Long before it was my job to follow shopping trends, I made it my business to be in the know about the popular holiday gifts kids were clamoring for every year. The day the Toys “R” Us Big Toy Book arrived in the mail was always the start of my annual tradition of identifying the must-have items of the season.
I was only three years old when the original NES became the “it” gift of the year in 1986, and Nintendo has had a knack for taking that title with nearly every new system to this day. The 2025 holiday season will be no different on the heels of the release of Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year. All indications from the Switch 2’s first few months on the market suggest that it will be the gift gamers, young and old, will be clamoring for, if they don’t already have one.
When pre-orders for the system first opened up in April of this year, people were salivating. Nintendo hyped up the masses by teasing a bunch of new games, including “Mario Kart World,” along with enhanced versions of already popular titles like “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” and “Mario Party Jamboree.” Pre-orders sold out quickly. Excitement around the Switch 2 continued past its actual release date in early June, with limited stock at many retailers during the summer months as more buzzy games like “Donkey Kong Bananza” became available. Fear not, however, the arrival of autumn also seemingly brought the arrival of more Nintendo shipments.
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If you’re hoping to surprise someone special in your life with a Switch 2 over the holidays, you might want to secure one now that they’re more widely available. Walmart has several console bundles to choose from, each offering one popular game title along with the system itself. Amazon even removed its “invite-only” purchase requirement in mid-September. It’s hard to say how long these will stay in stock, so act fast if you know this will be at the top of your shopping list once people start making their holiday wishlists.
If you’re on the fence about dropping hundreds of dollars on yet another video game system, allow me and my colleague (and fellow gamer) Frank Massaro to sway you based on our first few months playing with our own Switch 2 consoles.
The Nintendo Switch 2 bundle includes the console with Joy-Con 2 controllers, 256GB internal storage, and the “Mario Kart World” game.
Massaro explains, “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Street Fighter 2: Turbo on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System were the very first games and system I can remember playing. 30 years later, I’m still just as excited to sink my teeth into the latest Nintendo IP. The Nintendo Switch 2 is the culmination of 13 years of labor for the company. I recall purchasing the Wii U back in 2012 and immediately resonating with the idea that I can take the power of a console anywhere with me. Fast forward to today, the premium handheld market is booming, and I can confidently say the Switch 2 stands near the top. With titles like Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon Z/A due to release, I see my Nintendo Switch 2 as an entertainment investment that will keep on giving!”
As someone who also owns a PS5, an XBOX and even a Meta Quest headset, I can say that my Switch 2 easily gets the most use. Most of the games are family-friendly, which is ideal when I’m spending time with my niece and nephew, and they’re perfect for shorter gaming sessions. I don’t always have hours to devote to the plot-heavy offerings on my other consoles, but I can always squeeze in a race or two in “Mario Kart World” or a quick match in “Drag x Drive,” which utilizes the Switch 2’s mouse feature.
I invite friends over for sessions of “Mario Party Jamboree” and “Super Smash Bros.”, but my PS5 and XBOX are usually reserved for solo gaming. Being an elder millennial, I also find myself taking full advantage of the virtual consoles to play the games from my youth, going all the way back to NES and the original Gameboy.
“The Switch 2 feels like a polished premium product, better than its predecessor in practically every way that a consumer could want,” says Massaro. “The system is more ergonomic, has a larger screen (6.2-inch to 7.9-inch), and better Joy-Cons (begone stick drift!). Most importantly, the internal tech of the Switch 2 can now stand alongside its competitors with a dock that supports 4K 60 fps output and more advanced internal hardware to help games run smoother and faster. “Cyberpunk 2077” – one of the most CPU-demanding games can run smoothly and effortlessly on the system with no lag, which is incredibly impressive given Nintendo’s perceived indifference towards performance and graphics.”
The demand for the Switch 2 will inevitably skyrocket again as holiday shopping gets into full swing, so get it while the getting is good!
Best switch 2 games (so far)
The iconic football franchise has landed on the Switch 2, and the visuals are stunning. It’s like watching the real thing.
Storytelling at its finest, this game fully immerses you in the world of Night City and the shady characters who inhabit it…including Keanu Reeves.
This one may not be getting the same buzz as splashier titles, but don’t let that stop you. It’s a must-play for strategy gamers.
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