Well yes ... but it's supposed to be. It's effectively the N64-2, why wouldn't it be better than the first N64. The first N64 was building a lot of the track for all 3D games period, before that there wasn't really a blue print for how to do all of that and a lot of games were really just 2D games in a quasi-3D space. 

The N64 was the first console to actually build a controller for 3D space, Sony was still using basically the same layout as the Super NES with extra shoulder buttons, so was the Saturn (basically just a Sega Genesis pad), N64 had an analog stick for 3D movement and C-buttons for camera control. Once Sony and Sega saw that then they started to pivot towards actual real 3D controllers.  

GameCube was better than the PS2 hardware wise, significantly so, but people didn't care. They just saw it looked like a child's toy and was purple like Barney the dinosaur and there was no Mario 64 or GoldenEye 007 or Zelda: OoT. Nobody back then gave a shit about Pikmin or Animal Crossing, it wasn't what the people of that era wanted. Even things like Luigi's Mansion was met with a lot of "what is this Luigi shit? Where's the real Mario 64-2? How can they launch a new console without a real Mario game?". These things always get romanticized after the fact, I remember that time period like it was yesterday and it wasn't pretty. 

PC beat Nintendo actually.
I used to play Mechwarrior (1989) via MS-DOS (Pre-Microsoft Windows) with a analogue stick, granted I had to map the digital input to it and games like Wing Commander (1990) embraced it.

But for consoles, Nintendo 64 was ahead of the curve, but the dual-stick (Gamecube, OG Xbox, PS2) later proved to be the best solution anyway over the single stick the N64 had.

A lot of the Nintendo 64's ideas later laid the foundation for the Gamecube, but the Gamecube refined it... Many of which are ideas that still exist in Nintendo's consoles generations later. (Two sticks in an asymmetrical layout for example.)

And the Switch 2 is basically just a Switch Pro, but with a generational jump in SoC and regressions in other areas. (Display, Battery etc')

Your feedback is subjective. I actually liked those two transitions for the types of games I enjoy playing.

Every Nintendo system has had especially in its launch window a bunch of complaining. I've been around for basically every launch after the NES and I remember all of them clearly.

The Super NES? Some people complained that Mario World wasn't enough of an upgrade over Super Mario 3, even though in time it's become revered as one of the greatest games of all time. Some people stated Sonic was cooler and a much better game. People criticized the library for being small, as is somehow the SNES was magically supposed to have an NES sized library immediately. I remember one Sega print ad showed the Genesis having way more game and the SNES only having a small stack ... well no shit, it just launched. Then there was complaining about launch games like R-Type and Super Ghouls N' Ghosts having slow down, Final Fight didn't 2 player mode like the arcade, etc. etc. etc.

N64? Lol, oh baby, the complaining about expensive cartridge games and no third party support and nothing else to play but Mario 64 was of course all over the place. CD was the future, N64's yucky cartridges were lame and part of the past.

Game Boy Advance? Shitty launch day screen, no backlight, can't see the damn thing indoors at all, poor launch library (Super Mario 2 port? Who asked for that?), no 3D capability really at a time when 2D was really passe.

GameCube? Oh boy. Kiddie purple lunch box design, weird controller with tiny ass d-pad and small c-stick nub, no DVD playback, where the hell is Mario 64-2?? Luigi spin-off that can be beat in a couple of hours? No one asked for that. What the fuck is Pikminimon or whatever this is? Where's Zelda? OMG Metroid is a FPS ... sacrilege! Software droughts hit by early 2002 and had people complaining that Nintendo had learned nothing from the N64 too. And then people totally lost their shit when cell-shaded Zelda was unveiled.

DS? OMG this thing sucks compared to a Sony PSP, it's going to get destroyed, all it does is play a shittier version of Mario 64 with no analog stick and some Feel the Magic game from Sega. Software library was abysmal really for about a year, the system launched in 2004 and really did not start to find its legs until about spring 2006.

Wii? No HD? Iwata promised us graphics that would make us say 'wow', this is just GameCube tier graphics, where's the online? OMG, Nintendo has lost their minds and is targeting fat soccer moms and lame non-gamers. Zelda is cool but everything else is for casuals. This culminated in the disastrous E3 2008 or whatever with Wii Music (lol).

Wii U and 3DS most people here will remember should no need to even rehash that. Point is, I guess I'm just over all this bullshit. 10-15 years later these things get romanticized as being great all along, I just enjoy the systems now for what they are and don't blow a gasket if Mario or Zelda or certain hardware features aren't perfect from day 1. Those things always come in time. 

Enjoy Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza now, watch in a decade+ people will consider them all-time classics (especially as MKW adds DLC tracks). 

The Switch 2 chipset's performance is really quite good too, I think that's going to lead to the Switch 1 - Switch 2 transition being more notable than say Playstation 4 to Playstation 5. The Switch 2 is going to have a marked improvement in 3rd party support due to the fact that the chipset can better handle PS5-tier games. While the system is just taking it's baby steps now, you will see pretty soon in 2026 things like "real" Final Fantasy games, real deal Resident Evil sequels, games like Indiana Jones and Starfield and Halo and Forza coming too. We're seeing announcements start to be unveiled now, more will come. 

That is a bigger difference for the Nintendo ecosystem than a lot of what's happened in the past. That should not be understated, IMO the Switch 2 library will outclass the Switch 1's fairly easily because of this.

Game quality is indeed a matter of taste; we can still say point to things such as load times getting worse going from N64 to Gamecube, or the OS getting slower going from Wii to Wii U. That's not really what the thread is about though; its more about software strategy.

To me Switch 2 still doesn't have a killer app.

Switch 1 had Breath of the Wild.

While you can argue that Mario Kart sells more than Zelda, for me personally I could have bought only Breath of the Wild and Switch 1 and still think it was worth it (now in reality I bought many more games for Switch 1 in the end).

And also I have to add (since I live in Sweden) Bergsalas enormous price hike on the Switch 2 here, compared to everywhere else, makes me hold off on getting it. Will probably get a Switch 2 when Metroid Prime releases.

Hmm, solid. There feels like there is a lack of impressive Switch 2 content, particularly single player.

For the year we'll have DK and Metroid Prime 4 (Pls no one mention Pokemon ZA). Neither quite wow on the surface as one would expect for a whole new generation of Nintendo platform and that is in part due to the cross gen nature of development. I feel like Nintendo could of had more of show stopper during launch year and at the very least more S2 single player exclusives over just DK.

A+

They launched Switch 2 with two killer apps in its first two months. They have new games or at least expansions ready to go every month. They are still releasing Switch 1 games which can of course also be played on Switch 2. Whether you've already bought Switch 2 or are sticking with Switch 1 for the time being, you've got plenty to play.

Backwards compatibility is well implemented. Games run better than on the original hardware, including shorter loading times. Old controllers work. A system transfer is easy and fast. The classic game libraries of NSO carry over and continue. Everything you had on Switch 1 still works, just a little bit better, even for things that didn't get any updates at all.

All in all, neither Switch 2 nor Switch 1 are detrimental to each other and that's the situation that Nintendo wanted to accomplish. It shows that they've been taking this transition seriously and didn't take anything for granted.

GameCube refined the ideas so well that Nintendo completely abandoned them the following generation with Wii lol. That's how bad of a platform GC was and PS/Xb is responsible for dual analog. It was such a failure, Nintendo changed their business model.

You romantizing GC is hilarious because Nintendo borderline abandoned nearly everthing about it. GC had pressure sensitive shoulder buttons (forgot what they are called) and Nintendo abandoned them lol. Gamecube's c stick was hardly a thumb stick, that little nub was horrible with no ridges for grip like tge actual thumbstick. The face buttons were made to be easily accessible next to each other with an oversived A button next to x and y buttons shaped around it along with a tiny b button. Nintendo never did this again lol. GC isn't responsible at all for what Nintendo does today, that's just plain another bad take about Nintendo from you along with your mistake of Galaxy games being GC games lol and Nintendo should copy anything MS does lol, something you said before. SNES is responsible for what we have today along with PS/Xb refinements of today's controllers. Nintendo themselves hinted at SNES being the inspiration for the joy cons (turn them sideways) during the Switch presentation. They mention GC being responsible for... the handle lol. They hardly acknowledge GC has major inspiration at all with todays platforms and literally couldn't think of anything better to say about GC besides its handle that isnt on any other platform. Its clear you arent much of a Nintendo fan because you would know alot of this and spread way too much misinformation. How about pay better attention to Nintendo to learn instead of pushing your agenda with misinformation. PS literally took a SNES controller and added dual analog and dual rumble, PS has been arguably the biggest contributer to today's console controllers and all they did was double everything the SNES controller has. No one at Sony looked at the GC controller and went that's a great idea lol.

I hope Nintendo continues to operate via ignoring euthiasts because clearly they genuinely know nothing as proven by all the Switch 2 hate. Euthiasts will romantize Nintendo's worst performing platforms like GC and hate on the successful ones like Wii, Switch, and Switch 2 lmao. Why in the world would Nintendo or anyone listen to individuals like that? I mean apparently Switch 2 is a Switch pro when most Pro consoles are not allowed to play games not playable on the original. Switch 2 is literally getting games Switch would have never gotten. Switch 2's library will be so much better its not even comparable.

I think Nintendo has handled the transition remarkably well.

First, the company flooded the market with Switch 2 consoles, ensuring those who wanted the system could get it, and shutting down unscrupulous scalpers.

Second, it launched Switch 2 alongside the company's most popular and approachable IP.

Third, it made things preposterously easy for those who invested heavily in the Switch ecosystem. The system transfer was a breeze; games and controllers are backward compatible; and all your digital games, saves, and screenshots carry over. As a bonus, most Switch games, even those without a formal "Switch 2 Edition", get a performance boost on Switch 2.

Fourth, it didn't forget about Switch owners who aren't ready to upgrade. They are still getting Metroid Prime 4 and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, not to mention Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and Rhythm Heaven Groove.

Fifth, it guaranteed a healthy software pipeline for Switch 2. June saw Mario Kart World; July saw Donkey Kong Bananza; October will see Pokemon Legends: Z-A; November will see Kirby Air Riders and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment; December will see Metroid Prime 4; and early 2026 will see Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Mario Tennis Fever, and Tomodachi Life. 

Sixth, by beefing up the system's CPU, GPU, memory, and storage, Nintendo has made Switch 2 more future-proof than its predecessor (even if it lags behind PS5 and Xbox Series X).

Now, not everything is perfect. There have been a handful of duds, like Drag X Drive. Mouse controls have been sort of superfluous. The price of accessories is out of control and some individual SKUs (I'm looking at you, Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2) are overpriced. Then there are Game-Key Cards, which many big publishers continue to use, much to the chagrin of physical collectors like myself. My hope is that the market will moderate these issues, that retailers will drop prices to move inventory and that publishers like Square Enix, Capcom, and Sega will realize that Game-Key Cards aren't in demand.