After spending some hands-on time with the Nintendo Switch 2 at the Melbourne preview event, one thing became immediately clear: this isn’t just another iteration. Nintendo is laying the groundwork for the next real phase of hybrid gaming. My time with the console was brief, but the impression it left? Let’s discuss.

Let’s talk about the hardware. The Switch 2 is bigger than the original, but is not bulky or awkward. Thanks to its familiar thickness and lightweight design, it still fits naturally in the hands. The build feels premium, sleek, and like a proper evolution of what the original Switch was always meant to be. The upgraded kickstand deserves praise, too; it’s wide, sturdy, and easily opens, making tabletop play feel like a real option. Oh, and the charging port has moved to the top, which means you can play in tabletop mode while charging without weird cable contortions. Thank you, Nintendo.

But the real eye-catcher? That screen. It’s a 7.9-inch, 120Hz HDR LCD that looks and feels fast. No OLED side-by-side is needed; the jump in fluidity and sharpness is obvious. Games pop, movements feel tighter, and while OLED purists might nitpick the colour depth, it outclasses the launch-day Switch display. It’s the kind of upgrade you notice instantly.

Nintendo has also put serious work into the Joy-Cons, and the changes are all for the better. They’re bigger and better contoured, and the analog sticks feel solid. The shoulder buttons also have a small tweak, improving the overall feel. But the real MVP here is the new magnetic snap-on system.

No more awkward rails, just a clean pull-and-click connection. Detaching them is as simple as a press on the back. It’s fast and smooth and makes the old system feel clunky by comparison. And with larger SL/SR buttons, you can ditch the wrist strap completely. Small detail, big difference.

Accessories have also received a thoughtful refresh. The new Pro Controller and Joy-Con Grip have a few welcome additions: a dedicated “C” button for GameChat, programmable back buttons, and, finally, a 3.5mm headphone jack on the Pro Controller. Players have been asking for this, and it’s good to see Nintendo finally ticking those boxes.

Another new trick up the console’s sleeve is the so-called “mouse” functionality, a hybrid pointer system that I tried in Drag X Drive, Nintendo Switch World Tour, and Metroid Prime 4: Switch 2 Edition. It’s surprisingly precise and adds a new layer to control schemes without feeling like a gimmick.

If anything, it’s a feature with real potential, and devs are already running with it in smart ways. Of all the titles I played, Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World stood out the most.

Donkey Kong Bananza is pure energy. It builds on the DNA of Super Mario Odyssey but gives it that unmistakable Donkey Kong flavour. It’s got huge levels, a clever twist with destructible environments, and a slick cast of over-the-top villains. It’s fast and dense with things to do, and it plays like a game that knows exactly what it wants to be. The crowd around the demo booth said it all: Bananza was a certified crowd-pleaser at the event.

Then there’s Mario Kart World, which honestly caught me off guard in the best way. This isn’t just another sequel with shinier visuals. It’s a full-on reimagining of what Mario Kart can be.

The headline feature is Knockout Mode: 24 players race, and every checkpoint eliminates the bottom four. No respawns, no second chances. It’s brutal, fast-paced, and adds a layer of tension I didn’t know Mario Kart needed. It turns into a full-blown mind game when you hit the final eight. It’s chaotic, it’s tactical, and it’s so much fun. Perfect for online lobbies and guaranteed to fuel some salty late-night showdowns with friends.

That alone would’ve been enough, but then they threw in dynamic weather, which changes how each race plays. The rain messes with traction, and you feel it, but your go-to drift strategy suddenly doesn’t quite work. It’s subtle, but it forces you to adapt.

The biggest surprise, though? The open-world element. You can explore huge themed hubs and the environments that connect them between races. I drove off cliffs, straight onto the water and seamlessly changed into a water vehicle, and stumbled across hidden collectibles just by poking around. It’s surprisingly open-ended and doesn’t push back when you get curious. There’s a real sense of freedom here that’s rare in racing games, let alone Mario Kart.

Put everything together, and Knockout Mode, dynamic weather, open-world exploration, and Mario Kart World feel like genuine evolution. This isn’t just a new coat of paint—it’s a reinvention.

So, where does that leave the Nintendo Switch 2? It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it doesn’t have to. What it does do is deliver meaningful upgrades across the board alongside a launch lineup that shows Nintendo is still leading the charge when it comes to creativity, polish, and fun. This feels like a console ready to take on the living room and the world.

Written by: Bradley Thorsen