Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on: Mario Kart World is a blast but I love new Joy-Cons

FILLING the first Nintendo Switch’s big boots was never going to be an easy task.

The console burst onto the scene in 2017 and proved a huge hit, selling more than 150million units worldwide.

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But with the allure of new Mario and Zelda games to name a few, updated Joy-Con controllers, a camera feature to chat with friends online and an even better display, Nintendo sure is giving its best shot with the Nintendo Switch 2.

Gamers across the world will be able to start trying out the Switch 2 for themselves at various cities across the world from tomorrow (April 4).

I was among the first members of the press to get hands-on with the console before the general public, at a special event in Paris.

Here are my first impressions…

Bolder, better, faster

The first thing you will notice is the display is vastly improved.

It’s not a glossy OLED but does support 1080p and the screen itself is bigger too, measuring in at 7.9 inches wide.

The frame rate is 120 fps, meaning popular titles play super smooth compared to the last Switch.

Some much-loved previous titles have been upgraded to take in the enhancements and are dubbed “Switch 2 Edition”.

I tried out The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 Edition and the visual boost is glorious.

And it looks equally as good when plugged into the dock too.

It now supports 4K HDR.

New games

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I got a flavour of the new Mario Kart World game among the hands-on, though I didn’t get to try out every mode.

There are some fun new mechanics, such as the ability to grind, as well as exciting new items.

Nintendo says there’s a mode to free roam beyond the track, however this wasn’t available for me to try out today.

The game benefits massively from the frame rate upgrades so everything appears smoother and more crisp as well.

I can see how this will add a whole lot of fresh excitement when playing at a party with friends.

I also had a go at Donkey Kong Bananza which was undeniably great fun.

Joy-Con Joy

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My favourite change by far so far has to be the added Joy-Con features.

The new magnetic attach and detach function is just so much easier, less fiddly.

Press a button on the back, give a little pull and it’ll release.

I’m told the battery on them is better than the previous Joy-Con controllers, lasting between 2.5 hours and six hours depending on what you’re playing.

The buttons are largely the same – which is a good thing – with bigger SL and SR buttons, and a new C button to access GameShare, so you can chat with friends vocally as you play.

Sadly, GameShare wasn’t available for us to try on this occasion but I look forward to giving it a whirl in future.

Then there’s the ability to use the Joy-Con as a mouse for the first time.

Initially, I thought this might be a gimmick but after trying it out I can say it really is not.

In fact, I think it’s the best addition of the lot.

Playing the Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Edition is perfect fun in groups without having to wave your arms around excessively – and it certainly brought out my competitive streak.

Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Edition also gave me a chance to try out the new camera as well, which adds a new dynamic to multiplayer games.