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😢 The Nintendo Switch 2 retains a nearly identical UI to its predecessor, lacking the wow factor of a next-gen console
🤷♂️ Unlike the PS5, which introduced a redesigned interface, the Switch 2's minimal changes may underwhelm returning users
😔 The console's familiar design and unchanged UI diminish the excitement of unboxing a brand-new system
🙏 Fans are calling for game-specific themes, a feature absent from the original Switch, to enhance the UI experience
I can't wait to get my hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5. However, there's one element of the console that I can't help but feel let down by: the console's unchanged UI.
This might seem like a ridiculous thing to complain about. After all, the Switch's interface works well and some users will appreciate its familiarity. The Nintendo Switch 2 launch games will also be the star of the show. After all, you don't buy a console to stare at its home screen.
Yet, just like when I booted up the Xbox Series X for the first time in 2020, I already know that my initial impression of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be more underwhelming than it should be.
It's something I remember highlighting while contributing to TechRadar's Xbox Series X review. Unlike the PS5, which provided users with a completely redesigned user interface to discover, Microsoft stuck with the same dashboard as the Xbox One.
On the one hand, the Xbox One's UI was largely functional and didn't require a drastic overhaul. But the flip side was, unless you were completely new to Xbox, it didn't help make the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S feel like a next-generation system, at least not until you launched a game.
And that's the feeling I can't escape with the Switch 2. Nintendo has, perhaps wisely, made minimal changes to the UI, adding only a few new sounds or minor aesthetic tweaks here and there. But when placed side-by-side with the original Switch UI, as seen in GVG's video comparison below, there's barely any difference of note.
By sticking to the same formula as before, Nintendo has ultimately stifled innovation. While the Switch UI isn’t bad by any means, it also isn’t perfect. Nintendo could have created something even better if it started from scratch, but sadly we’ll never know.
It doesn't help that the Switch 2 design is largely the same as what we've been used to for eight years. Yes, improvements have been made that are easy to notice, like how the Joy-Con 2 controllers magnetically attach to the system. The bigger screen is also something people will immediately appreciate. I've spoken about why I'm excited for Switch 2 previously, as there are many more pleasing aspects.
There's no doubt Nintendo's decision will take some of the shine off what should be a momentous and memorable day for fans.
But unboxing the Nintendo Switch 2 won't evoke the same wonder as the original Switch did in 2017 or even previous Nintendo systems – and that's a shame for a brand-new console launch. Seeing a practically identical UI when turning on the console won't help matters.
I'm disappointed that Nintendo decided not to offer a fresh UI experience for Switch 2 owners. I'm sure we'll see gradual changes and improvements to the Switch 2's home screen as the years roll by – the Switch 1's home screen just got a pretty significant overhaul eight years in – but there's no doubt Nintendo's decision will take some of the shine off what should be a momentous and memorable day for fans.
Nintendo could offer a simple and effective solution to fix its familiar UI problem. And it's one that fans have been asking for since the Switch launched in 2017.
Give us themes for Switch 2.
The Switch 1 only offers 'Basic White' and 'Basic Black' themes after almost a decade, despite the theme names suggesting more options were on the way. Nintendo Switch 2 could finally deliver game-specific themes for players to select or purchase, which would drastically change how the Switch 2 looks and feels.
If there's one area Sony dropped the ball on with the PS5's UI, it's that it hasn't given users PS5 themes, despite countless requests. The Japanese company recently brought back its PlayStation 30th Anniversary PS5 themes after fan feedback. However, it still hasn't given users themes like many enjoyed on PS3, PS4, PSP and PS Vita.
I'm still counting down the days until June 5, and I know that Mario Kart World will leave me grinning from ear to ear like only Nintendo games do these days. However, I won’t be surprised if I’m a tad underwhelmed on launch day, and you might be too.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
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