While initially hesitant to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2 due to its price and lack of exclusive new titles, I have found it to be a valuable upgrade for my family’s gaming experience.
My family owns several Nintendo devices, including my daughter’s Switch Lite, which she primarily used with limited games. The Switch 2’s new features have transformed how we share and enjoy games together.
One key feature is the ability to lend digital games from the Switch 2 to another Switch for two-week periods, effectively creating a digital game library. This allows my daughter to play titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on her Lite while I use different games on the Switch 2, eliminating concerns about losing physical cartridges.
Another feature, GameShare, lets the Switch 2 stream its screen and controls to a second Switch, enabling two players to have individual screens and controls in select multiplayer games. This led to shared play sessions of Super Mario Odyssey, where my daughter and I took turns controlling characters without competing for the TV screen. Meanwhile, younger family members could continue watching their own content uninterrupted.
These features also simplify remote gaming: when I traveled recently, I was able to quickly download a game to my daughter’s device. Although save data cannot be synced across different accounts and consoles, this did not diminish her enjoyment.
Despite these benefits, some limitations remain. The webcam-enabled GameChat is restricted to the Switch 2, preventing video chat on older devices. Additionally, there is no straightforward way to merge save files from offline child profiles into Nintendo accounts, which complicates account management for families.
Most importantly, GameShare currently supports only a limited number of games and excludes popular titles such as Mario Kart World and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Given that GameShare streams the game screen rather than running game code remotely, it could potentially work with any single-player game, but Nintendo has yet to enable widespread compatibility.
If Nintendo expands GameShare support to popular third-party couch co-op games like Overcooked 2, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and Lego Star Wars, as well as its own franchises including Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Donkey Kong Country, and Luigi’s Mansion 3, the Switch 2 could become an even more compelling choice for families who want to play together.
This aligns with Nintendo’s long-term vision, as articulated by Shigeru Miyamoto in 2018, aiming for the Switch to be a device owned by every individual in a family. With a Switch 2, a Switch, and a Switch Lite at home, we are close to realizing that vision.