Nintendo is no stranger to the concept of a launch day pack-in game. The Wii famously included Wii Sports, the DS came with an impressive demo of Metroid Prime Hunters, and even the Game Boy was bundled with Tetris in North America, forever changing the market. Which is why we’re all puzzled as to why Nintendo is charging for their new game, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
When it was revealed during the Direct, it was sold as an experience aimed around helping you get to grips with the new mouse mode controls of the Switch 2, while simultaneously sharing secrets about the console and Nintendo itself. That sounds like definition of a pack-in title, right? A cool little package that teaches you about the console, just like a certain little PlayStation mascot.
We're sure many Nintendo fans would give a lot to peek behind Mario’s curtain for a glimpse of the in-between phase of their game development. Sure, Welcome Tour won’t show you how the next 3D Mario game is being developed (or will it?) but it plans to offer us a slew of minigames, or as Nintendo is actually calling them, “tech demos.” The latter was a phrase Nintendo wasn’t shy about tossing around during our demo.
Welcome Tour lets you explore a world through the lens of a tiny human who’s exploring the nooks and crannies of a Switch 2 console. Much like a media event or an exhibition like PAX, you roam around the areas interacting with tiny NPC attendants who teach you and then quiz you on the tech within the Switch 2. We appreciated the depth these quizzes went into and could see how this element in particular could help game developers and even future generations learn about how to creatively use Nintendo’s hardware to develop their dream games.
You’ll also find little booths dotted all around the console featuring minigames run by digital demoists who are ready and eager to walk you through them. Many of them show off features of the Switch 2 and challenge you to identify and engage with them. One game asks you to identify the frame rate, showcasing the Switch's more powerful capabilities. Another focuses on the resolution, looking at the power and output of the system, for example. This combines Nintendo's typical philosophy of entertainment and play with the power of education.
During our time with the game, we had the chance to try a bullet-hell inspired anti-shoot-em' up that tasks you with dodging spiked balls for as long as possible. This is played in mouse mode, and controlled quite well! It was quite fun trying to squeeze our way through any gap we could find as quickly as possible.
However, we were fully expecting the maracas tech demo to give us that “WOW” moment like Ball Game did in 1-2 Switch on the original Switch, but it was much less exciting than we hoped.
Even with the educational elements, these activities don’t seem to offer up much substance beyond a high score system that rewards you with medals, but we could see ourselves easily falling in love with them. If anything, they reminded us of the fly swatting minigame found in the SNES's Mario Paint — fun, short, and easy to enjoy.
Nintendo has been building and showing off tech demos for their consoles for years now, but it feels quite unique that it’s letting the public get their hands on some of them with Welcome Tour. We’re itching to get our hands on the full package when it hits Switch 2 on launch day - we’re really hoping we find something just as exciting and enticing to get stuck in. Give us a new rock skipping tech demo like Wii Play Motion had, and we’re sold.
Part of us wishes we didn't have to pay for it, especially as it's a launch title. At least, at the time of writing, the game looks like it'll be under $10, but we hope there are some hidden secrets that will make picking this up a necessity for budding game developers.
Comments 112
It really should be free and as a pack-in game. Kinda like what Astro Bot Playroom was.
Well at least this isn't 80 dollars at the very least. Still it should have been free.
In a world where Astro’s Playroom exists, Nintendo charging for this thing is a joke and an insult. And this thing is going to be FAR less impressive based on what we’ve seen so far.
I love Nintendo, but they’re dropping balls this time around.
I was really surprised it’s paid. Not too sure who the paying audience is? I’ll see when it comes out
Not even a question - this should've absolutely been a pack-in and it really isn't okay for them to slap a price tag on this.
Not even confident if I'd play it if it was free.
At least if it's optional, you can save a bit of storage by skipping it
"Should 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour' Be A Pack-In Game?"
Yes.
It’s a tutorial for the system, of course it should be.
Guys lets be glad that it isn't 80 dollars at the very least.
They'll sell us a tutorial but they won't sell us themes.
"Hey, we made a small game that'll show you more about the Switch 2 and you can learn everything about it!...As a separate purchase from the system itself, give us $70 more."
I'm surprised it's not free. At the very least it would have taken the edge off of the prices. I guess it's not for everyone, it seems a bit more serious than Astrobot. And the Switch has a lot less room for something like this to live inside it lol. But yeah, Mr Furukawa is taking no prisoners. I'll wait for a review (hahaha, you know there will be one!)
yes. just by reading the title, yes.
I'm still expecting them to announce you get it free with NSO or the expansion pack. I just can't imagine enough people buying this to justify selling it.
Yes. The very least free for online members
Yes. There's no other possible correct answer.
think "fsirñy unique" might be a typo
Yes it should be. It is incredibly stupid on Nintendo's part not to have it be. I wouldn't be surprised if that does change before release.
And after seeing it on the livestream today it looks incredibly charming but in this case I got to vote with my wallet.
Yes and it shouldn't even be a game, it should've been integrated into the user interface, ideally with Miis! If they weren't gonna make it free you'd think they'd at least have the sense to call it something other than "Welcome Tour"!
Feels like Nintendo just can't resist getting arrogant and complacent after a successful console.
One of the most baffling business decisions Nintendo has ever made.
And that covers a lot of ground.
Imagine paying for a manual.
Interactive manuals are still manuals. It's really dumb that they're charging for this. Why were games like Face Raiders and Streetpass Mii Plaza free but this is paid?
Nintendo is getting greedy and I don't like it.
No reason it shouldn’t. At least give us a game to start it if we can’t afford Mario Kart World or some of the other Switch 2 games atm.
Doesn’t sound like it has a bunch of mini games worth playing, so glad it isn’t baked into the price of the system. Which is what a “free” game would be.
Honestly if sony had given me the choice of 10 bucks off to not have astro’s playroom (which I have never used. Didn’t even know it existed until astro bot came out), I would take the discount and some hdd space back.
Having watched some of it, it’s full of charm and polish and I’m looking forward to playing it, there’s more to it than a “manual.” Of course I wish it was bundled in.
I do think Nintendo’s history of pack-in titles is overstated. I’ve seen professional commentators incorrectly call games from 1-2 Switch to Snipperclips “pack-in” games. The Switch didn’t have a pack-in game.
Even examples such as Wii Sports were only pack-ins in certain markets, after lots of internal arguing with regional arms like NoA. In Japan the Wii had no pack-in. One of Nintendo’s most consistent stances is to not devalue their software.
There is no reason for it not to. Astro's Playroom was free, so this should be, too. A tutorial for a system being sold separately is inexcusably greedy.
@swoose thank you. Here you can borrow my flame shield. When I mention that I get tagged.
This is like one of those auto installed 3ds games you played for like 10 minutes and never touched again. There’s no world where this shouldn’t be free.
"Hands On: Should 'Nintendo Switch 2 Pack-in Game, Exclusively For Pack-ins, Pack-ins Only' Be A Pack-In Game?
Nintendo, why are you depriving kids and fans of this content?
Control your greed.
Looks like utter garbage
Mario Kart and DK, as much as I don't like the prices, I can somewhat get behind due to them being high-quality looking games and whatever. But this? Nuh-uh. Inexcusable. Paying for a tutorial on how to use the system? Something that we can all do on the internet for free? Get real.
It should come free for Switch 2 owners, how hard is that? Even if they charge 5.00 digital that is what you would charge for DLC and those come with more. But this should come Day-One with Switch 2 standalone or bundle editions.
A hub to explore for tutorials, tech info, tech-demos and mini-games.
"Should 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour' Be A Pack-In Game?"
Yes. It seems to be the one thing that people and the gaming press did not like in the Switch 2 Direct. I think Nintendo would be better off if it was free.
"At least, at the time of writing, the game looks like it'll be under $10"
The price might be acceptable. I would say it depends on the final price compared to the amount and quality of the mini games.
But Nintendo still failed. Because if this turnes out to be an ok price, then Nintendo should have shown more about the minigames and the low price in the Direct so people would get the impression that this is just as much a game as a tuturial/tech showcase/tech demo.
I really can’t believe this isn’t a pack in game.
Nintendo have become so greedy but I suppose we should be grateful to get a charger in the box unlike the 3DS!
@datamonkey Shhhhh! Do NOT remind them about that, we all hope they forgot!
It should come with every Switch 2. Astro Bot was with every PS5 and both the Steam Deck and Valve Index had free introductory games with each device.
@Ziondood
"Should 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour' Be A Pack-In Game?"
I like polls. Can you add one to the article?
While the price of consoles and games was impacted by the anticipation of US tariffs is unclear, making this a pack-in would make this be a little bit easier of a pill to swallow. I think they should try to include some freebies for online members to minimize sticker shock
I'm fine with the price of the console, given what a massive hardware leap this is.
But charging for a tech demo, physical games costing up to $80, and the Switch 2 not being compatible with my 1.5 TB microSD card meaning I'll have to shell out for another one? Yeah, there was a lot here that's really rubbed me the wrong way.
This is the first time I've felt angry at Nintendo in 5 years--the last time being all their dumb limited-time games back in 2020. Other than that, I couldn't have been happier as a consumer during the Switch era. Some games were a bit overpriced, like the HD ports, but the quality was there so I accepted it. But it's starring to get indefensible.
They definitely aren't starting this new generation off on the right foot. But hey, the good news is that maybe the OG Nintendo Switch will become the bestselling console of all-time after all, considering many were turned off by the pricing.
Hopefully, Nintendo course corrects before it's too late.
Yes, who is this even supposed to appeal to really?
I held my judgement until the treehouse today. It’s really sterile and other than the well designed mini games, it just looks like a digital information booklet. It does look well designed and it is cheap though.
The Wii had Wii Sports included. 3DS has Face Raiders, the Mii Plaza, and that AR game. Even their competitors at PlayStation have a free game on the console that shows off the system’s features. It’s crazy Nintendo has moved away from that.
I mean, why even make it in the first place if you want people to pay for it?
“Allo’ monsieur, welcom’ to your very expensive hotel room, would you like a novella featuring a detailed explaination for how your plumbing works? For a fee of course. It has cartoons in it!”
“Eh, no thanks, I spent a lot of money on this hotel room, I’d rather save my money on a book I actually want to read, thanks.”
“Sacre bleu! Why does no one want to pay for our plumbing book? We spent money making it!”
It’s just hard to comprehend that this isnt included for free, and not preloaded onto the switch 2 in the first place. Very odd decision from Nintendo
If they're going to charge for it, they should at least offer it to NSO subscribers at no additional cost.
I'd pay $1 for it. 100% should be free.
Removed - trolling/baiting
Should my cat stop knocking things off my shelves if he knows what's good for him?
@dskatter They're getting cocky. MS, Sony, and Nintendo all do this when their previous system sells well. When they inevitably do bad with the follow up, they become humble to try to win people back over.
@KBuckley27 This isn't really a game though. It's a bundle of glorified tech demos. Lol
Do you think Face Raiders, the Mii Plaza, and the AR game for the 3DS should've had a price tag as well? What about the various Wii Channel apps?
@Yosher Nintendo won't be greedy for long when the Switch 2 gets off to a slow start like the 3DS and Wii U.
@Kimyonaakuma I mean, Astro Bot was preinstalled, but you could delete it and reinstall it later if you wanted.
Anything more than $5 is a Joke and Nintendo should be deeply Ashamed.
1. Yes.
2. Most certainly.
3. Heck yeah.
4. What do you think?
I say it depends on the price. For all we know, it could be $0.99.
I don't know what's worse. The fact that Nintendo is charging for this or some people who already said they are buying it no matter what.😐
My answer was ‘yes’ before reading the article. It remains so after reading the article.
It shouldn't be a game at all- it should be a YouTube video
That's arrogance at its peak. It's like they're shouting "Yes, we're the ones in charge here. We can do whatever we want. Just look at our numbers! That being said, open your wallets cause we wanna make you bleed!"
The same old arrogance every time they're on top. Nintendo curse at its finest.
@KBuckley27 And this is the reason why they come rolling all the way down from the top every other generation: they never learn. They don't care about keeping a fan base. As soon as they have the opportunity, they implement a predatory practice again. And, no, not every company does that
Yes it should be. It makes no sense to charge money for a glorified tutorial, and I hope it gets zero sales.
This looks like something not even worth taking the time to watch a playthrough on YouTube, let alone buying it. If it were free, I'd possibly try it for the novelty but...
Yes, with no question.
Should absolutely be a free pack-in game. I will not be giving them my money for this.
2% trolls answered "Nope!". Or maybe Nintendo infiltrated this websites... Nintendo life is compromised!
It's a complete joke honestly. Now I'm just purposely not buying it even though it's a few bucks. It's the principle.
@KBuckley27
It’s something the Japanese were always against. Hell in Japan you were lucky to get your necessary cables with consoles back then. The Japanese GameCube base package famously didn’t come with video cables.
The Switch oled is my last nintendo system. They've been incredibly greedy this past generation (no greatest hits?), and this kind of thing... seriously.
There will be no Switch 2 in my household. I'll get a PS6 when my PS5 is no longer supported.
N.E.S. came with Super Mario Brothers / Duck Hunt / Track & Field (or whatever it called)
WiiU came with NintendoLand!
Switch came with an empty bank account!
@KBuckley27
Reggie didn't do a darn thing.
He was nothing more than a carnival barker!
Yes. Need I say more?
@Spider-Kev what he’s saying about Reggie’s involvement on Wii Sports being packed in is 100% factual
Of all the recent announcements, this one, a tech demo costing players extra cash, may be even greedier than 80 bucks for a Mario Kart game
How is this even a question? Paying extra for what is effectively a MANUAL?! Just as well the game prices are so reasonable then OH HANG ON A MO
I wonder if they'll wind up making it free shortly after launch after they soak the compulsive early adopters
@aznable I definitely agree Nintendo is being greedy, but you seriously think Sony has been any different with the PS5? Lol.
You won't even get a Switch 2 when the price drops?
@John_Deacon All three of the console manufacturers do this. Look at Sony with the PS3 or MS with the One.
You know, it’s very odd to me that gamers for years have screamed bloody murder about every single tutorial Nintendo has put out, only to lose their collective minds about this one.
You can’t have it both ways, fellas.
And that’s not even considering that gamers supposedly pride themselves on knowing all the tech inside and out already.
This isn’t for you, and yet suddenly, it’s the hill you want to die on?
Make it make sense.
It’s going to be a small novelty that would hold one’s appeal for an hour and then never be touched again. You know you wouldn’t even bother with it if it were pre-installed or free to download. Mountains outta Monty Mole’s molehills.
91% saying it should be free with the system. That could be the most dominant NL poll ever!
I retain hope that it will be free. It's a download game so obviously Nintendo can change their mind at any time and offer it free.
"Part of us wishes we didn't have to pay for it"
You don't. Ignore it.
This little novelty absolutely should have been given for free to console buyers - get people invested in their new purchase, create some good will, build momentum! Don’t nickel and dime people.
Mr. Sawada and Reggie would not have greenlit this, nor would they have stayed silent during all the pricing uproar we heard today. Has Nintendo changed this much?
Just another sign of the times, I guess.
Maybe but the fact that it wasn't included with the Switch 2 and that I don't have to buy it if I don't want to is okay with me. Saves me time, money, and space just like how I never bought into any of those awful 1-2 Switch games.
@Teksette Mr. Sawada and Reggie would not have greenlit this, nor would they have stayed silent during all the pricing uproar we heard today. Has Nintendo changed this much?
Yeah but then NintendoLand happen, it wasn't bundle with every Wii U console. They had made their own guilty decisions which is why the Wii U failed the way it did. You also had to remember that the reason the 3DS had a price dropped in the first place was cause they screw up its launch by doing this exact same thing.
@KidSparta
According to who, Reggie?
@HalBailman I probably wouldn't get it even for free, I rather save my 256gb of internal storage space for a better game.
Absolutely it should be a pack-in game. Even if it was I probably wouldn't ever actually check it out but We Have Astro's Playroom At Home shouldn't cost a dime.
It looks really boring though. I don't wanna know how my system works, I just wanna play games. I know that might sound a little arrogant, but gaming is about escapism and fun, the technical jargon or pricing should never be a worry.
I have this sneaking suspicion that Nintendo only feels compelled to make consumer friendly decisions when their back is up against the wall. Nobody owns a Gamecube? Throw a free sports game in with the next system and make it a banger. Nobody bought a 3ds at launch? Drop the price and throw in some old games as a bonus for people who bought in early. They were only so generous before because they were in danger of failing. The Switch has been the most successful console by far, so naturally they're doing the opposite. Charge $80 for the full mario party experience on top of the $60 you already paid for that game. Charge $80 for the flagship launch title. Charge for game upgrades so you feel like you're missing out if you don't spend more on games you already own for Switch 1. Charge an extra $10 for physical games on top of charging $70 as a base price now; this is especially awful considering cartridges only contain download licenses now and don't actually have the game installed. And apparently, they'll even charge for the most basic tech demo that was clearly designed to be included for free with the system. It's like they're trying to make people upset with all this nickle-and-diming. I already gotta stomach a $500 purchase but this other anti-customer pricing behavior is making me reconsider that purchase.
@Serpenterror
Fair point, even if equating NintendoLand (a decent party game with intrinsic value) to this humble mini edutainment manual doesn’t seem like a fair comparison.
I find myself agreeing with you and others’ assessment here - maybe Nintendo has gotten a little overconfident following the Switch triumph, like after the NES/SNES, DS, and Wii generations.
But I still say that Sawada-san and Reggie were more willing (or more permitted) to communicate and make tough calls when needed. They made a great course correction with the 3DS, There were just too many problems with the Wii U to fix, though, beyond pack-in games.
Not only should be free but it should a game for the switch 1 that gets us hyped for the system.
The 135 people who voted any degree of "no", who are you?
Yea, I mean, who can understand every weird pricing decision, but, this should 1,000% have been a pack in.
@anoyonmus Nah, that mentality just enables companies like Nintendo to get away with this sort of thing. It's like saying, "Hey, that guy may have murdered someone, but at least he didn't kill a million people!" Instead of saying, "Things could be worse," we should instead be saying, "Things could be better."
Welcome seems less for the players and more for the devs. Looking at it that way makes it an even worse proposition because now they’re saying you need to pay to explore the features we want you to implement.
Was Nintendoland free? Cause that and 1-2 Switch were games that certainly should've been free.
Also important to remember that Wii Sports wasn't free in all regions.
At least it should be free game to download for NS2 owners cause it's just simple tutorial/intorduction to NS2 & it's capabilities!
Nintendo becoming more arrogant and greedy than even Sony this gen is quite ridiculous.
Should be freely included. It just looks like a dry tour of the console with mini games thrown in to demonstrate its features. Probably fine for its purpose, but if I was shown this next to Astro’s Playroom with no prior knowledge and asked which one was a paid game and which was a free tutorial, I’d think Astro was the paid one.
@Spider-Kev sites have been reporting that since shortly after the Wii’s release, but also yes, according to Reggie. So he’s either telling the truth, or he’s had everyone fooled for the better part of 20 years - and it’s merely a convenient coincidence that Wii Sports was not included with Wiis in Japan specifically. Like him or not, it’s difficult to argue that he didn’t contribute in this specific instance.
This seems to be, essentially, the systems tutorial. Tutorials are really enhanced manuals Don't charge extra for the manual.
@Lanmanna Sony has been pretty good with frequent price reductions on digital first-party games, and even buying discs used is often less expensive than used Switch cartridges.
The OG Switch never dropped in price, what makes you think they'll feel the pressure to drop the price of the next one? It was $299 at launch, and it still is on Amazon. Nintendo is currently in a place, I'm sure, where they feel they can do no wrong and can charge what they like. Sure they can, but I'm not buying.
@Lanmanna Ah, didn't know that. So it's worse all around haha
As we are probably not going to get any manual, yes completely
Wii Sports was a pack in to show off the controls, this should have been.
True that Wii Play was a stand alone, but at least that came with a controller.
Come on Zion, this isn't a question. It's ludicrous to even consider selling this.
Astro's Playroom wasn't even a tech demo, it was essentially a free-to-play platformer without a single microtransaction.
While it's nice to see Nintendo giving its touch on tech demos, it would've been better if it was free. It's as simple as that.
Nintendo: Money PLEEEEEASE!!
The fact they are charging for this is some straight crackhead behavior.
Absolutely. There shouldn’t even be an argument against the idea of this being a pack-in title, the fact that it’s paid is a complete joke
@DonJorginho agreed and also your pfp is incredible
Can't wait to see the Sales figures on this. Tutorial Sales figures = nothing sold at all lol
Seriously though the very idea they expect people to pay for what is essentially a tutorial is just absurd.
This has to be one of the most unanimous votes I've ever seen here. Love to see that people actually can agree on something!
This should definitely be free (can be digital only). And it should be free for Switch 1 too. On S1 not all features will be availed, but it can get the people curious and interested in the S2.
I don’t think Nintendo has any obligation to spend time developing software and give it away for free, so I don’t really get the rage about it. Happy to just ignore it.
But I can’t see who they expect would want to pay for this if the games aren’t the kind of thing you’d want to replay. It just seems a waste of their time. Maybe they’ll end up making it free for NSO subscribers. Not that it would likely tip anyone over the edge into subscribing if they don’t think the other benefits of NSO are enough.
Personally it look like the kind of thing I’d maybe spend an hour on out of curiosity and quite enjoy, but I wouldn’t want to spend more than a couple of quid for that.
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