Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Review
The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived to critical acclaim and record-breaking sales records. The new console isn’t a huge departure from its predecessor. There, however, is a wealth of improvements to bring Nintendo fans a fresh gaming experience. To convey these improvements, Nintendo developed the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. It’s a sort of interactive guide to all that is the Nintendo Switch 2. This paid experience will give players a collection of slides, tech demos, and mini-games, all designed to provide gamers an inside look into what makes the Nintendo Switch 2 so incredible.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour takes place in a simulated museum. The museum is built on, and around, a larger than life Nintendo Switch 2 and it’s launch accessories. You’ll control your own character as you explore the vast areas, learning, experiencing, and playing. You can interact with other museum goers, who will give you some lighthearted banter about the experience or some useful hints. There are quiz booths that’ll challenge you on the knowledge you’ve learned. And you’ll find interactive tech demos and an assortment of minigames. These will all focus on different elements of the Nintendo Switch 2 experience, from visuals to force feedback to the new mouse controls.
Familiar Mini Games Without Familiar Faces
Throughout your time with Welcome Tour, you’ll earn medals for completing certain tech demos and mini-games. As you accumulate more medals, you’ll be able to unlock more advanced mini-games. Don’t be fooled, some of these mini-games are no joke! There are some incredibly difficult mini-games. And, unfortunately, most of them aren’t too deep or even that fun. Most gamers will have played variations of these mini-games elsewhere. A very odd oversight was the exclusion of using Nintendo franchises with these mini-games. Maybe you’re hoping for something more along the lines of Nintendoland for the Wii U? You’ll be sorely disappointed.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour’s does not push any boundaries visually. It has a very simple, smooth aesthetic. The museum goers are all faceless, and most are stationary or with some very minimal animations. Some of the tech demos and mini-games have the occasional visual flair. However, they’re nowhere near what should be expected from a launch title that’s trying to sell a new console. For me, the most interesting tech demo was about comparing the amount of pixels in the original Nintendo Entertainment System to new 4K screens by utilizing the first level of Super Mario Bros. It’s an amazing visual representation, and also one of the few times a Nintendo franchise is referenced in Welcome Tour.
Be Sure to Accessorize
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour’s overall experience will depend on how many accessories you’ve picked up at launch. If you don’t have a Nintendo Camera, or a compatible USB 1080p camera, you won’t be able to experience any of the camera-related content. Same goes for the new Switch 2 Pro Controller. And while this makes sense, since Welcome Tour is all about letting users actually experience and learn about these new devices. But for completionists, who might not have every required accessory, it might be an annoyance.
Make no mistake; Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour should absolutely have been provided to every Nintendo Switch 2 owner. Free of charge. This is a collection of experiences that are designed to enlighten Nintendo Switch 2 users with all the aspects of the console. This is a gateway to encouraging Switch 2 owners to try the camera, the mouse, and all the other new Switch 2 elements. It’s also confusing why more Nintendo franchises weren’t represented in Welcome Tour, especially in mini-games. While Welcome Tour did offer me a few hours of enjoyment and I learned a bunch about the new console, I doubt I’ll ever find the need to come back to it. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, as a paid title, is difficult to recommend, even to the most hardcore of Nintendo fans.
***Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour code for Nintendo Switch 2 provided by the publisher.***
The Good
- Vast assortment of interesting information
- Fun way to learn about the Switch 2
The Bad
- Mini-games aren’t that great
- Minimal Nintendo franchises utilized
- Should not be a paid title
