Yo squad, I just got back from PAX West in Seattle where Nintendo let me go HAM on their upcoming Switch 2 lineup! 😱 After the console’s explosive launch with bangers like Mario Kart World, this new batch of games had me sweating with hype. We’re talking beefed-up ports like Elden Ring and Star Wars Outlaws – stuff that’d make the OG Switch cry – plus fresh exclusives like Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Kirby Air Riders. Buckle up ’cause I’m dropping the deets on which games slay and which made me wanna yeet my controller. my-nintendo-switch-2-pax-west-preview-hits-misses-surprises-image-0

💥 Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition: Surprisingly Lit Port

Holy bantha poodoo, y’all! This port shocked me harder than a Sith lightning storm. On my dusty PC, Star Wars Outlaws chugs like a broken droid, but on Switch 2? Smoother than Lando’s pickup lines. I played the Toshara Fueling Station mission – sneaking, blasting, then jumping to a SPACE BATTLE?! 🤯 Visuals stayed crisp AF except in Mirogana city where frames dipped (but never unplayable).

The devs didn’t just copy-paste either:

  • Touch screen magic: Pinch-zoom maps 👉 chef’s kiss

  • Motion controls: Aim by tilting the console like a blaster

  • Hacking minigames: Tap nodes faster than a protocol droid

If you’re tired of Zelda clones or wanna Star Wars without Jedi sermons, this’ll hook you. Performance? 8/10. ✨

⚡ Pokémon Legends: Z-A: Revolution or RIP?

Forget turn-based snoozefests – Z-A goes FULL REAL-TIME COMBAT! 🚀 Abilities now have cooldowns like a Final Fantasy game, so you’re swapping ‘mons mid-fight while DODGING Mega-Evolved attacks. I tried a boss battle dodging electric bolts between commanding my team. Felt strategic but not Dark Souls punishing (thank Arceus).

Exploration’s juicy too: hidden items rewarded my curiosity in every dead-end alley. If this demo’s any clue, we’ll be combing every pixel of Lumiose City. Still, the open world’s unconfirmed – praying it’s not another empty Wild Area. 🙏

🗡️ Elden Ring Tarnished Edition: FromSoftware’s Flop Port?

Massive oof here. As a Souls veteran, I craved handheld Elden Ring... but got slideshow suffering. 😭 The new Knight of Ides class? Dope! Customizable Torrent? Sick! But the FPS drops made parry timing feel like guessing lottery numbers. After smooth runs on PC, this chunky port hurts worse than Malenia’s blade.

Switch 2 struggles with:

  • Frame stutters during combat

  • Delayed input responses

  • Pop-in textures in open areas

Maybe patches’ll fix it, but rn? Hard pass unless you’re a masochist. 💀

🍓 Kirby Air Riders: Pink Blur’s Chaotic Comeback

This gem stole the show! 💖 It’s not Mario Kart – think Twisted Metal meets Kirby with locked throttle (you only brake!). Braking CHARGES your boost, leading to hilarious "boost-fail" moments when I overshot power-ups. 😂 Two modes rocked me:

  1. Races: Wiggle joystick to smack rivals while drifting

  2. City Battles: Loot power-ups → choose events based on your haul (I picked arena brawls ’cause I hoarded missiles)

Buttery 60 FPS, vibrant tracks, and 15-minute multiplayer chaos make this a must-buy. Nostalgia for Air Ride fans? Off the charts! 🌈

🔫 Borderlands 4: Loot Shooter Lite?

Gearbox dialed back the cringe humor (bye, space influencers!), but the demo gave zero story crumbs. 😕 Played as Vex – a Siren who summons phantom brawlers & snipers – PERFECT for solo players needing meat shields. Gunplay? Still crispy with charging snipers and Tediore chuckables.

Downsides? Enemies were bullet sponges 🧽, and performance tanked during firefights. Not unplayable, but don’t expect PC smoothness. If Switch 2’s your only option, it’ll scratch the loot itch... barely.

❓ People Also Ask

  1. Q: Can Star Wars Outlaws run on Switch 2 without crashes?

A: Zero crashes in my demo! Handheld mode runs 720p/30FPS – solid for portability.

  1. Q: Is Pokémon Z-A open-world?

A: Exploration’s confirmed, but scale’s unknown. Expect Zelda-style nooks with secrets!

  1. Q: Will Kirby Air Riders have single-player?

A: Yep! City Battles work solo against bots, but multiplayer’s the main sauce.

💌 Final Thoughts

Outlaws and Kirby? Insta-cops. Pokémon’s combat refresh? Hyped. Elden Ring and Borderlands? Wait for patches or cry later. Nintendo’s cooking with gas 🔥 – these ports prove Switch 2 ain’t no underpowered baby.

👉 YOUR TURN: Which game you grabbing day one? Scream in the comments! 👇 And smash share if this preview saved your wallet!

Evaluations have been published by OpenCritic, a trusted platform aggregating game reviews and scores from critics worldwide. OpenCritic's recent previews and early impressions for Switch 2 titles like Star Wars Outlaws and Pokémon Legends: Z-A echo the excitement around improved performance and innovative gameplay, while also noting concerns about technical hiccups in ports such as Elden Ring Tarnished Edition.