The Nintendo Switch 2 is here - but is it worth the high asking price?
We've been covering the launch of Nintendo's Switch 2 on Money - from last week's disappointment to pre-order delays at GAME in the UK, to yesterday's queues around the world.
Here, Sky News' Tom Acres shares his verdict on the console.
Gamers in the UK got to pick up the Nintendo Switch 2 yesterday - some even queued up overnight.
New consoles don't come around too often, but is the latest Mario machine worth the unusually high asking price?
What does it cost - and what do you get?
If Ed Conway did a bar chart of gaming prices, it wouldn't flatter the Switch 2 very much.
It costs a rather spenny 拢395.99, and there's a bundle that comes with Mario Kart World for 拢429.99.
The game is 拢74.99 by itself, so it's a worthy saving considering most buyers would likely get it anyway, but it's well up on the 拢279.99 the first Switch launched at in 2017. You can also get a PlayStation 5 for less.
As for the console itself, it's very much an iteration. Gone are the days when Nintendo sought to revolutionise (Wii, anyone?) - this time it's stuck with the tried and tested.
That means another tablet-like device with detachable controllers for portable play, or a dock for hooking it up to the TV. A novel concept in 2017 when the original came out, less so after 150 million units sold.
How much of an upgrade is it?
Few consoles have been more vulnerable to that classic argument of a more uninitiated partner/sibling/parent: "Why have you bought that; you've already got one."
Now, the unit itself does feel a lot more premium - it's got a nice, comfortable weight and finish; a bigger screen and pretty punchy speakers; the detachable controllers and handy kickstand are sturdier.
And it's a lot more powerful than the first Switch, so you can play more graphically complex games like Cyberpunk 2077. Your old Switch games will work, too, and some benefit from the extra oomph.
But again, very iterative - it's like upgrading your iPhone for the first time in a few years, rather than the more seismic leaps of past consoles.
So, worth the money?
In my view, for most of you, right now, probably not.
Mario Kart World is the headline launch game, and, like the console itself, it's very well-made but incredibly familiar.
The choice of games is dominated by updates for older titles and pricier versions of games available elsewhere.
If you're on the fence, or a parent whose kids remain happy with their existing console, there's nothing here that screams "must buy" yet, especially given the asking price.
A few extra games you can't get anywhere else will make it more compelling - a new Donkey Kong due next month may prove worthy of going bananas over.
Of course, if you're a Nintendo super fan or gadget enthusiast, full of passion and expendable income, it's an easier sell.
In fact, you've probably already got one. What are you even doing here? Go play Mario Kart.
