The Switch 2 wants to be a do-it-all console, but Nintendo needs more first-party magic to overcome the upcoming handheld's biggest hurdle

Living on the fence is tiring. Having spent the last three years humming and hawing over the Steam Deck - which is perpetually one impulsive click away from being bought - there are now two handhelds to deliberate over. The Switch 2, set to launch on June 5, promises to do everything the original Switch did but better. That, to roll out an early understatement, is an easy sell.

Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are even harder to ignore, as is the chance to play both The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Pokemon Colosseum through the Switch 2's GameCube emulator. But none of those titles have felt like Nintendo's emphasis in recent months, which has been more about showcasing flashy third-party games the Switch 2 is capable of running. Cyberpunk 2077 – still one of the go-to games for ogling on PC and console – will be there from day one, along with the likes of Street Fighter 6 and Split Fiction. Looking further ahead, Star Wars Outlaws will arrive on the Switch 2 in September, which is doubly impressive considering its reputation for turbulence on the Steam Deck.

For Nintendo fans who don't own another console, the Switch 2's ability to go toe-to-toe with more modern offerings is a blessing. It makes sense for Nintendo to parade the console's beefier innards around, given fans have been begging for a stronger Switch for years. But as someone who does have consoles besides the Switch, I'm having trouble getting behind this approach.

Switch to Switch

A lot of people (myself included) see the Switch as more of a supplementary console. It's a means of playing Nintendo's first-party gems, gaming when you're away from home or, er, too hungover to leave bed. I suspect I'm not the only one feeling lukewarm about the Switch 2's vast third-party catalog. I've already got Cyberpunk 2077, and don't feel any particular urgency to play it on the bus. The same goes for all of the Switch 2's flashy ports – I love that the console can run them purely because a rising tide lifts all boats – but personally, being able to re-run the greats isn't enough. That probably won't change for me, as the Switch 2 is unlikely to become my first port of call for third-party releases due to the labyrinthian eShop and its pricier reputation.

While Nintendo is very keen to demonstrate how the Switch 2 can keep up with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S releases, raw power has never been the company's bag. But as PlayStation and Xbox have slowly relinquished their grasp on console-exclusive games, Nintendo has stuck firmly to first-party exclusivity. That has become its greatest strength, providing an identity for the Switch that goes far beyond what it can and cannot run. Super Mario Odyssey. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Metroid Dread. To consistently reach soaring highs for so many long-running series is, frankly, astounding – an enviable hit rate that neither Xbox or PlayStation has reached this generation.

Mario magic

The Switch 2's first year has some of that magic. Even as a casual Mario Kart fan, I'm itching to race through Mario Kart World. Likewise, Donkey Kong Bananza… look, I really want to punch grass as DK. But looking further ahead, we're thin on the ground. Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4 are both titans, sure, but they're also going to be available on the existing Switch. Likewise, Kirby Air Riders and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment look neat, but they don't have the same pull that a platforming Kirby game or mainline Zelda title would have.

Even so, that's a fairly convincing spread of offerings. Whether or not you join the crowd rushing for Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders will ultimately depend on how much these games grab your attention, and how much you use the original handheld.

Nintendo faces a harder sell than usual because – I'm gesturing wildly – everything is so expensive right now, but given the astronomical demand it's already had for the Switch 2, the future is still looking bright. Hardware improvements mean the Switch 2 will sit better alongside the PS5 and Xbox Series – consoles its predecessor struggled to keep up with – and that will only become more obvious as more third-party titles launch on the handheld. But more importantly, will the Switch 2 be as easy to pass on with two more Nintendo exclusives? Three? Much to the chagrin of my wallet, I doubt it.

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