Yesterday, Nintendo Australia held an exclusive event in Melbourne, and it was my first time seeing the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2.
Event overview
The event, held near the Rodlaver Arena, was meticulously organized and provided four hours of hands-on gaming time with other media and content creators. Participants began with the main attraction, Mario Kart World, and revolved through various stations. From there, each game was split into different sections, with the Centerpiece being a Mario Kart Multiplayer Challenge, with 24 Switch 2 consoles all connected to play competitive knockout rounds.
Moving through each station, some games didn’t boast a lineup due to the vast amount of consoles and screens set up by Nintendo. This even had a section of third-party games that were released in the first few months of console release, such as Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4.
Hardware impressions
The Nintendo Switch 2 shows a major upgrade from its predecessor. It feels familiar, but it’s a little different. The console has premium matte quality up to the finish, giving it a lighter grip compared to the original. The screen is not an OLED, but it can showcase the massive leap that this new hardware can offer. With Mario Kart World boasting HDR and solid 60fps, Nintendo’s classic franchise didn’t look as good.
The game was consistently running at 60 frames per second in docking mode, addressing years of concern about the original switch. I couldn’t press the Home button or play new chat buttons or features myself, but I had to experience most of the new console features that I was expecting.
The kickstand also felt sturdy and the advantage of running along the console made it feel safe when adjusting the viewing angle. I was fortunate enough to play rounds of Mario Kart and some of the Legend of Zelda: Kingdom Tears are prominent directly in handheld mode, upgrades from the original switch.
The Kingdom’s Tear Lake is now very detailed and realistic. Lens flares from the sun shine, and even grasses have individual blades to enhance the game, buds in animated style. Let’s say you have doubts about pre-ordering Switch 2. If that’s the case, they’re now on sale in full on Nintendo’s upcoming console release, with fierce competitiveness in the world of Mario Kart, the beauty of the upgraded Zelda title, and several other games that will dive into future articles.
Game lineup
Participants had the opportunity to experience a variety of titles, including:
Donkey Kong Vana The Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV Zelda Legend: Breath of the Wild & Kingdom Tears (Switch 2 Version) Kirby and Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World Nintendo Switch 2 – Welcome Tour Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube Controller Game Legacy Street Fighter Collection Cyberpunk 2077 (not the final version) Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Brave Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster Hades II
Event Management
This event is professionally managed and the game’s waiting time averages between 5-10 minutes. Each console was programmed to reset after 15 minutes of playtime, ensuring fair access to everyone there. The recruited staff were able to support and guide us through our experience. The event setup flow also helped prevent people from pooling in the same area for long periods of time, reducing queue times.
Also exciting is that his staff were just as excited as we were playing these games. In Dry Spell, teams were able to hear cheering, screaming and pertussis as they played the new Mario Party Jamboree feature on Nintendo cameras, competed against each other in the world of Mario Kart, fighting who raced as cows (everyone’s favorite new racer!). The Nintendo team and everyone there yells at the hard worker.
Our thoughts
The Nintendo Switch 2 Experience event successfully introduced the new console features and upcoming game lineup. While the improved Switch 2 performance and visual fidelity deal with the important criticism of its predecessors, the diverse game choices demonstrate Nintendo’s commitment to both first-party titles and third-party partnerships.
As launches approach, Nintendo Switch 2 predictions could grow based on these positive early impressions. I’m now even more pleased with my pre-orders and can’t wait to dive into more Mario Kart Worlds when it’s released in June. We would like to thank Nintendo Australia for inviting us to our Nintendo Switch 2 experience in Melbourne.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released in Australia on June 5th. Stay tuned even more as we approach the release of the console.
