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Even in its final days, the Nintendo Switch continues to attract new users. It recently became the third-best-selling console of all time, and players like my kindergarten-aged nephew represent millions of new or recently converted core gamers who are simply having too much fun with the console’s previous seven years of great games to care if the Switch 2 will actually launch in late 2024 or early 2025.
Clearly, not everyone is like him and is blissfully uninformed of console release cycles. With fresh clusters of Switch 2 rumors circulating every week or so, you might be thinking if you should buy one of the Switch consoles on shelves right now (for yourself or as a gift for someone else).
Have You Played Any Switch Games?
If not, go get the console right now. We only have so much time on this wonderful world, so don’t wait any longer to catch up on the previous six years’ worth of fantastic games. We’re waiting for Nintendo to release its next platform (which is taking a long time), but you can take control and play or give some incredible games while you wait.
Do You Absolutely Require The Latest Technology?
A portion of me understands this emotion. It would be a shame to acquire this gadget today only to see Nintendo launch the hot new model in the coming months. Fortunately, the original Switch remains an excellent gaming platform. With a few exceptions, most Nintendo-published titles operate flawlessly on the platform, so don’t let FOMO get in the way of simply playing the games. In case it helps you decide, Nintendo frequently releases tentpole games for its newer console on the previous console, so you may not be missing out on the standard Switch.
Are You Looking For Incredible Performance In A Handheld?
Then you’re undoubtedly already aware that the gadget won’t satisfy your desire for high-resolution visuals. I won’t go too far in defending the gadget; when it first came out in 2017, its graphics capabilities seemed out of date.
Nonetheless, its greatest games feature stellar imagery that more than compensates for the lack of power, and the $349.99 OLED model may help you get the most visual beauty out of stylish games like Splatoon 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and many others. It shares many of the same components as the other models, but with a bigger OLED screen. The OLED screen has the same 720p resolution as the LCD screen in the $299.99 and $199.99 Lite, but everything looks better, including contrast, brightness, and picture clarity.
Are You Concerned About Nintendo’s Backward Compatibility?
It’s unknown whether the gadget’s replacement will support all existing Switch titles, as Nintendo hasn’t said anything about the speculated system. We obviously hope for full backward compatibility with games, given the console’s huge success. It only seems sense that Nintendo would rely on the Switch’s fantastic current catalog to provide value for both long-time Switch fans and new gamers looking for an unlimited supply of titles to enjoy.
Regarding access to older titles, Nintendo may continue to offer a monthly subscription that includes SNES, Game Boy, and other titles. For more extensive remasters released on the Switch. Mario vs. Donkey Kong and Metroid Prime Remastered, for example, will hopefully remain available on the Switch 2’s eShop.
In terms of Switch accessories, I believe many of them (with the exception of those that fit based on the present Switch’s physical dimensions) will also work with the newer model. Things that connect to the console by USB-C or into its dock via USB-A, I believe, will operate perfectly with a future gadget.
In some cases, it’s better to wait before purchasing a Switch. For example, if you’ve been waiting years for the Switch 2 so you can play the Switch’s biggest hits in higher-fidelity graphics, you might as well keep waiting.
Then there’s the audience that’s tired of buying new Joy-Con controllers, some of which are prone to developing “Joy-Con drift,” a malfunction in which the analog sticks wander in a direction without any input. I understand your displeasure, and I hope that this isn’t an issue in the future if Nintendo decides to iterate on the Joy-Con rather than replace it completely. Plus, what if the business shocks everyone with an early 2024 launch?
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