Nintendo Switch 2 may essentially be a bigger and more powerful version of its predecessor (read our full impressions here), but it brings numerous improved and all-new features. Games like Super Mario Party Jamboree, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Drag X Drop implement different camera, microphone, and mouse features, but Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour aims to be the most straightforward tech demo of the new Nintendo hybrid machine. I went hands-on with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour to see how it stacks up to other titles that aim to show off the Switch 2’s unique capabilities.
In Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, you control a tiny avatar running around the surface of the Nintendo Switch 2. Here, you can visit different kiosks to learn about the system, take part in quizzes, and play minigames that highlight the Switch 2’s features. A fun touch is when you go onto the screen, the avatar ice skates to signal that they’re on a smoother surface. As you explore the Switch, you can zoom in on the buttons and triggers, giving you a good look at a render of the console, as well as factoids about how certain things work, like explaining how the Joy-Con 2’s mouse sensors work.
The majority of my time was spent playing minigames. One puts a couple of virtual maracas in my hand and gives me goals like shaking them a set number of times and swapping over from bead-filled maracas to one with a rubber ball inside. The HD Rumble is impressive in minigames like this, where the rumble truly does feel different depending on what you filled the virtual maracas with, or in On a Line, where you move the Joy-Con 2 back and forth as a mouse to guess what part of the screen has the most intense rumble. Another minigame has me controlling a UFO with the mouse functionality to dodge falling spiked balls for as long as possible. These activities award game-unlocking medals for completing different objectives, and some even have more difficult versions that add bonus elements like requiring you to collect stars while you dodge spiked balls.
New consoles with novel gimmicks often launch alongside fun, bite-sized software to aptly demonstrate the fresh features of the latest addition to your entertainment center. Astro’s Playroom demonstrated the capabilities of the PS5 DualSense (and later spawned a sequel that claimed the 2024 Game of the Year), while the Wii famously had Wii Sports. Both of those were free pack-in titles with their respective consoles, giving players a fun game to check out while learning about the features of their new system.
From my time with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, it’s evident that it does a solid job of showing off the various features of its platform. However, it’s genuinely baffling that this is a paid piece of software; it feels like way more of an interactive instruction manual than critically acclaimed pack-in games from the past like Wii Sports and Astro’s Playroom. I’m relieved to hear it will likely cost less than $10, but even that feels like too much.
I enjoyed shaking the Joy-Cons like maracas to feel the HD Rumble or using the mouse functionality to dodge spikes, but if I’m going to spend money on software that showcases the new features of my Switch, I’d much rather get an actual game out of it. Maybe Nintendo will reverse course on the decision to charge for this, but if it doesn’t, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a title that seems to include many elements of the best tech demos, save for one: the price.
