I got to play the Nintendo Switch 2 early. I'm excited by what I saw, but here's why I won't be buying it on launch day.

It's been over eight years since Nintendo released the Switch, its unique hybrid console that supports handheld gaming and playing on your TV. In that time, its convenient portability, low price, and expansive game library have helped it become the second-best-selling home console of all time.

With that in mind, it's no surprise that the system's successor — the aptly named Nintendo Switch 2 — has a massive amount of hype behind it. After months of secrecy, gamers are anxious to see what Nintendo has planned to improve on the original Switch, a console already lauded across the board.

On Wednesday, Business Insider attended a private daylong event where I got to test out the Switch 2, talk to the engineers who designed it, and more. After spending nearly 10 hours with the console, I'm convinced that the Switch 2 will be a smash hit and a worthy purchase — but not right away. The system launches on June 5 for $450, and preorders start April 9. What I've played so far shows a lot of promise, but given its high price, the console will need more exclusive titles to make it a must-buy.

Here are the highlights from my day with the Nintendo Switch 2, from pulling off tricks in "Mario Kart World" to giving the system a stress test with "Donkey Kong Bananza."

See also:Everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch 2 launch details

The Switch 2 looks and feels a lot like its predecessor, but there are minor additions

Since the '90s, every new Nintendo console has been noticeably different from the one before it, either in design, playstyle, or both. The Super Nintendo's thin gamepad became the Nintendo 64's three-pronged monstrosity; the Wii Remote gave way to the Wii U Gamepad with a built-in screen. Nintendo loves to innovate in drastic ways.

That's not the case here. While the Switch 2 does offer new ways to play, it's largely the same experience you're used to. The system and its Joy-Cons are the same shape — you can even use the original Switch's controllers on this new system with few obstacles. Minor updates like the improved kickstand, extra USB-C port, and upgraded storage are appreciated but not mind-blowing.

There are graphical improvements (more on that later), but the main feature that Nintendo is pushing to set the Switch 2 apart from the original is GameChat. This feature, which you can bring up in any game by pressing the new "C" button on the right Joy-Con, lets you voice- and video-chat with up to three friends at once. You can share a live feed of the game you're playing, broadcast your face using a USB-C camera, and even share certain games with friends who don't own them.

If you listen to the developers, Nintendo seems to see GameChat as the Switch 2's "killer app." They're marketing it as a unique and fun way to hang out with friends online, even if you're all playing other games. It's the system's most hyped new feature.

But I'm not convinced. Gamers can already voice- and video-chat with their friends on other platforms using apps like Discord — which is free, compared to the $20/year that Nintendo Switch Online costs. Sharing a live feed of your game sounds fun, but based on current demos, that feed is unwatchably choppy; it's more like a slideshow than a video.

Although the GameShare idea is exciting, according to the hardware developers I spoke to, it has some limitations. Most notably, when you share a game, you're actually streaming it to the other consoles. So, if you have any internet issues, everyone is going to feel that lag, not just you.

I don't doubt that Switch 2 players will use GameChat with their friends. But I can't imagine it being the feature that sells the console to anyone.

The Switch 2's game library is set to be massive, but there aren't enough exclusives at launch

During the event, I played nearly all the games that Nintendo showcased in its Direct presentation. I'm pleased to report that the Switch 2 is just as fun to play as its predecessor.

When it comes to gameplay, the Switch 2's most interesting update is the addition of mouse controls. When you flip a Joy-Con 2 over onto its side, it goes into "mouse mode," and an optical sensor lets you use the controller just like a computer mouse. This is an immediate upgrade to any first-person shooter game and also breathes life into strategy games like "Civilization VII" that usually falter on consoles. It also seems like a direct shot at the Steam Deck, the Switch's nearest competitor, which made its name as the handheld system for mouse-based games.

However, mouse control definitely takes some getting used to. Each Joy-Con is noticeably thinner than an actual mouse, so it's not nearly as comfortable. And remembering which trigger button maps to which mouse click is a bit mind-bending at first. But it was my favorite way to play "Metroid Prime 4," and I'm excited to try it out again, especially with games that offer customizable sensitivity.

Here are some other quick thoughts on a few of the games showcased:

• "Mario Kart World" - The best part of any "Mario Kart" game is the 10 seconds at the start of the race when everyone is in the same area, bumping and crashing into each other. "World" extends that chaos to the entire race, making every second a thrill.
• "Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour" - This title is a fun, cute, and unique assortment of mini-games aimed at highlighting the console's different features and playstyles. But it should be a free pack-in with the Switch 2, not a stand-alone purchase. Charging money for a glorified instruction manual is bizarre, and if it retails for any more than $5, it's a blunder on Nintendo's part.
• "Drag x Drive" - This futuristic wheelchair basketball game makes ample use of the system's mouse controls, and it's a workout! I played the game for less than 10 minutes, and yet by the end, my arms were aching. I don't see it being popular enough to support long-term online play, but it might be fun for an afternoon.
• "Cyberpunk 2077" - Such an intensive game playing on the Switch 2 is a fun novelty, but this definitely isn't the best way to play CyberPunk. I encountered lots of frame drops.
• "Tears of the Kingdom - Switch 2 Edition" - This open-world "Zelda" game is stunningly beautiful with enhanced frame rates and a higher resolution than was impossible on the standard Switch. This feels like the way the game was meant to be played.
• "Donkey Kong Bananza" - The semi-open-world structure of "Super Mario Odyssey" meets the "I need to destroy everything" spirit of "Teardown" in this new "Donkey Kong" adventure game. It also seems like the greatest test of the console's power, with constant particle effects, hundreds of physics objects, and a seemingly endless amount of destructible surfaces.

And this isn't to mention the titles coming in the future, like "Deltarune," "Hollow Knight: Silksong," and (my most anticipated) "The Duskbloods." Combine all this with the original Switch's existing library, and you have a sizable collection of great games.

With this said, though, the Switch 2 is looking light on true exclusives that you can't already play on the original Switch or competing consoles like the PS5 and Xbox. Consoles live and die based on their exclusives, and right now, only two will be available at the same time the system hits stores on June 5: "Mario Kart World" and "Welcome Tour." The rest will roll out later in the year and into 2026. That puts a damper on those planning to buy the system on launch day.

The Switch 2's graphics and performance are still underwhelming

It took over a decade, but Nintendo has finally stepped into the world of 4K gaming and high-dynamic-range (HDR). And to be sure, games running at 4K resolution look fantastic. The 120 frames per second (FPS) games don't slouch either. This feature enables much smoother gameplay than the original Switch was capable of, but you need a TV that supports 120Hz. Getting these sorts of graphics out of a Nintendo console is a shock.

But there are still issues. Load times during the event were still troublingly long in many games, "Civilization VII" and "Cyberpunk 2077" especially. And lag spikes were still common, even in first-party games like "Metroid Prime 4." I'm sort of dreading how titles already notorious for their performance issues, like "Pokémon" games, are going to run.

I'm also disappointed with the battery life. Although the new battery has about 50% more capacity than the original Switch's, the new CPU drains it even faster. According to Nintendo, the average battery life has dropped from "4.5 to 9 hours" on the original console to "two to 6.5 hours" on the new system. That puts a serious dent in the console's portability.

None of these issues are egregious enough to be dealbreakers. And I understand that Nintendo wants to keep hardware costs down so retail prices can stay reasonable. But it's frustrating that the trend of underpowered Nintendo consoles is continuing.

Speaking of prices, though — it's time to talk about the elephant in the room.

Yes, the Switch 2 and its games are expensive

The Nintendo Switch 2 costs $450 in the US. OK, that's not so wild — even if, in Japan, it costs the equivalent of $350.

(The Switch 2 isn't expected to be region-locked, so in theory, you could buy a Japanese Switch 2 and import it. But from what I've heard, the Japanese Switch 2 won't let you change the language to anything but Japanese. So either boot up Duolingo or get ready for some trial-and-error.)

What's truly mind-bending, though, is the price of games. "Mario Kart World," the first exclusive game, will cost $80. "Donkey Kong Bananza" will be $70. This is in addition to the ongoing cost of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. And if you've played Nintendo games for long enough, you know first-party titles rarely go on sale for more than a few dollars.

Not all titles will be this expensive, but it's still a shockingly high price point for any game, and the internet is (understandably) up in arms.

Even worse, some experts are predicting that these prices might climb in the future due to tariff policies. If that happens, sales numbers might look bleak.

Here's hoping this doesn't become the new standard.

The Nintendo Switch 2 will be great in the future, but not on launch day

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Nintendo Switch 2. The higher resolutions and frame rates look wonderful, the mouse controls are a refreshing change to console first-person shooters, and "Mario Kart World," in particular, is a blast. I look forward to buying the console.

But I'm not buying it on launch day, and you may want to hold off as well.

The Switch 2 has its pros. But the two biggest cons — its high price and lack of launch-window exclusives — are truly major. It's not worth paying at least $450 for a console that has so little to set it apart from the original Nintendo Switch. Even if you don't already own any Switch model, I don't think the extra graphical power, mouse controls, and new GameChat feature are worth that extra money.

Based on what I've seen so far, most gamers are better off waiting a few months, maybe even a year, until the list of exclusive games grows and Nintendo (hopefully) introduces even more new features. In other words, wait until the Switch 2 becomes significantly more valuable than its predecessor.

There's also the inevitable challenge of resellers scooping up consoles and marking up prices. Trust me, buying a Switch 2 at a 100% markup from some dude on eBay is not a good idea, no matter how much you want to play "Metroid Prime 4."

However, once the dust settles and more games are released, I have no doubts that the Switch 2 will cement itself as a worthy successor to the original model. It just might take some time to get there.

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