Watch This Below
Nintendo sent me all the way from South Africa to London to play with the Switch 2 ahead of its launch on 5 June. I spent a full day with the console and played every game that is coming your way at launch and a bit after.
I found many things I loved about the console. From the display that absolutely blew me away to seeing Cyberpunk 2077 run in handheld mode. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. To be fair and honest, I have to also share some things I didn’t enjoy and some things I am a little worried about. Here are five things I didn’t like about the Switch 2. Be sure to also check out my five favourite takeaways from the Switch 2 while you’re here.
Still Not Very Comfortable to Hold
Believe it or not, the Switch 2 is just as uncomfortable to hold as the original console. Nintendo hasn’t really done much to improve the in-hand experience of the new hardware at all. The back of the console is just as flat as the original, and the Joy-Con 2 controllers don’t include any bumps or grooves to rest your fingers into.
Keep in mind that the original Switch was uncomfortable for me, so if you didn’t have issues with the original model, you’re unlikely to have issues here. However, if you didn’t enjoy the simple and flat design of the OG console, or perhaps it resulted in wrist pain after a few hours of gaming, you’ll likely have the exact same experience here.
My biggest problem with the lack of ergonomics on the Switch 2 is that this now means the Joy-Con 2 corners are going to take most of the weight and likely result in the plastic smoothing out and wearing down over time. All my Joy-Cons currently have shiny edges to them because you end up resting the entire handheld in your palm because there’s nowhere else to support it.
No Added Paddles in Handheld Mode
This then leads to my second issue with the Switch 2 – no added paddle buttons. Nintendo has added a new button to the Joy-Con 2 controller, but it is just for the magnetic lock system to attach and detach the controller from the display. There aren’t any new paddles on the Joy-Cons at all.
Now, this wouldn’t really be an issue if Nintendo didn’t add GL and GR paddles to the Joy-Con 2 charging grip and Switch 2 Pro Controller. So every accessory you have includes new buttons which you can assign inputs to. If you have used paddles anywhere in the past, you’ll know how helpful they are for almost every game. Playing Hades II, for example, gives you access to two additional buttons that can improve reaction time across the experience.
But the Joy-Con 2 controllers don’t have any new buttons. You can argue that they don’t need them because they have the SL and SR buttons, but when the Joy-Cons are attached to the console, these buttons are accessible because they are locked into the system.
I do think Nintendo could have added a paddle to each Joy-Con. Even if it was a slight flat button at the back. The brand has enabled this on the Pro Controller and both Joy-Con grips, but the handheld mode, which is likely where you’ll use this system the most, doesn’t include it.
Given how popular paddle buttons are on every single other portable device on the market, I was hoping for them here too.
The Joy-Con Mouse Feature Didn’t Gel
The Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons can be used as a mouse. While this seems cool at first, I wasn’t entirely sold on the feature. During my time with the console, I played a number of games with the mouse mode, and nothing really felt intuitive.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was likely the most hardcore and accurate way to test out shooting in a first-person shooter using the Joy-Con as a mouse. It was clumsy, and I didn’t enjoy it. I have quite large hands and long fingers, which means I had to bend my fingers down at the top of the Joy-Con to place them on the trigger buttons.
I also had to support the entire Joy-Con with the right-hand side of my hand to avoid it tilting over. While aiming with Samus’ gun was fine, when it came to pressing buttons on the controller’s face and aiming at the same time, it was messy.
I don’t know if I just need more time with the feature, but for me, the thinness of the controller combined with my long fingers was a recipe for disaster. I especially struggled pressing the face buttons because I didn’t have anywhere to put my fingers that weren’t being used. It meant the Joy-Cons would often tilt over, and I had to support them.
Personally speaking, I think if Nintendo were to add more surface area to the bottom of the Joy-Cons when in mouse mode, it would help a lot. It would mean more support for the bottom, more room to glide around, and it would prevent the tilting. Even perhaps add a place where I could rest my unused fingers.
Perhaps an additional “mouse mode only” grip strap that you only attach onto the Joy-Con when you’re playing certain games. Because as it stands, the Switch 2 Joy-Cons are just too long and thin to be taken seriously for this mode.
The Dock Will Still Damage the Console
One of my biggest gripes with the original Switch console is the dock and how it damages and scratches your Switch over time. Nintendo hasn’t fixed this with the Switch 2 dock. It is just as ready as ever to scratch your Switch console.
The Switch 2 dock includes the same plastic inner coating as the OLED Switch Dock, and it spells bad news for docking and undocking the console. Over time, it will result in scratches to both the front and the back of the device.
Sure, you can dodge this by using a screen protector, but keep in mind, the screen isn’t the only part of the console that makes contact with the dock. Both the edges of the screen and the back also rub up and down in the dock as you go about owning the hardware.
I hated the scratches so much on my current Switch OLED that I ended up sticking foam pads into the dock to create a smooth-moving slide in and out. It has helped, but sadly, the damage was already done, and my current OLED Switch has some nasty scratches.
Nintendo could have honestly just stuck some padding in this dock to save all the damage. Rubbing any hard surface against another hard surface is going to end up with wear and tear.
Still Not as Sturdy as I Hoped
But in general, the Switch 2 isn’t as sturdy as I hoped, and that leads to my last point. I was hoping for a bit more polish here. Attaching and detaching the Joy-Cons is worlds apart from the original rail system on the first console, but the Joy-Cons still wobble and rock back and forth when you bend them. I wish the fit was tighter.
Even the attachment system has slight contact on the inner side of the console, which again is going to mean scratches and damage over time. I suspect we will see the inner sides of the Switch 2 Joy-Cons get the most damage, with chipped plastic around the player number lights. The top and bottom parts of the inner Joy-Cons will likely also take a hit from the knocking of the system when you slot it into the console.
I know I am being a bit pedantic about this, but I do try really hard to look after my tech and leave it without any self-made damage. Most tech is made to last a long time and look good at the same time. But things like this on the Switch 2 work against that. Friction is a real challenge for all tech.
So yeah, my issues with the Switch 2 are mostly related to a few things that might not affect everyone, but I wanted to share them anyway in case you can relate to them. I have also put together five things I loved about the console too. Check those out here.
