After the official first look at the Nintendo revealed the successor to the Switch console in a two-minute trailer this morning, granting fans a glimpse at its physical form and hardware features. But that's it until the spring - the trailer ends with the announcement of a Nintendo Direct on April 2, which will be focused mainly on a deeper dive into the Switch 2's features (and quite possibly its game library).
Still, after months of silence, fans are drawing every ounce of joy and wild speculation they can get from the first look trailer, and the overwhelming reaction to the Nintendo Switch 2 appears to be positive. But it's not just the new console they've been praising: it's also the marketing. Commenting directly on the trailer, YouTube @moton410 said, "This is sooo SATISFYING, that they showed all the actual changes [versus] the first one. Every product should do this."
Fan Reactions To Switch 2 Are Mostly Positive
New Features, Leaks Confirmed, & Mario Kart 9
Each fan seemed to respond to a different aspect of the trailer: some marveled at the fact that certain leaks appeared to be confirmed. At one point during the trailer, the updated Joy-Cons (Joy-Con 2s?) are seen sliding along a table, their long wrist straps trailing behind them like tails. Some took this to be an official confirmation of an earlier leak that claimed the Switch 2's Joy-Cons would function like computer mice. In a Reddit thread discussing the reveal, D-Voltt took the opportunity to speculate on this supposed new feature.
Others were just thrilled at the reveal of launch title for the Switch 2, Mario Kart 9 is officially confirmed in the trailer; it's the only game we see being played on the new console, if only briefly. Assuming it launches alongside the Switch 2, this will be the first wholly new mainline Mario Kart game on Nintendo consoles in over a decade. @YoshiBowser-Fanatic, commenting on the trailer, points out an exciting new feature: there are 24 places at the starting line, meaning 24-player races may be possible.
Backwards Compatibility & Joy-Con Upgrades Are The Big Winners
Two Of The Switch 2's Most Requested Features
Still others were glad to see one of the Switch 2's most-requested features - backwards compatibility with the original Switch - explicitly confirmed in the first-look trailer. Near the end of the trailer, a title card is displayed that clearly states that the Switch 2 will be able to play both its own exclusive games, as well as both digital and physical games for the original Switch. Commenting on YouTube, @cherifabdelhamid6373 calls the backwards compatibility confirmation "the best thing about this announcement."
The trailer also makes it clear, though, that not every Switch game will necessarily be playable on the Switch 2.
And speaking of most-requested features, the Switch 2 trailer makes a point of showing off its new and improved Joy-Cons. Besides the mouse feature, it also draws attention to their new connectivity to the body of the Switch 2: you can now snap the Joy-Cons on and off, without the awkward sliding. At another point, the trailer shows off the bigger, better shoulder buttons for single Joy-Con play. And in one shot, the Joy-Con thumbsticks are seen spinning in smooth, uninterrupted circles, which commenter @javigc98 interpreted as "a flex for no drifting issues."
Several Games Allegedly Coming To The Nintendo Switch 2 Have Leaked, Including Some Major Titles
A frequently reliable leaker has revealed details of multiple games that could be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, including several major releases.
Fan responses are vast and varied, with each viewer hanging on a particular aspect of the reveal: their most-wanted features, their confirmed theories, their biggest surprises. However, the general response is one of breathless excitement and overwhelming for the Nintendo Switch 2, tempered by impatience for the April Direct.
Source: @moton410/YouTube, Nintendo of America/YouTube, D-Voltt/Reddit, @YoshiBowser-Fanatic/YouTube, @cherifabdelhamid6373/YouTube
