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The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived, igniting a global wave of excitement as stores flung open their doors at midnight to meet the fervor of fans desperate to get their hands on the highly anticipated console. From London to New York, the launch was a spectacle, with some retailers offering limited stock for walk-in buyers while most customers clutched pre-order receipts to claim their prize. UK retail giant Currys hailed the Switch 2 as its "biggest gaming pre-order ever," boasting 30,000 units sold in a surge it attributed to "incredible excitement" surrounding the console’s debut. However, the launch wasn’t without its stumbles—UK retailer Game abruptly canceled some pre-orders, leaving fans fuming, while in the US, Nintendo briefly halted pre-orders in April over tariff uncertainties before resuming weeks later, adding to the chaos.

The original Nintendo Switch, a cultural and commercial juggernaut, sold over 150 million units since its 2017 debut, making it the third-best-selling console in history. Its successor, the Switch 2, faces towering expectations. As a "hybrid" console, it retains the original’s versatility, functioning as both a handheld device and a TV-connected system. The Switch 2 ups the ante with a larger, more vibrant screen, significantly boosted processing power, and expanded storage capacity. A standout innovation allows the controller to double as a computer mouse when tilted sideways, a feature that enhances gameplay for titles like Civilization VII, making it more intuitive than traditional joystick controls. Yet, the launch game lineup is strikingly sparse. The flagship title, Mario Kart World, is the only major new Nintendo game available at release, accompanied by a smaller tech-demo-style title, Welcome Tour, designed to showcase the console’s capabilities. Enhanced versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will also launch, optimized for the Switch 2’s beefier hardware, while third-party offerings like Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Cyberpunk 2077, and Bravely Default provide additional variety for early adopters.

The steep price of Mario Kart World—£74.99, a £15 jump over typical Switch game prices—has raised eyebrows and sparked heated discussions about the Switch 2’s value proposition. For some, the cost is a worthwhile investment. Tushar Sandarka, a 19-year-old president of the University of York’s Mario Kart society, called the launch "a big deal," especially with Mario Kart World marking the first new entry in the series since 2014. Despite the "tough decision" to pay the premium, he sees the console as a long-term companion, expecting it to serve him for "the next seven or eight years." Others are less sold. York students Mae and Lottie, both fans of the original Switch, balked at the console’s price tag and the cost of its games. "It’s quite spenny," Mae remarked, noting that their current Switch "is fine." Lottie echoed her sentiment, lamenting that Mario Kart World’s price could equate to "a day’s pay." "I’m not spending that on a game," she said, expressing disappointment at missing out on the new title.