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Tom's Guide
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Nintendo Switch 2 — 3 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip
We went from anxiously waiting for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch this month to the console now being out for over a week. While Nintendo Switch 2 restocks haven't exactly been hard to come by, 3.5 million units have already been sold. The console is a hit, and like those millions of people, I've been spending time with Nintendo's latest system. Thanks to the Switch 2's stronger specs, games look fantastic and run smoother. The Switch 2 isn't comparable to a PS5 Slim or Xbox Series X performance-wise, but Nintendo's system can run graphically demanding games that its predecessor couldn't. And though Switch 2 isn't a complete redesign of the previous console, quality-of-life changes such as bigger Joy-Cons and a stronger kickstand make a big difference. I wouldn't consider myself the biggest Nintendo fan, but it's hard to deny that the Nintendo Switch 2 is one of the best handheld gaming consoles out there. And while I think the system is great at what it does, it's not perfect. It's certainly not ideal for everyone, even if it's a must-have for certain folks. So which camp will you fall in? Here are 3 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo Switch 2 takes what worked about its best-selling predecessor and makes impactful upgrades across the board. From the excellent, and noticeably larger, 7.9-inch display to the more powerful internal specs, the Switch 2 is a full leap forward and the best hybrid console you can buy. Note that the system is currently sold out, so keep an eye on our Nintendo Switch 2 restock page for updates! The Switch 2 hasn't received a huge design overhaul. At a glance, you might even mistake it for the original Nintendo Switch. However, the differences become hard to ignore the instant you pick up the device. The 7.9-inch display appears huge next to the original Switch's 6.2-inch panel. The smaller bezels also help in this regard. Despite being an LCD, games look bright and colorful on the 1080p panel and run smoothly thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. I primarily play in docked mode, but I don't mind occasionally playing in handheld mode. That's because the Switch 2 is larger and heavier than its predecessor. That might be a con for some, but for me, it makes the system feel as premium as a Steam Deck OLED or an Asus ROG Ally X. It's a joy simply holding this system. I'm still not the biggest fan of Joy-Cons, but the controllers are much easier to use since they're larger than the original versions. I like how they magnetically snap on and off with a simple press of a button, instead of the annoying rail system the previous Joy-Cons utilized. The Switch 2's design makes it feel less like a toy and more like a serious piece of tech. That said, the console still retains that classic Nintendo charm that even non-Nintendo fans like me appreciate. One of the main reasons I eventually stopped playing the original Switch was because of its disappointing gaming performance. I regularly play games at 60 frames per second or much higher, so being forced to play at 30 fps wasn't fun. Thankfully, the Switch 2 games I've played so far run like a dream. The system features a custom Nvidia chip that has the company's DLSS upscaling technology. Though Nintendo hasn't disclosed this chip's core count or what generation it belongs to, it's powerful enough to run graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Street Fighter 6 without the system exploding. Generally speaking, the Switch 2 has power comparable to a PS4 or Xbox One. In docked mode, the Switch 2 can hit up to 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution at 60 frames per second. It also supports 120 fps when 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 resolutions are selected. The system supports HDR10 and a 1920x1080 resolution in tabletop mode and handheld mode. Original Switch games look atrocious on my 55-inch 4K OLED TV, but it's a different story with Switch 2. Sure, games like Yakuza 0 and Cyberpunk 2077 look a tad fuzzier compared to their PS5 counterparts since they're being upscaled from 1080p instead of 1800p, but they're not a complete eyesore. Switch 2-enhanced games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also look phenomenal, which is something I can't say about the original Switch 1 version of that title. For the best performance and resolution, docked mode is the best way to go. But whether it's docked or in your hands, games look and run fantastically on Nintendo's new system. Nintendo is late to the party when it comes to basic game chat features that the PS5 and Xbox Series X have had since 2020. But I won't give Nintendo too much grief about this since it's better to get a feature late than not at all. And for what it offers, the company's GameChat is pretty darn good. As its name suggests, GameChat lets you talk with friends while playing games. This feature enables voice chat, screen sharing, and even video chat via a compatible USB camera. You can have up to 12 players in a voice chat session, and up to four can share their screens or participate in video calls. I used the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera for GameChat, and this peripheral works nicely for the feature. Within GameChat's options, you can choose between showing everything the camera captures or just your head. It does the latter with reasonably accurate face tracking. If there are multiple people in the room with you, it'll track everyone's face, which can be beneficial for local multiplayer sessions. For your background, you can show what's on your game screen, which is good if you're playing a different game than others in the chat. I don't like that the game's fps is sub-30, but your in-camera frames per second does at least stay at a steady 30. The only drawback for GameChat is that it's locked behind a Nintendo Switch Online account. However, being subscribed gives you access to game libraries from the NES and SNES for the standard tier ($19 per year) and GameCube and Sega Genesis for the Expansion Pack ($49 per year). I probably won't use GameChat all that often, but having access to classics like Super Mario World and Killer Instinct will keep me subscribing. GameChat can basically be a nice bonus. I'm not too concerned about the Switch 2's battery life since I almost exclusively play in docked mode. However, if you mostly play in handheld or tabletop mode, you're going to be disappointed with the Switch 2's battery life. We couldn't perform our standard battery life test on the Switch 2. Because of that, the testing we performed is purely anecdotal and our results might differ from what you experience. That said, many of us at Tom's Guide have the system and we're all seeing relatively similar results. On average, the Switch 2 lasts about 2.5 hours when playing demanding games. That's far less than the 5 hours of play time we got on the Switch OLED, but a little better than the 2 hours I got from the Steam Deck OLED. Given the Switch 2's short battery life, I suggest bringing your Switch 2's AC adapter if you're on the road. Mario Kart World is a bona fide system seller since it packs so much content. It's a good thing that this game can potentially keep you occupied for months because right now, it's one of two true Switch 2 exclusives. For the most part, Switch 2 launch games consist of third-party games like some of the ones I mentioned above. That's not necessarily bad, but when you consider many of these titles have been available for years on other platforms and might be cheaper, these games might not be must-haves. There are some enhanced first-party games, such as Switch 2 editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. These games look and run better than ever, but you might not want to replay them if you're looking for brand-new experiences. The Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza arrives on July 17, and Metroid Prime 4 will surely be the best on the new system when it launches later this year. But for the moment, you might want to wait on buying the new system until Switch 2 has a more robust library of exclusives. The last reason you might want to skip the Nintendo Switch 2 is because of its asking price. Right now, the Switch 2 costs $449 for the base system or $499 for the Mario Kart World bundle. That's not exactly cheap, especially when you consider that the entry-level Steam Deck costs $399 and has access to a wider library of games. And as I said, there aren't many Switch 2 exclusives available at the moment. While the Switch 2's cost is arguably justifiable since it's the only system that can (legally) play first-party Nintendo games, its asking price is hard to swallow. The Nintendo Switch 2 isn't revolutionary, but it's a welcome upgrade over its predecessor. Whether in docked or handheld mode, it delivers rock-solid gaming performance for both first- and third-party games. It's an impressive piece of tech that's worth considering. As great as Switch 2 is, though, its upgrades might not be compelling for all current Switch users. The system is also rather expensive, especially when compared to an entry-level Steam Deck. Because of that, you might want to hold off on buying one for now.
Scotsman
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
PlayStation 5 Slim falls to lowest ever price in Amazon deal
The PS5 Slim Standard Edition console is really cheap at the moment | Amazon This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Amazon has slashed the price of the PS5 Slim to just £384.95 – a record low for the sleek and powerful console Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Shop around for long enough and you might see the slim version of the PlayStation 5 Standard Edition console for £389. That's because some retailers are knocking £90 off the £479.99 price for a limited time. However, if you log on to Amazon today, you'll see it for just £384.95 and that's the lowest price it's ever been, according to the price trackers. The popular Slim PS5 is a sleeker, more compact version of the original console, but it still packs the same powerful performance. The Slim version distils all the features into a more compact shape | Amazon It features a 1TB SSD for faster loading times and comes with a detachable disc drive, giving you flexibility between physical and digital games. Despite its smaller footprint, it supports the same blockbuster titles and advanced features like ray tracing and 4K gaming. It's currently one of the best-value options for players who want full PS5 functionality in a more space-friendly package, and that's before these tasty deals arrived. If you can't quite stretch to £384.95, lots of retailers, including Amazon, are currently doing deals on the Slim Digital edition, which has most of the same features, but without a disc drive. It's listed at £329.99 at the moment, but you might need to be quick. You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to bag the deals, but if you are a member, you'll get free next-day delivery. Here's a way to sign up for free for 30 days, which will give you all the Prime benefits, including full Prime Video access. 🔥 Free Samsung tablet? Don't miss this Sky Mobile Galaxy S25 deal (aff) Snap up the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S25 5G and Sky Mobile will throw in a Galaxy Tab A9+ worth £259 – absolutely free! This offer - which we wrote about in detail here - runs until 26 June 2025, but once it's gone, it's gone. You'll get Samsung's most powerful phone yet – built for gaming, streaming and multitasking – from just £30 a month with zero upfront cost.
Scotsman
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
PlayStation 5 Slim falls to lowest ever price in Amazon deal
The PS5 Slim Standard Edition console is really cheap at the moment | Amazon This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Amazon has slashed the price of the PS5 Slim to just £384.95 – a record low for the sleek and powerful console Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Shop around for long enough and you might see the slim version of the PlayStation 5 Standard Edition console for £389. That's because some retailers are knocking £90 off the £479.99 price for a limited time. However, if you log on to Amazon today, you'll see it for just £384.95 and that's the lowest price it's ever been, according to the price trackers. The popular Slim PS5 is a sleeker, more compact version of the original console, but it still packs the same powerful performance. The Slim version distils all the features into a more compact shape | Amazon It features a 1TB SSD for faster loading times and comes with a detachable disc drive, giving you flexibility between physical and digital games. Despite its smaller footprint, it supports the same blockbuster titles and advanced features like ray tracing and 4K gaming. It's currently one of the best-value options for players who want full PS5 functionality in a more space-friendly package, and that's before these tasty deals arrived. If you can't quite stretch to £384.95, lots of retailers, including Amazon, are currently doing deals on the Slim Digital edition, which has most of the same features, but without a disc drive. It's listed at £329.99 at the moment, but you might need to be quick. You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to bag the deals, but if you are a member, you'll get free next-day delivery. Here's a way to sign up for free for 30 days, which will give you all the Prime benefits, including full Prime Video access. 🔥 Free Samsung tablet? Don't miss this Sky Mobile Galaxy S25 deal (aff)
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Amazon launches massive PS5 sale as prices drop during Sony's Days of Play
Sony has launched a big PS5 sale and Amazon are price-matching consoles for a limited time PS5 prices have dropped significantly thanks to Sony launching its Days of Play sale - and now might be the time for gamers to take advantage of the sales. The PS5 Slim on Amazon is currently £384.95 —down from the usual £479.99 price tag—and it might be the perfect time to upgrade that old console sitting in the living room but that isn't the only sale on PS5 consoles and accessories. The PS5 Pro is currently £654.99 on Amazon for gamers who want the best framerates and resolutions. However, at a price almost double the PS5, fans might need to open their wallets deeper to grab this deal. Amazon isn't the only place with a big PS5-related sale as Sony has kicked off its Days of Play sale, offering discounts on consoles, controllers, and games. The Dualsense Edge Wireless controller can be picked up for £174.99, while the PS VR2 with Horizon: Call of the Mountain for £354.99 is also reduced from £399. One thing to consider for gamers wanting to spend a lot of cash on a new console is that the Nintendo Switch 2 is on the horizon. Nintendo is selling it right here. Amazon is also selling the Nintendo Switch OLED for £240 if the newest console isn't in your budget. If shoppers are eyeing up the PS5 Pro, I reviewed the PS5 Pro when it first came out, and for those who want the best of the best PlayStation has to offer, it might be a tempting buy. Games look crisper, run faster - all thanks to the new GPU technology that has been added into the more powerful console. However, for the £650 price tag, it's an expensive buy and only for gamers who really need the best-of-the-best when it comes to performance. And for shoppers wanting to buy a PS5, we reviewed the PS5 back in 2020 if you ever wanted to know our thoughts. The PS5 is a real powerhouse when it comes to gaming and if gamers have yet to get one, now might be the time. But it is a older console and might be showing its age in the next few years so consider that if shoppers want to invest their money into a PS5.
Tom's Guide
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I'm a gamer and my partner isn't — but she still can't resist these 5 couch co-op games
This article is part of Tom's Guide's inaugural Gaming Week, an entire week of content dedicated to all things gaming. From insights into the latest hardware, guides to the best games you can play today, to the essential accessories we can't play without. Tom's Guide Gaming Week will guide you through the world of video games in 2025. When I'm not working, you'll find me gaming. I'm usually sinking hundreds of hours into RPGs on my PS5 Slim. Sometimes I feel like I've spent more hours playing Baldur's Gate 3 than eating. While I prefer single player games, I'm not opposed to playing co-op titles, and I love the array of two-player games taking up space on my Nintendo Switch — and who better to play these games with other than my girlfriend? Here's the catch, though: my partner isn't a gamer. She's an artist, so she loves the art direction in most titles, and appreciates the effort that goes into designing them. When we got together, I wanted to introduce her to the wonderful (and vast) world of gaming, so I set out on a mission: to find the best couch co-op games. Two and a half years after I first accepted the quest, I have found the best 2P games that my partner now adores — and often asks me herself to play them before I bring it up. If you've got a non-gamer loved one who you want to chill out with with too, these are the top 5 couch co-op titles that they won't be able to resist. I was a little skeptical about Super Mario Bros. Wonder when I first saw it. I thought, "It's a 2D platformer with Mario characters, how good can it actually be?" I know, I know, I was very wrong. It won me — and my partner — over with its sense of whimsy, wonderful level design, whacky power-ups, and trippy levels-within-levels. There are a total of 152 levels across seven worlds with varying landscapes and classic Mario enemies. My skepticism flew out the window the moment my partner got hooked onto the game — and that was a few minutes into the first level. There are many playable characters to choose from. My partner always chooses Toadette (we even went to Halloween dressed as Toad and Toadette) while I go for Yoshi. We work together to defeat enemies and traverse some obstacles, but we also compete to see who can jump the highest to reach the top of the flagpole at the end of each level — a bit of competition never hurt anyone. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. You know that meme about being a silly goose? My partner and I refer to one another with that term of endearment, so it's no wonder that we love playing Untitled Goose Game together. I had just finished my single player campaign when I first met my partner, and it was around that time that the publisher had released a free two player update. And what's better than one annoying goose? Two very annoying geese. The goal is simple: you are two geese going around an unsuspecting village and pulling pranks on the residents. There are five main areas and you're given quest items to check off. You'll be asked to steal a boy's glasses, make the gardener wear his sun hat, make a man spit out his tea, among other things. How you achieve these is entirely up to you and your partner. And as a goose, you can honk your heart out. If you're playing with another person, you can also steal flowers to give to each other — now that is cute. There's tactical advantages here too. One of you can honk (or spread your wings) to distract an NPC while the other steals, say, a bell. It's a lot of fun and can get very chaotic, perfect for a night in. Overcooked and Overcooked 2 are our most-played two player title. Thing is, Overcooked (and its sequel) don't really have plotlines. The overarching theme is that you and up to three other players must save the Onion Kingdom by whipping up dishes, from pancakes to pizzas. Each level lasts just a few minutes, and the levels vary in difficulty. Some are so easy that we've scored 1,000 points straight away, whereas some make us want to pull our hair out. My partner and I rarely argue — bordering on 'never' — but it's during Overcooked and in-between our characters burning meals that we've argued. Phrases like "Why aren't you doing the dishes?!" and "Please, for the love of all that's good, throw me a banana!" get yelled out a lot. If we fail a level, we'll pout and hmph and give each other the side-eye or the cold shoulder for a while afterwards. But we always laugh about it later because we never argue outside of playing this twisted, fantastic, chaotic game. If you want to put your relationship to the test, Overcooked is the title for you, because if you get out of an hour of playing the game unscathed, you know your partner's a keeper. Mario Kart 8 is one of the best games ever made. Period. It's no wonder it's earned a spot on this list. A racing game where you play as classic Nintendo characters and throw magical items to ruin another's race? Who can say no to that? I won't lie, we don't play Mario Kart 8 that often as our free time together is taken up by either Overcooked or 51 Worldwide Games (see below), but we still have a blast whenever we get behind the wheel. She picks Toadette (surprise) and I play as Link (because I love the new-gen Zelda games). When I bought the Booster Course Pass which unlocked 48 new courses, my partner was delighted to see Maple Treeway was part of it. There are a few reasons she loves it. She has fond memories of playing it on her Wii. She loves the music. Autumn is her favorite season (after spring), and she loves trees. While she likes the calming aspect of Maple Treeway, I like the chaotic energy of every Rainbow Road track — opposites do attract, they say. Mario Kart 8 is an all-time classic, and if there's anything that would make us go splitsies on the Nintendo Switch 2, it would be Mario Kart World. 51 Worldwide Games is somewhat of an underdog. I'm not sure many people are aware of its existence as I've only ever met one other person who owns the game. I believe it's one game everyone should have, especially if you or your partner likes board and card games. As the name suggests, the game consists of 51 games from around the world, such as chess, Yahtzee, four-in-a-row, air hockey, and more. It's perhaps one of the most chill games out there and carries a lovely sense of nostalgia which both my partner and I adore. There's even a fishing game where both of you just fish with relaxing music playing in the background. We love 51 Worldwide Games for its simplicity. It's the perfect game for when you don't want to exercise too much brain power, and don't want the stress of, say, Overcooked. Also, if you can't make space for a chessboard in a small apartment, you can at least play it virtually — and that goes for all the board games included in 51 Worldwide Games. I love my PS5, but it's my Nintendo Switch my partner adores more thanks to how easy it is to play co-op games on it. All five games I've mentioned are extremely fun in their own unique ways. There are many, many couch co-op games there that I'm yet to play with my partner, such as Split Fiction. There may be other hidden gems — like 51 Worldwide Games — we haven't discovered yet either. The upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 may bring new titles with new mechanics too, and we can't wait to dive into them. For now, I'd recommend everyone to get Untitled Goose Game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Mario Kart 8, and 51 Worldwide Games — trust me, your non-gamer partner will thank you.
