Banjo-

@Abrammchi They might backtrack with the pricing. It's €470 in Europe, Mario Kart is €90 and the bundle is sold out two months before its release. If they don't do anything because of Nintendo's concept of the value of their own games (which are bare-bones compared to third-party games), no way they will repeat the success of Switch.

Everybody is ready for it, not at that price though and with paid upgrades for existing games. Most consumer-unfriendly and greediest Nintendo ever.

@Poco_Lypso I completely agree. What makes things worse is that Nintendo Switch was deliberately weak and relatively expensive and yet Nintendo wants consumers to pay the price of their greed after buying its more expensive successor by charging extra for being able to play the games with a proper resolution and frame rate, when it was clear that the games struggled on the original hardware without particularly demanding graphics. Nintendo is way to greedy and basically hates everything about their fans but their money.

@The-Chosen-one The Mario Kart World bundle is sold out on some sites including Amazon and it will launch in June!

I'm not sure that it will be the richest Mario Kart experience. Is there some kind of story mode like in Mario Kart DS? Free roam mode seems a bit boring in this game. What Mario Kart World seems to offer is a big map with the tracks accessible via a hub world that is linked to the tracks. It seems to focus a lot on online interactions (come here, take a picture!), but it doesn't seem to have the level of content available in other open-world racing games like Forza Horizon. Mario Kart was the best-selling Switch game and this sequel might become the best-selling game on Switch 2, even at that price. At least, that's what Nintendo thinks. I'm going to say that the number of tracks isn't particularly big and that Nintendo will develop an expansion for Mario Kart World that of course will not be included in the price.

@Luffymcduck Yes, on Xbox all these upgrades are free, including Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games available on Series X|S.

@Sonicka Players are paying twice for the phone app that few will use. They're paying 20 for navigating the games on the phone if they upgrade both titles.

@Friendly Digital Foundry laughed and said it's like Xbox Smart Glass a decade later. It's even weirder on Switch 2 because it's a handheld/hybrid console. Even weirder since they removed the Game Pad functionality on Wii U when they decided to make the Switch port.

@PikminMarioKirby @Sakhasm @johnedwin Agreed. A resolution and frame rate update should be free.

@Don Right. I also play Nintendo's legacy games on Wii U, New Nintendo 3DS and also SNES Mini. On Xbox you can play games on Game Pass but gives us the option of purchase (same save files). I wouldn't pay for playing the same games on Nintendo Online/Classics with separate save files because it's temporary. I also wouldn't pay for a cloud version of a retail game a la Google Stadia/Nintendo Switch Cloud because you're paying for a cloud version and although Google refunded customers, I doubt Nintendo will be that generous when the service is discontinued or the cloud version of those games is dropped because is no longer needed on a more powerful console.

@Don Absolutely yes. My Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS aren't going anywhere. They are Nintendo's definitive consoles, all things considered and that includes Nintendo's legacy.

@batmanbud2 Absolutely not. 😉

@Mgalens

First of all, thanks for your reply. This is my reaction in a few paragraphs after watching Nintendo's and Digital Foundry's videos.

Specifications:

Some people are comparing Switch 2 to Series S, but Digital Foundry's video says that the Final Fantasy footage seems to match the PS4 version. I think that we won't know how powerful Switch 2 really is until it's released, because nothing that has been shown makes me (or Digital Foundry) think that this will match Series S. Will it match PS4 instead? It will be very interesting to compare this to other handheld/hybrid consoles, but we have to wait until it's released.

Games:

This is the sourest point in my opinion. On Xbox you get Xbox One X and Series X upgrades for free and the additional content is always available separately. You also get upgraded Xbox 360 for free if you have them in digital or physical form. All games on Game Pass are available for purchase. Nintendo used to have some great deals and consumer-friendly options on Wii U and 3DS, including Virtual Console games for 30 cents! The excuse with Switch was that the Switch is a completely different console, but the NNID and Nintendo accounts had been merged, so Nintendo could have treated Wii U owners much better than they did. What happened? Switch became a worldwide hit during the pandemic and Nintendo became greedier and greedier.

With Switch 2, there is absolutely no excuse to charge again for the same games. Now the excuse is the extra content that has been added as an excuse to charge for resolution improvements on Switch 2. This is the case with every Nintendo game shown, except The Pokemon Company and third parties that will offer free upgrades. Nintendo is focused on repackaging Switch games for Switch 2 and for that they are going to attach extra content or lift a paywall when it's just a resolution upgrade (the Zelda games). It's ridiculous to charge for resolution upgrades and the Welcome Tour. Sony also charges and there was backlash, but at least they included more than a resolution upgrade.

Pricing:

The price of Switch 2 is inflated and not competitive. Look at the Japanese version. We are used to pay more than in Japan for Japanese products, but the difference is massive. The price of the console and games is insane in Europe and of course this is just the beginning. Switch 2 is relatively expensive and its games are relatively expensive.

Conclusion:

Nintendo used to have cool games and attractive pricing, deals and rewards. Switch 2 is combining the worst things of every other company (including Rockstar) while not offering the uniqueness of Nintendo yet. It's not a great start and I don't think it will repeat the success of Switch, but Nintendo is more than a developer or a publisher, it's an Apple-like brand, a Disney-like toy maker and will succeed, but will also let more fans heartbroken or at least disappointed along the way.

@neverbeentoiceland Digital Foundry's video about this is very interesting. It also shows that some games running at 60fps on older consoles will play at 30fps on Switch 2 at a lower resolution. I know that Switch 2 is a hybrid console, but that's a letdown. However, the most disappointing thing is that all the upgrades are paid with a few exceptions while you are subscribed to Nintendo's premium subscription and that, after repackaging Wii U's games on Switch, Nintendo is repackaging Switch games on Switch 2! This is crazy, knowing that Nintendo used to develop great games for a handheld and a home console at the same time. So, the only real reason to get a Switch 2, considering that the anticipated Metroid Prime 4 will run on Switch, is Mario Kart World, but the price is way too high. I wasn't expecting Switch 2 to be so redundant, even less at this price. Nintendo must be feeling hyper-confident, but I can't see them repeating the success of Switch.

Someone should supervise poll options. Anyway, it's incredible how in 2025 Wii U still seems like the definitive Nintendo console, all things considered. Switch with the Wii U ports and Switch 2 with Switch ports, both Switches focusing on renting roms... Of course, there are some new games, but the focus on repackaging recent games and renting the oldest ones since Switch is sad and hilarious at the same time. Even more when you consider Nintendo used to be the most innovative.

In short, Nintendo did motion controls better with Wii than Switch and mouse controls better with SNES than Switch 2. Good article, in between.

Interestingly, they followed Microsoft's approach for Xbox 360 games on Xbox One. Best choice when the chips are all different and emulation is too much for the successor.

@ManaOwls Same here. I would just add that it's embarrassing when they have to clarify that every update is a paid upgrade. The whole Direct and the Switch 2 itself are a list of paid upgrades. Paying for the Welcome Tour is ridiculous. I also miss the old Nintendo, frankly. Not just because of these paid upgrades, but because of the games themselves.

@Mgalens PC players always win, but in the console space, I love how Xbox is handling this. I play a lot of old games on Wii U and SNES Classic Mini, but not much on Switch since my Xbox (third-party) collection started growing. I already have Nintendo's classics and the new third-party collections on Xbox. It seems that Switch 2 is following Switch in every aspect, so Nintendo's classic collection will grow even bigger, but on a subscription that I won't be subscribed to.

Options are good and Nintendo's subscriptions should exist, but if players are not allowed to purchase games and they don't include new games unlike Game Pass, they are not worth it, in my opinion. However, if there are new Nintendo remasters or remakes I will likely buy them, e.g., a remake of Ocarina of Time. I didn't get Metroid Prime Remastered, though. I prefer the Wii controls of the trilogy.

@Mgalens Sorry for the late reply. It's a shame, really, how Nintendo goes backwards regarding classic games. I really don't trust Nintendo in this regard nor digital libraries after Nintendo Switch. Xbox is doing this best, allowing players to buy any game and play all first-party on a subscription service on all Xbox consoles and beyond.

@Mgalens There is also another thing to mention, the full price Cloud-only Switch games ala Google Stadia. I completely agree about the classic collections and how important they are to have access to old games easily. I appreciate them all, even those I'm not interested in. I have many of them, just to give you an example on top of the obvious Rare Replay, I wanted to have the old Street Fighter games, the 30th Anniversary collection was a dream coming true. Those RPG collections are wonderful too, and even the more limited ones like Disney Classic Games are must-have for me!

@Mgalens People criticising Xbox because of Game Pass, when you can buy every single game if you want to (20% off), even play your own games on Cloud (work in progress) and get free cloud saves (no subscription required), while praising Nintendo this generation is baffling. While you're getting more choices on Xbox, you are getting fewer on Nintendo, in their most profitable period since Wii/DS.

Nintendo dropping the Virtual Console entirely after fans spending a fortune is one of the most disappointing things I have ever seen. I just don't trust Nintendo regarding digital content, but so far I trust Microsoft. I still have to play FFXIV, but I'm going to wait until I have more free time.

@BANJO Thank you, buddy. I might get the Turok remasters on Xbox. I agree, I think that the first Extreme-G is the best.

@BANJO My buddy, the soundtrack is fantastic. Somehow, they managed to get a fast racing game at 30fps with responsive controls and heavy fog looking and playing great. Playing it today with smoother frame rate and on.bigger screens is even better. I've never played Turok, I wonder if I should get the remasters.

Extreme-G was and still is one of my favourite Nintendo 64 games ever!

@NinChocolate In Iwata Asks, it was revealed that Breath of the Wild was delayed one year because of the Switch port. I also played in on Wii U. Definitely, with a long history and so many games, it's impossible to not have a Nintendo favourite or more on our minds as players, whether that favourite is new or old.

@Shiryu Our best wishes to you and to everyone reading this and that has that illness now. I really hope that more resources are invested in this and that everyone is able to recover. Many of us have sad stories about it in our families.

@NinChocolate It's telling that Wii U, that had a short life and had 3DS as an internal competitor, made such a solid catalogue, being ported to Switch since 2017 until 2025, 8 fricking years!

For me it has been the most disappointing Nintendo generation and I've been playing on Nintendo since I was a kid. I admit that it has been tremendously profitable for Nintendo, best generation financially since Wii/DS. The golden age of Nintendo in terms of games which is what I care about is since SNES to GameCube.

What's the point in posting physical sales on Xbox here, when 90% of Xbox sales are digital and not included?

Correction: Nintendo, Let Us Buy The Games

@SlasherZ Your opinion doesn't invalidate others people's opinions nor is better than anyone's else.

@Shiiva That is exactly why I prefer Sonic Racing to Mario Kart (after Wii): they are proper racing games and not party games. What I'm reading now worries me. What @Sonicka says about the water and air sections is very disappointing, because they are proper racing parts of Transformed and not pointless gimmicks like in Mario Kart. The item balance is easy to fix after the massive feedback, but I really wish they are able to give this game the gameplay depth that everyone loves about Transformed and Team Sonic Racing. Controls are great in both and controlling the boats and airplanes in Transformed is a lot of fun and only comparable to Diddy Kong Racing. I was immensely excited about this sequel and I'll get it (on Xbox for technical reasons), but my excitement is not that high now. Right now, the only thing that comforts me is that it doesn't have a release date yet.

Very poor decision considering that Nintendo's biggest discounts are rare and 33% off at best, including ports from other generations. They delivered much better promos in the beginning of this generation with Wii U's Virtual Console and also with Nintendo Network and Club Nintendo. They also had physical editions that were 50% off with Nintendo Selects and Player's Choice. Now, they won't give you 5% credit on digital sales, while Xbox gives you a bit of credit each day for playing games (you can easily get £€$10 per month), on top of giving you credit back on digital purchases. It sounds like a joke, but all that's left is the PNG rewards. Nintendo has become way too greedy since Switch.

@OneArmedGiant I think it's more likely, yes. 😊

@Not_Soos The music is what I hate the most LOL. Compared to Yoshi's Island DS, I'm finding the special stages more interesting.

No Yoshi game come close to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, but I'm trying to beat Yoshi's New Island on 3DS 100%, special stages included.

Not playing anything at the moment on Switch, but I need to beat Mario + Rabbids that I dropped when I got other games like Lugi's Mansion 3 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Right now playing Starfield on Series X, amazing experience.

Just wanted to add something regarding Team Sonic Racing. The team racing mode is not much fun playing without friends, but you can also play the game without teams like a traditional racer and it has a challenge mode like its predecessor.

@OneArmedGiant Sega is not releasing definitive editions and when they do is extra content available for purchase, like Sonic Origins Plus. There are two possibilities here:

1) Extra content will be added for free.

2) Paid content will be available.

My favourite quiz so far! Nicely written. Majora's Mask is one of Nintendo's greatest games and the one with the best side quests and time mechanics. One of my favourite games ever, no doubt about it.

@Lizuka The kind of person who's willing to drop $40,000 on a Switch 2 should be the kind of person who donates $40,000 to environmental/poor people charities. I want to believe that it's a journalism work and that the transaction won't be completed.

Can't wait to check the air and water physics and controls, that were a lot of fun in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, compared to the dull equivalents in Mario Kart 8. I'm also curious about what non-Sonic content will be added. Sonic is my favourite Sega franchise, but I like what they did in the past, except the addition of a Non-Sega human driver... :S

@h3s Same here. I have the Wii U version but I haven't touched it since I have the Xbox version, that is 60fps on Series X, unfortunately still same resolution. I had much more fun with this than with Mario Kart 8 on Wii U and Switch.

A good thing about Team Sonic Racing on Series X is that it's 4K and 60fps with a few frame drops on Xbox One X, but perfectly smooth on Series X. The PS version was never 4K.

After my experience with Switch ports of racing games (Crash Team Racing, Team Sonic Racing...), I'm sure about getting this for Series X and not Switch.

@SpinEnDash They changed many things. You save with statues and the time mechanics and songs almost stopped making sense in terms of urgency and consequences. They broke the game balance which was intense and epic. The dangerous and catastrophic events were made less relevant and menacing. The colours were much brighter. Some bosses were nerfed considerably. Mikau's powers were turned off without magic... They added two fishing ponds with boss battles, which is cool. All this off the top of my head...

On the other hand, Ocarina of Time 3D is like a definitive version of Ocarina of Time and I love the 3D in that game. That doesn't mean that I don't want a remake with Wii U demo graphics.

I got the limited edition, still have it. As much as I wanted to love the 3DS remake because of the quality of life improvements, my favourite being the overhauled Bombers' notebook, at the end of the day it's a toned down version, so the original one still is the best. Mikau was nerfed and that's a sin.

Well, this is one of my favourite genres ever. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is more fun than Mario Kart 8. Team Sonic Racing is great in spite of a few weird decisions and shortcomings. I hope that this new entry has the best of both. I love that we'll be racing in vehicles across land, sea, and air, the best part of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, better done than in Mario Kart and more similar to Diddy Kong Racing.

Non-Nintendo games also deserve success, right? These charts are interesting, but only count physical copies, Switch being the only platform that still sells tons of them. Xbox around 10%, PS5 20% and Switch 52%.

The only reason for third parties to skip Switch 2 would be its power, that we still don't know much about.

I think that the first one is the best. I like 2, but was disappointed with 3. Since it's Luigi's Mansion, I would choose a creepy mansion or a small village.

I got and beat the Wii version. I loved the game, but the controls were way too unreliable. I do think that some Wii games got them perfectly right, though. I also have the Xbox version, but haven't played it yet.

By the way, Okamiden (DS) didn't have this problem because the stylus was a perfect fit.