I started to play the new Fanatsy Life game with a bit of hesitation. I had heard a lot of good things about it – especially from the folks at Into the Aether – but I didn't really connect with the previous installment on 3DS.

Turns out my worries were unfounded. It's a great "best of cozy games" package, full of fun characters and endless (!) distractions.

With all its charm, the game feels right at home on the Switch 2. Honestly, this could have made for a great platform exclusive launch title. For whatever reason, though, Nintendo and Level-5 didn’t go that route with this release in the series. Still, I’d always recommend playing something like this on a portable system. Being able to fish, mine and craft in between what ever life throws at you is the best way to enjoy a game like this.

I got my Switch 2 on launch day. The store where I had my pre-order placed had messaged me the day before saying there was a chance it might be delayed. So I spent Thursday morning anxiously refreshing my inbox, waiting to find out whether I could pick it up or not.

Picking it up in-store turned out to be a pretty pleasant experience. While in line, I chatted with other people who had pre-ordered their consoles – an instant connection, thanks to all of us putting money down months ago. Capitalism! Topics ranged from the launch line-up (lacklustre, their opinion), the accessories (not needed) to pricing (too expensive). Still, we all walked out grinning, consoles and games in hand.

The smile didn’t vanish when setting up the console itself: The return of menu music! Yes, only for set-up, but still a welcome surprise. More of this, please, Nintendo! (My hope is, that now that they have played it relatively save when it comes to the hardware, maybe they can invest more into playful companion software.)

The other thing that immediately struck me, was just how big the Switch 2 is. It’s enormous! That’s great when it comes to actually seeing things on the display (great screen, btw), but less so for carrying this thing around or holding it over longer stretches of time. I immediately started to anticipate the inevitable arrival of the Switch 2 Lite, to be honest.

The only real Switch 2 game I played so far was Mario Kart World. It’s a delight. So much charm when it comes to the characters and the world – I kind of want to hug all of my little racer buddies (especially the cow)! Both Grand Prix and K.O. Tour are great modes that truly feel different to precious iterations, thanks to the interconnected world. And some of the stages are just mind-blowing. During my race on the returning Rainbow Road, I kept wanting to stop and just take in the scenery. But I guess this is what the free driving mode is for (which, to be honest, I haven’t explored that much yet).

So yeah, I am happy!