I bought aSwitch 2at release. I thought to myself “this is prime real estate for coverage”. If you look through my author page, you will see that, at least in my case, that was not the case. The console is a fairly direct upgrade, and the games that do exist for it, Mario Kart World excused, are just new ports. Not really new ground to break on that.
So I’m not going to say I regret buying the Switch 2. I would’ve had to buy it sooner rather than later anyway, and Nintendo is known for being stingy on sales so price is hardly the main factor here. But I still can’t help but feel thatmaybeI could’ve postponed my purchase for a few months and spent that money wiser elsewhere. Such as where I am about to tell you right now.
To buy the Switch 2 here in Ireland, it costs €470, or €510 with Mario Kart World. So everything I’m mentioning here should (mostly) fall within that price range.
8A Steam Deck
It’s Cliche, But It’s Also Cheaper
Yes, you have heard this one before. It has raged on ever since the Steam Deck launched. It is more powerful than the Switch, it can emulate Switch games, etc. etc. And then the Switch 2 came out, and the exact same conversations continued. Now let’s be real for a moment. The Switch 2 is, in practice, more powerful than a Steam Deck. It has better internals, and with Nintendo support, can clearly be pushed to higher limits.
Butit is also cheaper than a Switch 2 for its LCD model. And has much more granularity and modularity for the more tech-savvy consumer. Like me.I’m not saying it’s a replacement or better system, please don’t quote me on that. Just that in this exact moment, a Steam Deck might have been more financially logical.
7The Original Switch Games I’m Missing
The Switch 2 Is A Bit Light On Games, Ain’t it?
On the original Switch, I mainly bought exclusives. There was a nice handful of indies I bought since I could guarantee they’d perform well, but otherwise it was all Nintendo developed or published, and some other exclusives along the way. And for the most part, I’ve gotten all the ones want. Really, it’s only the scant Mario, Zelda, and Three Hopes that evade me.
Yes, the Switch 2 gives a lovely boost to many of these games. And for the more dynamic ones, it gives those a boost without any additional effort, too. But is that worth almost €500? And I’d still have to buy the games anyway. We don’t have any game retailers here in Ireland, so I’d have to get them at extortionate reseller rates, and they would still come in cheaper for all of them missing from my catalog than a Switch 2.
6The Switch 2 Game Ports Literally Anywhere Else
Why Would I Spend That Much For A Game?
The Switch 2’s system seller right now is Mario Kart World. It’s also one of the only games exclusive to the system right now that isn’t a port or expanded version of a pre-existing game. Yakuza 0? I already have that on PC, I can wait. Cyberpunk 2077? I got that for half the price than it’s going for on Switch 2 already.
I just don’t feel very pushed to buy thegames I already have(which can also all play on Steam Deck, which, as you may note, I could also buy for less. I do not deny the novelty of these games, and I can’t say that Cyberpunk on Switch 2 doesn’t tempt even me. But everything else on offer is simply better for me on PC or other consoles, and I’m happy to wait for those extra additions to come later to the versions I already own.
5Another Switch OLED
My Partner Deserves To Game, Too
I bought an original Switch back in the day, about a year post-launch. And being a poor college student, I couldn’t really justify buying the Switch OLED for quite a while. But once you look at that bigger, OLED screen, you never want to go back. Even though the Switch 2 does have a gorgeous HDR LCD display, the greatest LCD is not beating the pure capabilities of OLED.
So I eventually caved and got the Tears of the Kingdom Switch OLED, and love it. So instead of spending over €500 on a Switch too that will inevitably get an OLED version down the road, I could’ve just gotten my partner a Switch OLED for around €360 and played together until I was finally forced (yes, it counts as forced when you have poor self-control) to get a Switch 2. At least then I would’ve had a second Switch to sell to cover the cost.
4Another Monitor
I Have One OLED And One LCD, And It’s Becoming An Issue
On the topic of gorgeous OLED screens, I am writing this on my gorgeous OLED monitor. It cost a lot of money. LIke €800. PC parts are extortionate here. But oh, it was oh so very much worth it. Makes all that gaming gorgeous, and havinga bigger screen is always nicer. I paired it with my original monitor, a more modest 24' 1080p LCD monitor for dual-screen shenanigans.
But the difference is starting to hurt. It’s a good monitor still, nothing’s wrong with it. But it’s not OLED. And I could totally find a good OLED for under €800. OK maybe it might be more than €500, but not by too much, and then I would havetwogorgeous OLED monitors, while the Switch 2 has zero!
That said, having an OLED monitor with HDR and a high refresh rate does kind of make up for the Switch 2 not being OLED when the console is docked to it.
3An Eye Test, And Maybe Some Glasses
I Really Hope I Don’t Actually Need Glasses
I’ve been gaming for a long time. And I’ve also been writing for a living for quite a while, too. Hours and hours of looking at screens. I do like to think I have pretty good vision. Not quite 20:20, but definitely pretty clear. That said, there is definitely a history of eye problems in my family, and maybe I should have invested in an eye test before buying yet another console.
I am using this as a bit of a scapegoat here because eye tests are actually pretty affordable, only about €30. The glasses and lenses themselves though, that’s the expensive part, potentially totaling up to €200-300. So if I did get that eye test and needed glasses, not buying a Switch 2 would have helped soften the financial blow.
2The Lord Of The Rings Lego Rivendell Set
I Would’ve Said The Lego Deku Tree, But I Already Bought It
I like Lord of the Rings. I’m not quite as crazy about it as many others are, but I can’t deny the allure. It’s a fun world with some great films. However, I do adore Lego. That has been a defining aspect of my life from day one. So yes, I bought the Lego Deku Tree. But have you seen the Lego Rivendell set? That thing isgorgeous.
And oh so very expensive. €500. Conveniently about the price of a Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle. While I couldn’t get work out of the Rivendell set, I would get a lot of joy, which I personally value a lot higher. Maybe this wouldn’t have been a wise financial choice, but I would be very happy with it. I don’t care that I don’t have the space to actually build it.
1A Wii U And The Final Games Switch 2 Doesn’t Have Yet
I Can’t Believe Zelda Of All Things Is Trapped On The Wii U
Before the Switch 2 launched, people lamented its existence. ‘It’s the Wii U all over again!’ the masses cried. A foolish claim since people at least knew what a Switch 2 was and was building upon a massive install base with a fully backwards-compatible console. The Wii U never stood a chance in the circumstances in which it was built.
But I still really want one. Even secondhand, I could get a Wii U for around €150. That’s three whole Wii U consoles and it would still be cheaper than a Switch 2! Plus I could finally play the games that are missing from the Switch, Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD. Hell, the Wii U also had DS emulation, something the Switch 2 is still sorely lacking. I will personally make sure the Wii U passes a WiiUillion sales.
