I haven’t had a proper game console since the PS3.
I would like to get one, mostly to play with my family (wife, 7yo kid). I had been waiting for the Switch 2 for a while now (I really resisted the urge to get a Switch OLED back when it was released…).
On the plus side:
- it’s really geared towards family/party gaming
- it’s Nintendo, so you get the whole usual games (Mario Kart, Zelda, etc.)
- like most consoles, it’s plug and play and can be enjoyed in the living room (I kind of gave up trying to set up a proper gaming experience with my Linux PCs, given that I don’t have the hardware for it)
On the minus side:
- the battery life is not great to say the least (2.5 hours takes me back of the Game Gear in early 90s!)
- the screen seems to be pretty bad too (at least it’s a step back from the OLED one of the Switch)
- the joycons are still not using a Hall effect sensor, meaning they might still be prone to drifting
- most of the games will not be sold as proper cartridges but as download codes
- the whole thing (console, additional gamepads, games) is quite pricey
- it’s Nintendo, famous for their anti-everything (anti-homebrew, anti-emulation, anti-piracy)
Should I still go with it, or is there a better option? (I hope the better option is not to wait 4 more years for Nintendo to release a newer Switch 2 that would fix the shitty hardware).
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
I personally don’t recommend anyone get the Switch 2. The new price points are frankly ridiculous, and I’d hate to see that shit get justified by sales.
Personally, I’d recommend looking into handheld PCs. I haven’t looked into them much myself due to lack of money, but they’re generally much more worth the cost from what I’ve heard.
All that said, I missed that you were looking for something to play with your 7 year old child. Switch might be better, but any handheld would be… notably destructible, so that’s a factor to keep in mind.
As much as I like my Deck, they’re not really able to fulfill the role of a Switch for party games since a number of them are exclusives and setting up controllers are a bit more tedious than joycons which are essentially plug and play.
Most PC handhelds are also fairly bulky and heavy, I find myself struggling to hold them unless I’m resting it on my lap or a table while sitting so this may not be great for a 7 year old.
The other day I thought to myself, “huh I’ve got a few extra bucks, I think I’ll buy a switch 2.” Then I saw that zelda costs $80. So nope, no switch for me.
I’m someone who has never played a switch, never held one, and I was about to impulse buy it. So I’d be a brand new customer (my last Nintendo product was the NES), and now I won’t be. Their loss.
I’ve got bad news for you.
Problem with handheld PC is the family/split screen play. Very limited compared to a switch. The 7 year old is a big consideration as well.
I meant mostly to play party games or multiplayer games with her, with the console docked to a TV. I know the Switch has been super popular as an handheld console, but I don’t think I would be using it a lot in that configuration (especially with 2.5 hours battery life…)