One of the coolest hidden features of the Joy-Con 2? They double as computer mice.
Flip a Joy-Con 2 face-down on your desk, and it starts working like a mouse. There is an optical sensor built into the magnetic connection side that tracks movement across flat surfaces. Slide it around, and your cursor follows. Both Joy-Cons can do this at the same time.
If you have ever played a shooter on console and wished you had PC-style aiming, this is Nintendo's answer. Instead of wrestling with stick aiming, you get the quick, snappy targeting that mouse users have always had. It makes a real difference in FPS games.
Strategy games benefit too. Selecting units, issuing commands, navigating menus—it all feels more natural with mouse-style input.
Put the Joy-Con flat on a smooth surface, sensor side down. That is basically it. The Switch 2 recognizes you are using mouse mode automatically.
You can also just plug in a regular USB mouse to the dock if you prefer actual mouse hardware. Works great.
Not every game supports mouse mode. Developers have to enable it specifically. Most launch titles with shooter elements include it, but always check the game's control settings.
Also worth knowing: using the optical sensor drains the battery a bit faster than normal Joy-Con use. Not dramatically, but plan for it during long sessions.
Overall, mouse mode is one of those features that sounds gimmicky until you try it in an actual game. Then it clicks.
Ever wish you could just share a game with friends instead of everyone buying their own copy? GameShare makes that happen.
Here is the simple version: if you own a game, your friends can play it with you during local multiplayer sessions without buying it themselves. They join your game wirelessly, play as long as the session lasts, then lose access when you stop.
You get Mario Kart World. Friends come over with their Switch consoles. None of them have Mario Kart. No problem. Start the game, invite them to join, and everyone races together. Your console does the heavy lifting while theirs just receive the gameplay.
When the hangout ends and everyone goes home, they cannot play your game anymore. But next time you all get together? Same deal works again.
GameShare only works locally. You cannot share games with someone across the internet. You have to actually be near each other.
Also, some games might not support it fully. Most Nintendo multiplayer games do, but third-party titles vary. Worth checking before you promise friends a gaming session.
It is basically Nintendo's answer to the age-old problem of local multiplayer requiring everyone to own everything. One purchase, full group participation. For party games especially, it is a pretty big deal.
Here is something that catches people off guard: the Switch 2 screen scratches pretty easily. We are talking Mohs hardness level 3. For context, keys and coins can scratch it. Your phone screen? Usually level 6. Big difference.
Toss your Switch 2 in a bag with your keys, and you might pull it out with new scratches. Items that would bounce right off your phone can mark up this display.
This is not optional advice. A tempered glass screen protector costs maybe $10-15 and takes five minutes to apply. It adds the scratch resistance the stock screen lacks. Your future self will thank you.
Every time you slide the Switch 2 into its dock, the screen passes by plastic edges. The dock design is better than the original Switch, but you still need to be careful. Rushed insertions can leave marks.
If you take your Switch 2 anywhere, get a case. Not just for drops. For keeping it separated from everything else in your bag that could scratch it.
The screen itself is great. 7.9 inches, 1080p, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support. Nintendo built an excellent display and then... did not protect it with harder glass. Nobody quite understands that choice.
Love your Switch 2? Protect its screen immediately. It will stay looking good for years. Skip the protector and you will see scratches pile up fast.
Real talk: some people are having overheating issues with their Switch 2. Not everyone, but enough that you should know about it.
The Switch 2 is way more powerful than the original. More power means more heat. And when that heat cannot escape fast enough, problems start.
People report the console getting seriously hot during long play sessions. Sometimes games start stuttering because the system throttles itself to cool down. A few unlucky folks have had their Switch 2 just shut off entirely as a safety measure.
When you are playing in docked mode, the console is working hardest. Pushing 4K takes real effort. Plus, the console is sitting inside the dock, which does not exactly encourage airflow.
Handheld mode? Usually fine. You are only running at 1080p, the console is out in the open, and it can breathe.
Keep your dock in the open. Not stuffed in a cabinet, not backed against a wall, not surrounded by other electronics pumping out heat. Give it room.
If your room is warm, that does not help. Air conditioning on a hot day makes a difference.
Take breaks during marathon sessions. Yes, really.
Most people are playing just fine without issues. The overheating reports are real but not universal. If you set up your dock properly and play in reasonable conditions, you will probably never encounter this.
If your console does run hot constantly, Nintendo support can help. Some units might have cooling issues that warrant replacement.
You walk into a store, buy a Switch 2 game, go home, and discover the card in the box does not actually contain the game. It is just a download code. That is a Game-Key Card.
Game-Key Cards look identical to regular game cards on store shelves. Same packaging style, same price, same everything. But instead of popping the card into your Switch and playing, you have to download the entire game first. The card is basically a fancy receipt.
You cannot resell it. Regular game cards can be sold used or lent to friends. Game-Key Cards lock to your account the moment you redeem them. Done. Yours forever, whether you want it or not.
Storage fills up fast. Every Game-Key Card game eats into your internal storage or SD card space. That 256GB in the Switch 2 disappears quickly.
Game preservation dies. Eventually, Nintendo will shut down the download servers. When that happens, every Game-Key Card ever sold becomes a useless piece of plastic. Future generations cannot play these games.
It feels dishonest. You see a physical game at a store. You buy a physical game. You do not receive a physical game. Some people call that misleading.
Mostly third-party publishers. Making cartridges costs money. Download codes do not.
Nintendo's own games still come on actual cartridges with actual game data. They have not gone the Game-Key Card route with their major releases.
Game-Key Cards let smaller developers get onto store shelves without cartridge manufacturing costs. And some games are simply too large for affordable cartridges.
Still, the backlash is real. Nintendo even sent out surveys asking what owners think. They are paying attention.
Let me save you some research time: yes, the Mario Kart World bundle is worth it. Here is why.
The bundle costs $499.99. The console alone costs $449.99. Mario Kart World costs $79.99 separately.
Buying them together saves you $30 compared to buying them apart. Done. That is the financial case.
Be honest with yourself. Almost everyone plays Mario Kart. It is the ultimate "I will just do one race" game that turns into hours. If there is even a chance you will want it eventually, get the bundle now.
The only people who should skip the bundle are those who genuinely have zero interest in racing games and know themselves well enough to mean it.
The bundled game comes as a download code, not a physical card. Some people hate this. You cannot resell a digital game or lend it to friends.
On the flip side, you never have to swap cartridges. Mario Kart is always right there on your system.
If you collect physical games, this matters. If you do not care, it does not.
This is not just another Mario Kart with better graphics. The tracks are bigger, the online features work better, and the game takes full advantage of Switch 2 hardware. It is designed as a showcase title.
If you are buying a Switch 2 and there is any chance you will play Mario Kart, get the bundle. Save the thirty bucks. Use it toward a screen protector and case. You will need both anyway.
Short answer: yes. The Switch 2 does HDR, and it actually makes a difference.
HDR means High Dynamic Range. In practical terms, it makes bright things brighter and dark things darker, both at the same time. A sunset in a game looks more like an actual sunset. Walking from a dark room into sunlight actually feels blinding for a moment.
Without HDR, everything gets compressed into a narrower range. Bright areas wash out, dark areas turn muddy. HDR keeps all those details.
Docked mode: Connect to an HDR-capable TV (most TVs from the last five or six years) and HDR kicks in automatically for games that support it.
Handheld mode: The built-in screen handles HDR too. Yes, really. You get those improved colors and contrast even while playing portably.
Your TV might need HDR enabled manually in its settings. Look for something like "HDMI Enhanced" or "Deep Color" or just "HDR" in your TV menu for whatever port the dock connects to.
Also, not every game supports HDR. Developers have to build it in. Most Nintendo first-party titles include it. Third-party games vary.
You will notice HDR the most in:
For menu-heavy games or simple graphics, HDR does not change much.
HDR is one piece of the Switch 2's visual upgrade package. Combined with 4K output and 120Hz support, it makes docked play look genuinely impressive. Not PS5 impressive, but way better than the original Switch.
Getting a Switch 2? Here is what you might want to buy alongside it.
Screen protector. Get one. The Switch 2 screen scratches easily. Tempered glass versions cost like $15 and save you from regret. This is not optional advice.
Carrying case. If you ever take your Switch anywhere, protect it. Plenty of options from basic sleeves to cases that hold games and accessories too.
Switch 2 Camera ($54.99): Plugs into USB-C. Lets you do actual video chat in GameChat instead of just showing your Mii. Has a physical shutter for privacy. Nice to have if you use GameChat with friends.
Pro Controller: Traditional full-size controller. Way more comfortable than Joy-Cons for long sessions. Has a GameChat button, headphone jack, and customizable triggers. Worth it for serious gaming.
Extra Joy-Con 2 sets: Need them for local multiplayer. Note that these are different from original Switch Joy-Cons. The magnetic attachment means old ones will not click onto the new console.
MicroSD Express cards: Here is a catch. Regular microSD cards will not work for games. You need microSD Express specifically. They are faster but cost more. Up to 2TB supported.
Docks, grips, charging stands, all the usual stuff. Third-party docks can be cheaper or more portable than Nintendo's official one. Just make sure they explicitly support Switch 2 before buying.
You do not need everything at launch. The console comes with Joy-Cons and a dock. Start with protection (screen protector, case) and add the rest based on how you actually use the system.
If you're comparing these two heavyweights for noise cancellation, the Sony WH-1000XM6 wins. But let's talk about what that means in practice.
Testing shows the XM6 blocks about 87% of external noise. The Bose QC Ultra hits around 85%. Those percentages sound close, but the difference is noticeable in challenging environments.
Why the XM6 is ahead:
Sony threw hardware at this problem. The XM6 has 12 microphones compared to the XM5's 8, and the new QN3 processor is 7x faster at processing ambient sound. More mics mean better sampling of what's happening around you, and faster processing means quicker adjustments.
What you'll actually notice:
On airplanes, the XM6 is remarkable. Jet engine drone essentially disappears. Crying babies become faint background noise. Air conditioning hum vanishes. Multiple users describe forgetting they were on a plane after wearing them for a couple hours.
The Bose QC Ultra is genuinely close. If you already own and like Bose, you're not missing much. Some people prefer how Bose sounds with ANC enabled because it has a warmer character.
The XM6's advantage:
The Adaptive NC Optimizer adjusts for wearing glasses or hats. Bose doesn't do this automatically. If you wear glasses, the XM6 notices the gap the arms create and compensates.
For pure noise cancellation, the XM6 is the best you can buy right now.
Battery life on the Sony WH-1000XM6 is excellent. You get 30 hours with noise cancellation on, or 40 hours if you turn ANC off. That's enough for multiple transcontinental flights before needing a charge.
The quick charge is genuinely useful:
Forgot to charge before your flight? Plug them in for 3 minutes with a USB-C PD charger and you'll get 3 hours of playback. That's enough for most domestic flights from a 3-minute charge.
With a regular USB charger, 3 minutes still gets you about an hour of listening time.
A full charge takes 3.5 hours, which sounds long but you'll rarely need to go from dead to full. Most people just top off overnight.
New feature: listen while charging
This is something the XM5 couldn't do. If you're on a long trip and your battery is dying, just plug in and keep listening. The battery charges to about 80% while you're using them. Useful when you're stuck at an airport with a long layover.
Comparison:
The XM6 beats the Bose QC Ultra (24 hours) and AirPods Max (20 hours) comfortably. If battery is your priority, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 wins with 60 hours, but it doesn't match the XM6's features.
The Sony Sound Connect app shows exact percentage and the headphones announce battery level on power-up.
Download ShopSavvy AppCompare prices for anything in real-time, set price alerts, watch for deals by keyword, and much more
Install ShopSavvy Browser ExtensionCompare and track prices automatically while you shop online at thousands of websites.
Loading trending deals...
Get the latest news, and updates on ShopSavvy. You'll be glad you did!
