Switch 2 Welcome Tour – Rapid Review In Retrospect

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Fast Facts

A (not) Free (not) Bundled Game(ish)

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour was billed on release as the definitive guide to the console upon release. In bygone times software such as this would have been bundled with the console so you’d immediately have something to boot up when you plugged in your shiny new device. Now a paid piece of software, is it worth the extra few quid?

Having A Look

Welcome Tour is exactly as described but with extra bells and whistles. The player first selects an avatar which they then use to navigate the exhibit which is a huge Nintendo Switch 2. The exhibit itself is populated with all manner of things to do such as tech demos, quizzes and minigames. This all sounds good in practice but the whole thing still feels very sparse.

The whole things looks nice in the background but the characters are ultra simplistic in comparison. The promo art (above) is actually a very good depiction of how things look in-game. Welcome Tour’s layout does differ from the artwork but in terms of graphical fidelity it is spot on. You even have almost that exact viewpoint.

Rally Round

Welcome Tour has you running around an enlarged Switch 2 console (and accessories) trying out various functions. As you go round you must collect stamps at each section to be able to move on to the next. Unfortunately the gathering is tedious at best and offers very little in terms of enjoyment. Whilst this is a tech demo, it is a PAID FOR tech demo. They could at least put a bit more in there as the core gameplay.

Quizzes are one way in which Welcome Tour tries to vary the gameplay. Amounting to little more than wandering to notices right next to the quiz stand and then answering questions, they do offer a nice little insight into the Switch 2 itself and some of the functions. This is a welcome variation, sure, but still little in terms of gameplay.

Demo-ception

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour also has little boxes dotted around the exhibit which are for… Tech Demos. Yes, there are tech demos in the tech demo. Thankfully these do amount to more than just showing you what each part does, letting you play around with the console/accessory a little. Unfortunately some of these can only be accessed if you own the specific accessory required. Seeing as not everyone will buy every accessory it’s difficult to fathom why this is the case. You’re hardly going to go out and get a Switch 2 camera for the sake of a demo.

Mini-Mini-Games

Games! Yes the Demo does have games in it! I’d think of them more like solo “Mario Party-esque” games as opposed to true games however. Welcome Tour does have a good number of what I’ll call micro-games dotted about the exhibit which means there are bound to be one or two you actually enjoy. I have to admit, however, that the games themselves got very dull very quickly. There just isn’t enough game in this game… erm, tech demo.

Exhibit F

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is, first and foremost, a tech demo. Thinking of it in terms of a tech demo it is really rather good. It demonstrates the functions of the Switch 2 really well and offers a lot of information on the design and technology that has gone into the console. Welcome Tour is, however, a paid piece of software. A game.

As a game, it is shallow at best. The mini-games offer a little light fun but that is all. If this was a free or bundled game you could probably consider it a good introduction to the switch 2 and then move on. Given there is a price attached it suddenly becomes more akin to a cynical cash grab except the whole experience isn’t even good enough to call it that.

This is a solid tech demo trying to be a game whilst having the cheek to charge you for it. Even now, over a year later, it still is not worth your money.

Rapid Reviews Rating

1 out of 5

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Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is available exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. If you wish to learn more and/or purchase it you can do so here.

If you wish to see more of our Nintendo Switch & Switch 2 reviews please click here.
If you’d prefer to look at tech, we have you covered here.