PSA - My top 3 reasons why you need to unbox and set up the Switch 2 before Christmas Day

1. Hardware
2. Nintendo Switch 2

PSA - My top 3 reasons why you need to unbox and set up the Switch 2 before Christmas Day News By Rosalie Newcombe published 9 December 2025

Get that Switch 2 ready for a stress-free day

Comments (0) ()

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Future/Rosalie Newcombe) Don't know how to set up a Switch 2?

(Image credit: Future)

Check out our Nintendo Switch 2 setup guide if you're unsure of how to get the Ninty handheld primed and prepared for the holidays. The guide takes you through not just how to hook it up, but also the steps required to get the internet up and running and everything else you need to know.

If you're planning on giving the gift of Ninty goodness this year that is the Nintendo Switch 2, I highly recommend that you get it charged and set up ahead of Christmas Day.

Feel free to leave it in its red cardboard prison if you're gifting it to an older gaming fan who likes to tinker around with wires and hardware. However, getting the new handheld set up and ready to go ahead of the big day will not only free up your precious free time, but will also mean whoever you're gifting it to can enjoy it, and any games and accessories, right there and then.

If you aren't yet convinced, I've outlined my top 3 reasons why getting the Switch 2 prepared ahead of time can make the holidays extra special down below. To top it all off, I've also included extra tips and shopping advice from one Nintendo fan to the likely parent of another, that can ensure the time spent with the new handheld is as magical as possible when December 25 finally arrives.

You may like

• Should you buy a Nintendo Switch on Black Friday?
• These Nintendo Switch game deals at Woot are perfect presents in the making
• Which Nintendo Switch should you buy this Black Friday?

1. It will give you more time to relax on Christmas Day

(Image credit: Phil Hayton)

If you're a parent or just the organised one of your friends and family, Christmas can be stressful. There's a huge list of things that need attention, from the food to any extra family and guests arriving, and so the last thing you want to do is to spend any more of your valuable time messing around with tedious gaming tech.

Unboxing and setting the Switch 2 up ahead of Christmas Day, however, means you can spend more time on more pressing matters, or just spend more time off your feet and relaxing, as you deserve to do on such a special day.

It doesn't have to make the gifting of the handheld less special, either. You can still wrap up the Switch 2 box under the tree, and have the actual device hidden under a wrapped cardboard box and sat next to the TV. A cute trick I like to do, which always goes down well each year, is to tell my loved one to close their eyes and place the item (in this case, the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers) in their hand. All you then have to do is tell them to open their eyes, and they'll get the wonderful surprise of the brand-new Nintendo handheld.

2. Any Switch 2 games you gift can be enjoyed straight away

(Image credit: Future/Rosalie Newcombe)

By setting up the handheld ahead of time, you can ensure any Switch 2 games, accessories, or other goodies you gift on the day can be enjoyed as soon as possible.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

For example, if there's a copy of Donkey Kong Bananza under the tree, your loved one can pop that into their new Switch 2 and play it there and then. Instead of having to wait for the tedium of unboxing the device and getting the internet all connected, the only thing they'll have to worry about is any patch updates to the game - which are an unavoidable annoyance in this modern age of gaming.

Setting up ahead of time can be particularly handy if you've happened to grab and gift any party games, like Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, which is available for $79 at Amazon right now. With the handheld all ready to go, you and your loved one can play through a series of Super Mario Party mini-games on Christmas Day, which is always fun. Jamboree has remained a fixture of all my family's social gatherings since its release, and I've been asked by my in-laws to bring it over again this year.

You can bet that I'll be setting up the Switch 2 on Christmas Eve, to ensure we can all play through some mini-games and boards on December 25 without any annoying setup issues getting in the way of our holiday celebrations.

You may like

• Should you buy a Nintendo Switch on Black Friday?
• These Nintendo Switch game deals at Woot are perfect presents in the making
• Which Nintendo Switch should you buy this Black Friday?

3. You can be reassured it's working fine and avoid any disappointment

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

This tip hits home, as I'm pretty cursed when it comes to being gifted new consoles, and handhelds in particular, for the holidays. In the past, when Santa brought me the then brand new Nintendo DS, I was hit with a rare dead pixel on the touch-screen, and had to return it later on. This happened again a few years after the PS Vita was released, as my Sony handheld was plagued with a rare charging fault, which meant I couldn't enjoy it on the day. Which, as you can imagine, was a bit of a bummer.

Had my mum had the know-how to set up either device ahead of Christmas Day, she could have been alerted to these issues and replaced the handhelds ahead of time. Of course, I don't blame her for not knowing how to do that, especially as I was grateful to receive anything, never mind pricey bits of gaming tech. Not to mention, not every parent is as tuned into the world of gaming tech as others.

However, that's exactly why I'm bringing this tip to your attention. By setting up the Switch 2 ahead of Christmas Day, you can check if there's any damage or issues with the device. There shouldn't be, but it's not impossible that you could have been sent a dud from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart, as it happens with all tech. By checking ahead of the holidays, you'll be giving yourself plenty of time to organize a replacement in case any issues do arise, so there won't be any tears or disappointment.

Before you go...

If you aren't sure what to look for, or need advice or help with any of the tips I've outlined today, feel free to reach out to me, and I'll help you the best that I can. I've been obsessed with Nintendo tech ever since I could stand on two legs (with the picture to prove it), and nothing makes me happier than to help parents, or just family and friends who aren't as much in the know, gift Nintendo tech over the holidays, without any hiccups.

Please remember, before you drop $400+ on the handheld, that you don't need to break the bank to make a Nintendo fan's Christmas Day extra special. If you don't have the means to afford the new device, there are plenty of existing Nintendo Switch accessories, games, and budget-friendly Nintendo gifts that any Ninty fan would more than appreciate receiving.

• Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle | $499 at Walmart
• Nintendo Switch 2 | $449 at Walmart
• View all Nintendo Switch 2 games at Amazon

Today's best Switch 2 gaming deals...Nintendo Switch 2 $449.99ViewSee all pricesNintendo Switch 2 Pro Wireless $89ViewSee all prices8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless $59.99ViewSee all pricesBelkin Charging Case for Nintendo $69.99ViewSee all pricesNintendo Switch Joy-Con Wheel 2-Pack $14.99ViewSee all pricesDonkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch) $80.75 $62.99ViewSee all pricesPokemon Legends: Z-A $1.99ViewSee all pricesKirby Air Riders $49.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases for more gift ideas for the holidays.

CATEGORIES Nintendo Switch 2 Platforms Nintendo Rosalie NewcombeSocial Links NavigationHardware Editor

Ever since I first held a NES controller in my hand I've been obsessed with gaming, and the hardware it runs on. I could hook up a NES and SNES to a telly, without instructions, before I could walk. Even now, nothing is more exciting then taking a console, or handheld, out the box for the first time and setting it up. This obsession transformed into a love of games and game music, which lead to my music degree and dream of becoming the Scottish Nobuo Uematsu. After sharing my love of games through music, I began to share my love through words on sites like TechRadar and iMore. This lead to becoming a Hardware staff writer for PCGamesN, and later the Senior Tech Writer for Dexerto, covering all things Steam Deck, PlayStation and Nintendo. With that experience, I was able to level up as Hardware Editor for GamesRadar+, where I'm still just as Nintendo, PlayStation and gaming tech obsessed as ever.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more Should you buy a Nintendo Switch on Black Friday?    These Nintendo Switch game deals at Woot are perfect presents in the making    Which Nintendo Switch should you buy this Black Friday?    This is why I'm keeping a watchful eye on Switch 2 SD card deals this Black Friday    The best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals in 2025: 15 of my favorite remaining bargains    Best Nintendo gifts 2025, with recommendations from a fan of 30+ years    Latest in Hardware I wrestled this 30kg gaming chair up 4 flights of stairs in the hopes of fixing my posture and my heavy-lifting paid off    Leaks point towards a new OneXPlayer handheld with a next-gen "Pather Lake" Intel chip within    These are the nerdy ugly Christmas sweaters I would actually wear    Hey friends, that Hatsune Miku setup you keep asking me about just dropped to a record-low price    New Analogue 3D "Funtastic" N64 colors are inbound with 2000s vibes and matching controllers, but I'm just as excited for restocks    Like some sort of handheld necromancer, this modder just transformed the Wii U Gamepad into a Switch Lite, and I both love and hate it    Latest in News Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake appears to be all but confirmed    We've been banned from playing these board games over Christmas    It: Welcome to Derry finale trailer teases an epic last stand against Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise    Perfect Dark leads hired for new studio from Borderlands and BioShock publisher 2K, after attempts to save canceled sequel from Xbox failed    Netflix may have landed the winning bid for Warner Bros., but the streamer previously considered buying Disney instead    My top 3 reasons why you need to unbox and set up the Switch 2 before Christmas Day    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1. 1Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
2. 2Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
3. 3Sleep Awake review: "An all-timer horror premise is let down by tired stealth that I feel like I'm sleepwalking through"
4. 4Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review: "The series' atmosphere has never been better, while being dragged down by a boring overworld and clunky psychic powers"
5. 5Routine review: "This imperfect but wonderfully atmospheric moon-based horror leaves a strong impression"

1. 1Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
2. 2Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
3. 3Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
4. 4The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
5. 5Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"

1. 1Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review: “Can the Duffer brothers stick the landing? It’s sure looking like they will”
2. 2Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
3. 3The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
4. 4IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
5. 5Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"