Nintendo at Fan Expo 2025: Hands-on With Elden Ring Tarnished Edition, Borderlands 4 and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Playing the biggest upcoming releases on Nintendo Switch 2
By Paul Hunter
I had an incredible time at the Nintendo booth at Fan Expo Canada 2025, where I got to go hands-on with the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 and its lineup of new and upcoming games. From blasting enemies on the all-new planet Kairos to playing enhanced versions of criticall-acclaimed adventures, the booth was packed with energy, excitement, and plenty of fans eager to experience what’s next for Nintendo. Here are my hands-on impressions with three big upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 games.
At one point, I had a pack of enemies barreling at me, so I hit them with a blast that Entangled the whole squad. Suddenly, every bit of damage I dealt spread across them, letting me mop up with just a spray of bullets. Later, when the arena got too crowded, I tossed out one of Harlowe’s cluster bomb gadgets, jumped up to higher ground using the new double jump and glide system, and dropped another CHROMA blast from above. It felt smooth, fast, and just plain fun.
By the end of the demo, I was grinning ear to ear. Harlowe feels like a perfect mix of damage dealer and crowd controller, and the new traversal mechanics add a whole new rhythm to Borderlands combat. Mark your calendars—Borderlands 4 drops October 3, 2025 on Switch 2, and it’s shaping up to be a blast.
Visually, the game looked very good on Nintendo's new hardware. Naturally, it doesn’t match the graphical fidelity of the PS5 or PC versions, but I was impressed by the level of detail the Switch 2 was able to deliver. Textures were crisp, lighting effects looked great, and the sense of scale was intact. Honestly, it was a bit surreal—I caught myself thinking, “Wow, I’m playing Elden Ring on a Nintendo Switch.” Seeing such a demanding game running on this system, and running well, was a really exciting moment.
The Tarnished Edition introduces several exclusive features that add fresh reasons to dive back into the Lands Between. These include four new Armour Sets, additional weapons, and customization options for Torrent, your spectral steed. The demo also highlighted one of the new classes, the Heavy Knight, which felt like a strong fit for newcomers who prefer a tankier build. And of course, the full edition bundles the base game with the massive Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. If the rest of the package holds up like the demo did, Tarnished Edition could be an exciting new way to experience Elden Ring when it arrives on Switch 2.
Once I landed, the game wasted no time throwing me into firefights against Space Pirates alongside Federation soldiers. The action felt classic Metroid Prime—arm cannon blasts, charged shots, missiles, and Morph Ball bombs—but sharper and more fluid than ever. What really stood out was Mouse Mode, a new control option on Switch 2. It let me steer Samus’ view with pinpoint precision, almost like playing an FPS on PC. The responsiveness was great, and it provide even better precision during fast-paced battles.
The highlight was the boss fight against Aberax, a hulking monstrosity covered in pulsing weak points. Here, Mouse Mode shined—I was able to hover my aim over vulnerable spots, waiting for the perfect opening, while dodging laser walls and rolling into Morph Ball to avoid its most powerful attacks. The encounter was tense, cinematic, and challenging. By the end of the demo, I walked away very impressed—Metroid Prime 4 looks stunning, plays flawlessly, and proves the Switch 2 is ready for cinematic epics.
That concluded my visit to the Nintendo booth at Fan Expo Canada 2025. If you're headed to the event this weekend, be sure to stop by Nintendo's booth to check out the recently released and upcoming lineup of Nintendo Switch 2 games!
By Paul Hunter
I had an incredible time at the Nintendo booth at Fan Expo Canada 2025, where I got to go hands-on with the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 and its lineup of new and upcoming games. From blasting enemies on the all-new planet Kairos to playing enhanced versions of criticall-acclaimed adventures, the booth was packed with energy, excitement, and plenty of fans eager to experience what’s next for Nintendo. Here are my hands-on impressions with three big upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 games.
Borderlands 4
My first stop at Nintendo’s booth had to be Borderlands 4, and wow—I’m glad it was. I got a solid 20 minutes with Harlowe, the new Gravitar class, and she’s already one of my favourite Vault Hunters. Her weapons gave me options: I could line up headshots with a sniper, swap to a pistol when things got close, or unload with elemental rifles when I needed raw power. But her CHROMA Accelerator ability? Absolute game-changer. It sent waves of cryo energy through enemies, freezing groups in place and making them sitting ducks for follow-up attacks.At one point, I had a pack of enemies barreling at me, so I hit them with a blast that Entangled the whole squad. Suddenly, every bit of damage I dealt spread across them, letting me mop up with just a spray of bullets. Later, when the arena got too crowded, I tossed out one of Harlowe’s cluster bomb gadgets, jumped up to higher ground using the new double jump and glide system, and dropped another CHROMA blast from above. It felt smooth, fast, and just plain fun.
By the end of the demo, I was grinning ear to ear. Harlowe feels like a perfect mix of damage dealer and crowd controller, and the new traversal mechanics add a whole new rhythm to Borderlands combat. Mark your calendars—Borderlands 4 drops October 3, 2025 on Switch 2, and it’s shaping up to be a blast.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
Next up, I spent 20 minutes with Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition running on a docked Nintendo Switch 2, and I came away impressed. The demo began right at the start of the game, throwing me against the punishing first boss before opening into the rolling fields of Limgrave. Performance was surprisingly solid—a stable, locked 30 fps throughout the session—making combat responsive and exploration smooth. Once outside the cave, I immediately challenged the Tree Sentinel, and even during the most chaotic moments, the frame rate held steady, which gave me confidence in how the Switch 2 handles this massive world, at least in docked mode.Visually, the game looked very good on Nintendo's new hardware. Naturally, it doesn’t match the graphical fidelity of the PS5 or PC versions, but I was impressed by the level of detail the Switch 2 was able to deliver. Textures were crisp, lighting effects looked great, and the sense of scale was intact. Honestly, it was a bit surreal—I caught myself thinking, “Wow, I’m playing Elden Ring on a Nintendo Switch.” Seeing such a demanding game running on this system, and running well, was a really exciting moment.
The Tarnished Edition introduces several exclusive features that add fresh reasons to dive back into the Lands Between. These include four new Armour Sets, additional weapons, and customization options for Torrent, your spectral steed. The demo also highlighted one of the new classes, the Heavy Knight, which felt like a strong fit for newcomers who prefer a tankier build. And of course, the full edition bundles the base game with the massive Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. If the rest of the package holds up like the demo did, Tarnished Edition could be an exciting new way to experience Elden Ring when it arrives on Switch 2.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
My final demo at the Nintendo booth was for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and it immediately hooked me from the moment Samus’ ship soared across the galaxy and descended onto the ravaged planet Tenmaar. The visuals are jaw-dropping—her visor gleams with reflections, explosions light up the battlefield, and the rocky terrain feels alive with detail. Running on the Nintendo Switch 2, this might be the most impressive-looking Nintendo game I’ve ever seen, and the fact it stayed silky smooth throughout the demo just made it even more impressive.Once I landed, the game wasted no time throwing me into firefights against Space Pirates alongside Federation soldiers. The action felt classic Metroid Prime—arm cannon blasts, charged shots, missiles, and Morph Ball bombs—but sharper and more fluid than ever. What really stood out was Mouse Mode, a new control option on Switch 2. It let me steer Samus’ view with pinpoint precision, almost like playing an FPS on PC. The responsiveness was great, and it provide even better precision during fast-paced battles.
The highlight was the boss fight against Aberax, a hulking monstrosity covered in pulsing weak points. Here, Mouse Mode shined—I was able to hover my aim over vulnerable spots, waiting for the perfect opening, while dodging laser walls and rolling into Morph Ball to avoid its most powerful attacks. The encounter was tense, cinematic, and challenging. By the end of the demo, I walked away very impressed—Metroid Prime 4 looks stunning, plays flawlessly, and proves the Switch 2 is ready for cinematic epics.
That concluded my visit to the Nintendo booth at Fan Expo Canada 2025. If you're headed to the event this weekend, be sure to stop by Nintendo's booth to check out the recently released and upcoming lineup of Nintendo Switch 2 games!