Nintendo is a weird company. That might sound like an insult, but it’s one of the things that’s so charming about it. In an industry where Microsoft and especially Sony have moved away from making genuinely odd games, Nintendo remains committed to putting out regular WarioWare entries and games with hosts wearing rubber horse heads. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour continues that weird trend, with a piece of software that feels like it should be a pack-in game, but isn’t. After getting my second opportunity to go hands-on with the game though, I’m finding myself starting to get won over, largely due to its general oddity and overall charm.
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Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is designed as an introduction to the new system. The game takes players on a virtual tour of the Switch 2’s exterior (and some of the interior), to showcase all of the big and small decisions that were made by the designers. This applies to both major new features, like mouse support, to obvious inclusions, like HD Rumble. From an educational perspective, it’s actually kind of fascinating. I’ve honestly never put a lot of thought into console design, but it’s interesting to learn about the decisions that are made behind the scenes. Nintendo has found a way to teach casual players about everything Switch 2 does in a way that’s genuinely fun, and helps you walk away with a deeper appreciation for what the company’s designers have built.
There’s been a lot written about Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour‘s price, and it feels impossible to discuss the game without addressing it. As far as software is concerned, the game is pretty cheap, costing just $9.99 at launch. The actual number isn’t that much, but a strong argument has been made that it should have been offered as a pack-in, similar to Astro’s Playroom on PS5. Some fans might feel the game isn’t worth paying for, but Nintendo’s developers have always had strong feelings about assigning value to their products. Regardless of how you feel, comparing Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour to Sony’s game is somewhat unfair. While the basic concept is similar on the surface, the games are vastly different in their approach. Astro’s Playroom feels like an actual 3D platformer that happens to showcase what the PS5 can do. Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour feels like… well, it feels like a tour. Or more accurately, it feels like a museum with a lot of interactive exhibits.
Content in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is broken up into a mix of quizzes, mini-games, and tech demos. The biggest highlight Nintendo has shown thus far is a version of the first level of the original Super Mario Bros., which has been designed to be played in 4K. As a result, the screen is quite small, giving players a better idea of how far picture quality has come over the last 40 years. You basically have to squint while playing, adding an extra level of challenge to earn all of the medals needed to progress. Another personal favorite of mine is Dodge the Spiked Balls, which has players use the mouse controls to avoid falling objects.
My first hands-on session with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour happened at Nintendo’s big Switch 2 press reveal in April, where attendees could freely stop to play a number of games announced for the system, including Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. That probably wasn’t the ideal way to experience Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, as there were bigger games to approach, with major mascots. However, the second hands-on event was a more structured one, in which members of the press were given a specific time to play only that game. What I found most interesting about this approach is that attendees retained what they learned. As we broke for lunch, you could hear members of the gaming media discussing things like the Switch 2’s speakers (which are angled downward, but the sound projects as if they’re on the front of the system), or the challenge in identifying frames per second (which I constantly messed up). Nintendo seemed to be achieving its goal of educating those who spent time with the game.
For all the negative attention Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour has received since it was announced, I can’t help but feel that the game is actually pretty charming in its approach. It’s a weird way to sell what is (essentially) a mini-game collection, but that’s Nintendo for you. The concept also seems to be in keeping with how Nintendo has approached the start of the Switch 2 generation. It feels like there’s a lot of effort being put into distinguishing the system from its predecessor and making users aware of all the changes, both big and small. Part of that is probably owed to the fact that Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t seem as big of a leap as we’ve seen with past systems. However, if you look beneath the hood, you’ll notice more changes than you might have expected.
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On launch day, Nintendo Switch 2 buyers are going to have to make tough decisions about which games they’re willing to buy. The reality is, video game systems are not cheap, and there are tons of associated costs on day one. Fans will have to decide for themselves whether Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is worth the $9.99 entry fee, and I think that’s going to vary a lot between players. However, the game’s overall weirdness has started to win me over in a way I didn’t expect last month. I might not be as excited to revisit it on June 5th as I am about Mario Kart World, but I definitely plan on diving back in. At the very least, I still need to show I can nail that frames per second challenge.
Do you plan on buying Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour? Does this feel like the kind of thing that would interest you? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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