As is commonly the way of doing things when a new console launches, everyone who’s bought aNintendo Switch 2is eager to unload their original Switch for some additional funds to put towards either games or accessories for their new console. Unfortunately, while there’s typically no issue with this with other consoles, in the case of the Nintendo Switch 2, you may not want to get rid of that original Switch just yet.
Yes, theNintendo Switch 2 is technically backwards compatiblewith a large majority of Nintendo Switch games, but things aren’t exactly as black and white as they seem. That’s not to say that the Switch 2 isn’t worth the investment, just that, for now, the Nintendo Switch could still be the better option for some players until more games for the Switch 2 are released.
Switch 2 Can Make Switch Games Look Worse
If You Enjoy Playing Handheld, You’d Better Stick With An Original Switch
As someone who enjoys the Nintendo Switch almost entirely because it features a handheld option, it was rather disappointing to find out thatplaying Switch games on the Switch 2 in handheld mode made them look horrible. In saying that, I don’t just mean that they look like they did on the original Switch; they actually look worse. Which, unfortunately, is due to an inability to adjust their original settings to accommodate the new console, one of the manyharsh realities of playing on the Switch 2.
Most Nintendo Switch games are designed to automatically set to 720p while in handheld and 1080p while docked. Overall, this results in a slightly lower quality while utilizing handheld mode, but it ensures a better look overall for the various options. That being said,the Nintendo Switch 2 now utilizes 1080p in handheld mode, which means that the original 720p resolution for a game is now being stretched to fit the 1080p screen, resulting in a terrible picture.
Although some might assume that the easiest solution is to have the games run in their docked mode, so there’s no issue, it’s not that simple. Not only is thereno current function that allows you to manually toggle the docked version of games on while using handheld mode, which means this would be something Nintendo has to make available, but it would also likely create other issues, such as significant battery draining and the disabling of touch-screen features.
Keep in mind that these concerns are mostly exclusive to players, like myself, who primarily play in handheld mode. These issues are not currently a problem for Switch 2 players primarily utilizing docked mode.
Another solution could be to take the Nintendo 3DS route, which would allow players to play the Nintendo Switch games at their original resolution, the same way it was done with DS games on the 3DS. However, I don’t think players realize how much of a black border this would create and would ultimately defeat the purpose of playing on the Switch 2 in the first place. Therefore,the only true solution seems to be patching games to run properly on the Switch 2, but that’s yet another hurdle.
Proper Switch 2 Upgrades Are Few & Far Between
It’s Unlikely Many More Games Will Receive A Genuine Switch 2 Upgrade
When the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct took place, Nintendo also took the opportunity to announce that several of its first-party games would be receiving aNintendo Switch 2 upgrade. These upgrades notably includedZelda: BOTW,Zelda, TOTK,Mario Party Jamboree, as well as a few others.While a few of the upgrades for significantly older games were free, others required an additional purchaseunless you had Nintendo Switch Online, and even then, only theZeldaupgrades were included with NSO.
Given what was just discussed above, about how some of these games essentially need to have these updates just to not look worse than they did on their original console, it was a bit baffling that Nintendo was charging for something that would make the game run as it should on the console that you just paid nearly $500 for. However, that aside, what’s potentially even more baffling isthe incredibly low number of games that have received Switch 2 upgrades.
Fortunately, Switch 2 upgrades seem to be slowly trickling out, but for the most part, it seems that players are going to have to look toNintendo Switch 2 releasesto get their real money’s worth at the moment. Thankfully, there are quite a few of those, includingMario Kart World,Cyberpunk 2077,Street Fighter 6,Hogwarts Legacy, and more, but even still,players are beginning to run short on games that utilize their console to its full capacity.
I’d Still Rather Play Some Games On Switch 1 For Now
The Switch 2 Isn’t A Complete Replacement, At Least Not Yet
Put simply, until the Nintendo Switch 2 has a bit more time to release some games specifically adapted for it, or until more patches come through for older games, it can’t be viewed as a true replacement console yet. At the moment,the original Nintendo Switch is still the best way to enjoy handheld games, and unless you’re playing one of the few games designed or upgraded for the Switch 2, it’s not truly worth your time even while docked.
Additionally, gameplay itself aside, since the Nintendo Switch is still being supported for certain new releases,there are still some benefits to picking up a Nintendo Switch copy over a Switch 2 Edition. For example, in the case of the Dragon Quest I+II HD Remakes, many players are opting to buy the original Switch version of the game and then potentially pay for an upgrade at a later time. This way, they can ensure they receive a true game cartridge that can be played on either console and not just avideo game key card, like the Nintendo Switch 2 edition has been confirmed to be.
In many cases, the Nintendo Switch version, in addition to having a real game cartridge, is also cheaper than the Nintendo Switch 2 edition.
Overall,the Nintendo Switch 2 is no doubt a great upgrade from the Nintendo Switch. However, until its library grows a bit and more games receive patches,I’d still recommend players hold onto their original Switch for now. Additionally, resell rates are also pretty low for them as is, now that the Switch 2 is on the market, so you wouldn’t be gaining much by unloading them anyway.
For the time being, theNintendo Switch 2 can’t completely replace your Nintendo Switch, so it’s best to hold onto them both and enjoy whichever console offers you the best experience for what you’re playing at that moment. Then, in maybe 6 months to a year, you may reevaluate the market and see how many games have adapted themselves to theNintendo Switch 2, and which new games are on the market, so that you may finally retire your original Switch.
Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor to Nintendo Switch, scheduled for release in 2025. Confirmed as backwards compatible, it will play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. A full reveal is pencilled in for July 05, 2025.
