After the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct showcase earlier this month, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on Nintendo’s next console and to give the system a try ourselves. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long, as we just got to visit Nintendo’s Switch 2 Experience event in London! It was a long trip from where I’m based in Manchester, but it was so worth it.
We got to try out some brand new games, from the slightly controversial Switch 2 Editions of original Switch games to some brand new Switch 2 exclusive titles. We also got hands-on with the Switch 2 and its accessories, so let’s break down what we tried, what we liked, and give you all the information of what we learned from London’s Nintendo Switch 2 experience!
The calm before the storm
As I mentioned, it was a lot of effort to get to the event! Living in Manchester, it was a two hour train ride into London, followed by a slightly confusing hour of Tube rides within London. Thankfully, TfL staff were incredibly helpful in getting us exactly where we needed to go and with the accessibility support I needed as a wheelchair user. I was travelling with my fellow gamer and older sister Rose, who was very formative in my experience as a Nintendo fan – so big shout out to her.
We arrived at the Switch 2 Experience at 2PM, right in time for our 2-3 PM entry window, and were quickly put into a queue with a group of others wearing similar colored wristbands. Our group, the orange wristbands, got to enter at 2:40 PM. While we waited from 2PM, the Switch 2 direct and other informative videos played on a loop in front of the queueing area. We were then lined up in front of a curtain, which was pulled back to reveal the staff of the event cheering our group on as we entered and made our way to the first game demo. Was it a bit embarrassing to be spontaneously cheered on by 30+ people as you walk by? Yes! But it was a charming experience that set the tone for the rest of the upcoming experience. From there, the gaming began…
Mario Kart World runs circles around past entries
The Switch 2 Experience opened with Mario Kart World, and what an opener it was. The massive 24 players per race, a series high, makes a huge difference to the energy of the race. Mario Kart is known for being turbulent in how you can be shaken from first place to last place from just a few unlucky item hits, but Mario Kart World takes it to another level. With 23 others racing against you, I found myself soaring ahead at #1, only to miss my chance to drift and suddenly fall behind 6 others that did it perfectly. I’d grab an item block and launch shells like my life depended on it, rapidly crawling back up the leaderboard – only to fall back down again right at the finish line!
The graphics were stellar, with this first showing taking place on a 4K TV. The frame rate was a solid 60 FPS throughout, but with more complexity in each of the massive maps it was mighty impressive. The tracks are enormous, with the gimmick of the game being that players can travel between them and explore the entire world. Sadly we didn’t get to try that in our demo, but the main racing gameplay we did try out was the best I’ve ever played in the Mario Kart series. The only complaint I could have is it’s strange that character costumes are listed as individual characters, rather than selecting a character then browsing their costumes. For ease of use I’d hope this is changed in the final product. The pricing on Mario Kart World has been controversial with an $80 recommended retail price – but honestly, for the fun we had and especially if Nintendo has something extra up their sleeve to reveal in the upcoming Mario Kart World Direct, it’s probably worth it.
Donkey Kong Bananza might be Game of the Year
Following on from our Mario Kart World demo, we entered the main exhibition area, which was flooded with games to try, displays of the console and its accessories, along with lots of friendly staff at every screen to help guide newcomers through the games. I knew exactly what I wanted to try out next, which was Donkey Kong Bananza. I’ve never played a Donkey Kong game before, despite being such a fan of every other Nintendo franchise. I love 3D platforming games, and with Donkey Kong Bananza looking so much like Super Mario Odyssey, I just had to give it a try. We went to queue up, but the staff were hugely accommodating to my use of a wheelchair, and cut us through to the front and got us straight onto a system.
My first thought after getting my hands on Donkey Kong Bananza wasn’t even about the game, but the controller. This booth had a Switch 2 Pro Controller, and it felt even better than the original Switch Pro Controller in our hands. The buttons felt chunkier, especially + and -, which stuck out more than the original controller and are now easier to press. The triggers were wide and satisfying to click in, the thumbsticks were improved and easier to use, and there were even some new remappable buttons on the back, although I didn’t use them.
With the Switch 2 Pro Controller in-hand, I started up Donkey Kong Bananza, and it became clear within just a few minutes that this would be my favorite game of the day. If I wasn’t already sold on the Switch 2, Donkey Kong Bananza would be the game to do it. Players control Donkey Kong, who can smash in every direction to break through almost every surface. Find some tough concrete your fists can’t smash? You can rip chunks out of every surface, and use that massive chunk of stone to smash through even sturdier rocks with incredible force. Later on in the demo, we even find some explosive rocks the player can launch to cause massive devastation.
These destructible environments aren’t just a flashy way to show off the Switch 2’s technical capabilities, they’re integral to the gameplay experience. Hidden all throughout the underground areas are Banandium Gems, crystalized (yet edible for DK!) bananas that serve as the primary collectible for players to obtain. They’re everywhere, hidden inside cliffs, buried deep in the ground, guarded by enemies and more. They’re very similar to the Power Moons of Super Mario Odyssey, but honestly feel a little better integrated due to how the story approaches their concept. The Banandium Gems were scattered underground through the chaos of the opening cutscene, so it makes sense they’re just laying around everywhere, including buried in random walls.
While you’re off hunting for Banandium Gems or the collectible and tradeable fossils, the game is just constantly oozing charm with every step. All the random characters you get to interact with are delightfully silly, reminding me a little of Rare’s work with Donkey Kong in the past, as well as Banjo-Kazooie. Donkey Kong himself has a wonderful new character model that is comedically expressive. It’s not just his design though, as his movement is also equally full of character. The ability we mentioned previously about being able to rip a chunk of rock out of the ground is also useful as a movement ability, letting Donkey Kong surf on rapidly spinning rocks he rips from surfaces to jump and glide around on. As a monkey, he’s also an excellent climber, tugging himself up surfaces with ease yet still with the exaggerated mannerisms of such a strong ape. He’s just great to play as, again reminding us of how Mario controls in Super Mario Odyssey, but with the added strength and power you’d expect a Kong to have. We can’t rave enough about how excellent Donkey Kong Bananza was, and I absolutely cannot wait to have the full game in my hands later this year.
Yes, Switch 2 Editions are mostly worth the upgrade
Moving on from Switch 2’s unique offerings, I needed to see what the Switch 2 could do for older Switch games – especially those with the somewhat controversial paid Switch 2 Editions. I’m happy to report that for the most part, these felt incredibly worth it. I started with Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World. Yes, that is the full game title. I’d only played a demo of this original game on the Switch, and the reason I didn’t pick it up despite being such a fan of the pink puffball is that I just can’t get behind 30 FPS in a 3D platformer. The genre was designed to be fluid and snappy, so the honestly sluggish frame rate was off-putting. That’s gone on the Switch 2 Edition, with a buttery-smooth 60 FPS making Kirby practically glide along the screen. It’s how it should have been from the start, but players don’t just pay for the performance upgrade, as the Star-Crossed World brings new content to the game.
The Star-Crossed World expansion adds on to the base game, adding new playable areas to existing levels, along with new enemies, Mouthful Mode transformations, collectibles and more. We got to play through one of these sections, and it was a lot of fun! Kirby starts out walking through the relatively simple outside area, but the Star-Crossed elements add a spring Mouthful Mode that sends Kirby flying with each jump, and shifting the level’s focus from relatively flat exploration to a huge emphasis on verticality. We climbed up, bounced with the spring ability and eventually had to defeat a towering monster by springing up to its top, then pounding right through its center. It was classic 3D platforming fun, mixed with the classic Kirby flavor of having fun abilities, and the Switch 2’s capability to run the game better and add new content. It’s a day-one pickup for me when Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Edition releases on August 28.
I also got to try out The Legend of Zelda’s Switch entries running in their Switch 2 Editions, and my praise here is a little less high. Both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom now both run at 4K 60 FPS, making them immediately the definitive way to play, but our demo didn’t really do more than that. The games will have a new Zelda Notes app as part of the Nintendo Switch mobile application, and this does actually come with some new lore content and sharing capabilities of your whackiest Tears of the Kingdom inventions, but we didn’t get to try that. As such, all we really played here was just an improved version of the already great Zelda games on Switch. A worthy upgrade, but nothing too exciting.
We also got to see Super Mario Party Jamboree and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond both running on the Switch 2 in their upgraded editions. Performance was solid and the visuals were incredible, especially in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to try any of the mouse mode games while we were there, but the many that did get to try it out say the mouse works well as a gimmick, if a little uncomfortable for those with bigger hands.
If I wasn’t sold before, I am now
Before we left, we were treated to 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points just for checking in via the QR code, and received a free goodie bag of Switch 2 merch to take home and remember our trip. It was an amazing experience, with incredibly friendly staff members, an electrifying atmosphere, and most importantly a great gaming system with some exciting upcoming releases that left us wanting more. We loved going to the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience, and something tells us that with the quality of both the software and hardware we tried out, the Switch 2 era will be another massive success for Nintendo. If I hadn’t already pre-ordered my console, I’d have done it on the train home without hesitation.
Did you get to attend any of the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience days? If not, do you have any lingering questions you’d like us to answer about the event? Let us know in the comments down below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more Nintendo Switch 2 coverage in the build-up to its June 5 release!
