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Missed the Switch 2 Preorder? Why It’s OK to Wait

Commentary: Switch 2 FOMO is real, but it’s also fine to wait.

After tariff-based delays, the Nintendo Switch 2 preorders finally opened up in the US — and as expected, it looks like the first wave got snapped up quickly. Given that unexpected wait, and now seeing the new game console currently sold out, it’s understandable if your thumbs are getting twitchy for preorders to open again.

That said, having played on the Switch 2 recently at an event, may I help ease your FOMO somewhat by saying you’re probably OK waiting on it?

I felt this way after my full-day Switch 2 experience, and I’ll reiterate it now: As good as the upgrades the Switch 2 has, and as fun as the new Mario Kart and Donkey Kong games seem to be — and the GameCube gaming library also seems like a blast of retro fun — the Switch 2 is very much an iterative upgrade for now. The very best games on the Switch 2, and its most unique exclusives, are likely still to come.

Nintendo has clearly designed the Switch 2, at least for the moment, to exist as a bridge to the current Switch, with many upcoming games intended to work on the original Switch too. Much more than the debut of the first Switch, the Switch 2 is designed to be a system you could wait to upgrade to. In that sense, it’s following the path of the current gen of Xbox Series X and S and PlayStation 5 consoles.

You can build up your Switch library now and be Switch 2-ready when you eventually upgrade

The Switch 2 plays all the Switch games, which wasn’t the case with the Switch and previous Wii U and 3DS hardware. That means you could skip the Switch 2 now if you needed to, play games on the Switch, and then move your library over whenever. Switch 2 versions of games cost more (ranging from $10 to $20 more), but you can just buy the Switch 2 game upgrades later for a similar price — or play the versions you’ve already got minus the enhanced graphics and game extras.

The Switch 2’s current upgrades are good, but not shockingly good

After playing several of the Switch 2 Edition versions of Switch games for a bit, I noticed better frame rates and graphics resolution, but I honestly didn’t find it to be that much different. I’d prefer playing the enhanced Switch 2 editions, but the experience reminded me a bit of the PS5 Pro versus PS5 versions of games when I first played on the console with Sony last year.

If you have a big TV, you’ll likely appreciate the difference. The bigger Switch 2 screen shows off games in higher-res 1080p with HDR, but you could play on the older Switch and be fine. I’m playing on a Switch OLED again, and after the Switch 2 experience, I don’t have massive I-wish-this-were-a-Switch-2-envy. 

I’m sure this will change as games are developed to take better advantage of the amped-up Nvidia-powered Switch 2 GPU, and when more exclusives arrive. It’s similar to how I felt about the Meta Quest 3, which has better graphics than Quest 2 but didn’t feel like an absolute must-get until a year into its release.

You can still play upcoming Nintendo games on OG Switch

While Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are Switch 2 exclusives, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends Z-A also play on the Switch. It’s unclear how well these games will play on the Switch versus Switch 2, but you can get a good dose of New Nintendo this year on the older hardware and upgrade the hardware upgrade later. Think of it as a bit of a FOMO buffer.

Looking at Nintendo’s game history, the company often supported its previous consoles for a good couple of years after the new hardware’s release. I’d expect that after 2026 the Switch 2 will start to become the go-to platform for most big game, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a handful of key Nintendo games still supporting original Switch for another year at least.

There’s no ‘whole new experience’ you’ll miss other than Game Chat, that camera and the mouse 

The original Switch was an eye-opener because it was a portable, full game console that could dock with your TV and turn into a shareable console with modular controllers. It was different from anything Nintendo had made before. The Switch 2 is mostly the same proposition, just nicer.

You won’t feel the same regret for missing out on a whole new way to play this time, since it’s a continuation of the same idea. There are two new features you might envy: audio or video Game Chat among friends and the new Joy-Cons working like mice in some supported games. But Game Chat works only with other Switch 2 owners and needs a Switch Online subscription. The mouse functions are fun at times, but could also end up as just a gimmick. For now, the Switch 2 hasn’t pulled that many wild new functions out of its hat, but that could change, knowing Nintendo. There are also some fun camera-connected party game modes for Mario Party Jamboree if you happen to connect a camera, but no other games even have new camera-based features yet.

It’s fine to wait, but tariffs are still a question mark

I’m saying this well before I’ve had a chance to review the Switch 2, and for sure, it looks like the best Nintendo console in a long while and worth upgrading to. But take some comfort that missing out on getting one early this time isn’t quite as big a deal as it was in 2017, even if you’re feeling the pull of regret. 

The only wild card remains the question of the effect tariffs will have on future console pricing. Will it fluctuate? I hope not, but the prices of Nintendo’s Switch 2 accessories have already gone up as a result of Trump’s chaotic tariff policies, and it’s unclear if that might happen again. The state of pricing and consumer electronics is still in an unknown zone, but in the meantime, you can still have a lot of fun on the Switch you already have, now and even in the near future.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, May 4

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 4.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword isn’t too tough, but if you’re like me, your mind will go to a different word for 1-Across. They mean the same thing, but have different letters. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Wines that Napa Valley is renowned for, informally
Answer: CABS

5A clue: «Right away!»
Answer: ATONCE

8A clue: School students
Answer: PUPILS

9A clue: Make a mistake … or 8-Across backward
Answer: SLIPUP

10A clue: Many a new driver
Answer: TEEN

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Items of clothing that may be worn backward
Answer: CAPS

2D clue: ___ Gawande, surgeon with the #1 New York Times best seller «Being Mortal»
Answer: ATUL

3D clue: Hasbro toy with a pull handle and twistable crank
Answer: BOPIT

4D clue: Criticize snarkily, with «at»
Answer: SNIPE

6D clue: You’re reading it
Answer: CLUE

7D clue: Channel with «2» and «U» spinoffs
Answer: ESPN

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for May 4, #223

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 223, for May 4.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Connections: Sports Edition is a mix of easy and hard. If you start to recognize a certain state’s teams, you’ll do well. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.  

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Take the bases.

Green group hint: Golden State.

Blue group hint: Same first name.

Purple group hint: Hockey teams.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: A base runner’s actions.

Green group: California college teams.

Blue group: Reggies.

Purple group: First words of NHL team names.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is a base runner’s actions. The four answers are lead, slide, steal and tag.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is California college teams. The four answers are Bears, Bruins, Cardinal and Trojans.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Reggies. The four answers are Bush, Jackson, Miller and White.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is first words of NHL team names. The four answers are blue, golden, maple and red.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for May 4, #693

Hints and answers for Connections for May 4, #693.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

OK, today’s Connections puzzle purple category made me laugh out loud. Spacey! Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, showing number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Leathery meat.

Green group hint: Plug in, rock out.

Blue group hint: You’ll need a wide straw.

Purple group hint: Celestial bodies get a makeover.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Qualities of overcooked meat.

Green group: Play some electric guitar.

Blue group: Ingredients in bubble tea.

Purple group: Planets/dwarf planet with first letter changed.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is qualities of overcooked meat. The four answers are chewy, dry, stringy and tough.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is play some electric guitar. The four answers are jam, noodle, shred and solo.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is ingredients in bubble tea. The four answers are boba, milk, sugar and tea.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is planets/dwarf planet with first letter changed. The four answers are Bluto, Cars, Darth and Genus, for Pluto, Mars, Earth and Venus.

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