Like its predecessor, the Switch 2’s USP is its hybrid nature. You can choose to play games on the TV with the dock, or take them on the go with you in handheld mode.
As a piece of hardware, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a big step up from the original console. Handheld players enjoy a huge 7.9-inch display with up to 1080p resolution, HDR visuals and VRR built in. It’s a luxurious on-the-go gaming machine, make no mistake, and there are certain games in its lineup so far that really sing when played on the go.
Here are three of my favourites (with a few noted caveats).
Sonic X Shadow Generations
The Switch 2 launching without a new 3D Mario game and demanding we wait a month to play Donkey Kong Bananza meant that – however unthinkable it might sound for Nintendo fans – Sonic X Shadow Generations is arguably the standout platformer on the system right now.
First released last year, this generous double-pack bundles together a remastered version of 2011’s Sonic Generations and a brand new Shadow-focused campaign that just so happens to feature some of the best 3D levels ever created for a Sonic game.
Unlike the original Switch version of the game (which you bafflingly can’t upgrade from without re-buying the game on Switch 2 at full price), both games in the collection run at a silky smooth 60fps in handheld mode on Switch 2, with Sonic Generations looking particularly good.
The Shadow-starring game is a bit fuzzier away from the dock, but the bite-sized levels are so well suited to portable play that it might be worth the trade-off.
Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition
Hitman 3 was technically released on the original Switch, but in cloud form only, which for a lot of people was understandably a non-starter.
It’s a testament to the improved Switch 2 hardware, then, that the entire Hitman World of Assassination trilogy can run natively on Nintendo’s new console, allowing you to take three of the very best stealth games ever made with you wherever you go.
Admittedly, this is far from a perfect port. Right now Hitman World of Assassination runs at an unlocked frame rate on Switch 2, meaning it can be quite unstable, with some noticeable dips in large crowded areas. But strangely this issue is more pronounced when playing in docked mode (without VRR), and visually the game looks pretty good a lot of the time on the console’s 7.9-inch display.
I do wish there was a workaround for the always-online save system, but if you’ve never played this trilogy before, you’re getting a simply ludicrous amount of endlessly replayable content in a portable package that is perfectly suited to short bursts of play. With a performance patch that steadies the ship a bit, this one could become irresistible.
The second of the Nintendo Switch’s 3D Zelda masterpieces pushed the console to its absolute limits and beyond, which meant that for all the brilliance of its seamless open world and dizzyingly open-ended crafting system, it was hard not to wish it was running on hardware that could really do it justice. Enter the Switch 2.
Fire up Tears of the Kingdom on the Switch’s successor and you’ll see that it runs near flawlessly at 60fps and looks stunning. And while Link’s latest princess-saving mission really impresses in 4K on a TV, there remains something simply magical about having this sprawling version of Hyrule, from its sky islands to its murky depths, in the palm of your hands.
No game I’ve played on the Switch 2 so far better showcases the console’s 1080p HDR display, and while I have been making use of the dock as I mop up my many unfinished side quests, handheld is still my preferred way to play one of Nintendo’s best ever games.
Now I can do so knowing it’s completely uncompromised.
