At this point, it’s a given that a new Nintendo console will launch with some kind of tech demo. I thought that the company might kick that convention to the curb this time after 1-2 Switch, but that’s not the case. In fact, it’s doubling down on that with the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. Positioned as an introduction to all of the console’s features, it’s a perfect idea for a light pack-in for a new console.
Except that it’s not a free pack-in. It is a game that costs money, a fact that got an audible laugh out of a room full of press who attended a Switch 2 hands-on event this week. It seemed like an absurd business decision to me, but I was willing to hear Nintendo out when I actually played a bit of Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour for myself.
Now I’m even more confused.
An interactive manual
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is, basically, an interactive instruction manual. The app places players on a Nintendo Switch 2, which is decorated in informational booths and signs that explain every single console feature in detail. I could walk on a Joy-con and learn all about the larger shoulder buttons and glide across the central screen like an ice pond to learn about the new cartridges.
As an informational tool, the app does seem handy, even if a lot of the information it provides is fairly obvious to anyone who has used a Switch. The hook, though, is that Nintendo tries to gamify a typically boring learning process by making everything a minigame. Some kiosks are presented as quizzes where I’m shown signs that explain new features and then am tested on my reading comprehension.
There’s a meta game to it all, as I can collect medals for doing different tasks which unlock more attractions and give me access to different parts of the console. That’s where Welcome Tour is a little more fun as an idea. One game showed me how precise the mouse controls are by having me move a little spaceship around to dodge falling spike balls. It’s simple, but it really does a great job at showing how 1:1 the controls feel compared to looser motion controls. Another game had me dragging the mouse-con back and forth and feeling for the point where the HD rumble is at its height. I was exactly on the money with my guess, effectively selling me on how improved the tech is.
Some trickier tech concepts get creatively explained here too. One quiz showed me different animations of a bouncing ball and asked me what frame rate each was moving at. It was an easy quiz, but it did make it clear exactly what the difference between 60 and 120fps is. Similarly, another kiosk had me playing World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros., except the entire level stretched across the screen to emphasize exactly how much information 4K displays show.
It’s all cute and kid-friendly, but I cannot think of a weirder up charge for a video game console. Most of the information in here could have been a PDF. It’s just a collection of fact sheet bullet points splayed out in a clever way. The minigames, while charming, all feel like they were built quickly in Game Builder Garage. It’s more an app than a game, and it’s not one I can imagine many people paying money for.
I’m not sure why Nintendo has grown so allergic to pack-in games. Maybe Wii Sports was a little too popular and the company sees that it could have made bank charging for it instead of giving it away for free. But then, would it have been that popular? It being a freebie was the appeal, just as the original Switch being an inexpensive alternative to modern consoles was a big part of its wide adoption rate.
You can probably see where I’m going with this. The Switch 2’s controversial pricing strategy is going to be a real test for Nintendo and the power of the Switch brand. Will people still shell out $80 for a rereleased Kirby game just because them’s the brakes? Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is, in some comically low stakes way, that tension in a microcosm. What are you willing to pay for? What has value to you in a game? Would even a measly $5 be worth it to spend a few hours poking around a nice hardware tutorial?
I’ll let a room full of resounding chuckles answer those questions.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour launches on June 5 for Nintendo Switch 2.
