys don’t mess around.
But this gave the otherwise tedious task of transferring existing data to a new system a dose of personality that was quintessentially Nintendo. You weren’t just transferring data so you could avoid the tedium of starting games again or redownloading your favourite titles, Pikmin were helping you along the way to the beginning of your new console experience. A brave step forward that indicated a new start with new adventures to embark upon. No technical jargon to worry about, just a simple process outfitted with a Nintendo flavour you will remember for years to come.
It’s sad to see this tradition abandoned with the Nintendo Switch family of consoles, both of which are clinically uninspired in their user interfaces. They’re functional and have a few cute sound effects, but the themes, icons, and general personality that used to shine in Nintendo hardware are nowhere to be seen. If anything, it seems to have been stripped out. It was hard to ignore when performing the system transfer for myself ahead of launch.
And It’s Lacking A Nintendo Personality The Switch 2 Desperately Needs
I didn’t expect the system transfer to be so seamless. I placed my old console by the Switch 2, followed a couple of instructions, and in a couple of minutes all my users, games, and the settings I’ve been using for years were moved over with ease. This new console didn’t really feel new anymore, even if the eShop ran smoother, the games looked and felt better, and I’d a handful of experiences that couldn’t be found anywhere else.
This leaves me conflicted, and almost disheartened that we’ve reached a point of safety and convenience in video games. What were once arduous processes no longer need to be made more fun, so those welcome doses of personality are now stripped away in favour of nothing. And even if Switch 2 is trying to be a safe successor, couldn’t it at least push the boat out a little bit beyond your obvious hardware advancements? A cuter approach to certain features, themes to outfit our own personal flair, or something that didn’t make it feel so pedestrian.
Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t feel like a new generation, but the required extension of an older one is only made more obvious by system transfers, exclusive libraries, and other weird features that are impossible to ignore.
- Brand
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Nintendo
- Original Release Date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- Operating System
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Proprietary