Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Reviews
Even if Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour were the pack-in game it feels like it was meant to be, the execution of its charming concept is a muddled collection of quaint tech demos and boring factoids dressed up as an uncompelling completionist checklist.
Expectations for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour were low, but somehow the premium tech demo still manages to fall below them.
At times, Welcome Tour is Nintendo's Fantasia.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour should have been a charming pack-in game.
After a day of playing Mario Kart World and Fast Fusion, Welcome Tour was a light, engaging way to wind down from high speed thrills. While it could arguably be a free pack-in exhibit, the £8 asking price is low enough that you shouldn't feel too hard done by for the curious. If you want a undemanding and easily digested introduction to the way the Switch 2 works, then look no further. If you want an actual game, buy one of the other launch titles.
Let’s not beat around the bush. Having Welcome Tour pre-installed on the Switch 2 at no additional cost would have been wonderful. There’s certainly no denying the discourse around it would be quite different, praised as a proper value-add. While $10 is reasonable for the 6-8 hours of fun here, the additional hardware costs bog it down if you’re looking to get all of the medals. At the current price, it’s nonetheless well-rounded and achieves its goal. Alongside being plenty of fun, Welcome Tour is a cool showcase. It’s worth diving in and sticking through to the final area to get a sense of what your new purchase is capable of, while also enjoying some fun mini-games along the way.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is exactly what it claims to be: an interactive manual with a few bells and whistles. It's the Wii Sports of the Switch 2 era, helping users understand the console, its features, and how it all fits together. While charging $15 for something that feels like it should've been bundled might be a turnoff, the level of detail and interactivity makes the price somewhat justifiable. It's not a must-have, but if you want a fun way to explore your new console, it's a decent way to spend a few hours. Just don't rush through it; enjoy it for its charm.
However, it does feel like it may have served as a very effective pack-in title, perhaps just outside the pantheon of those I mentioned earlier. I get it, though: in a world where many don't have the patience for or interest in multi-page manuals, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour fills a role. Ultimately, I come away with a better sense of the capabilities of my new Nintendo console, and that at the very least helps ease the pain of my poor wallet.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour won't be for everyone or even most people, but it is very good at what it sets out to do. It nicely shows off all the features of the new console, includes some entertaining gameplay, and is surprisingly informative about how the technology behind it all works. If nothing else, it gives a hint of how future games may use some of these new features.