I played the Switch 2 with AR glasses — here's what it's like to race Mario Kart World on a 135-inch screen in front of your face
From the Joy-Cons to the kickstand to the home screen, the Switch 2 feels more like a refined version of what worked the first time around without any new gimmicks to sidetrack things.
Sure, the screen is now 7.9-inches instead of 6.2-inches and the console itself is larger too. However, besides the switch to faster microSD Express cards (no pun intended) and what many believe is a downgrade from OLED back to LCD, the biggest change Nintendo made to the Switch 2 was equipping it with not one but two USB-C ports.
Back when I first went hands-on with the Switch 2, that extra USB-C port was the upgrade that excited me the most and for good reason. With a second USB-C port just like on the Asus ROG Ally X or the Lenovo Legion Go, I initially thought Nintendo's new console would pair perfectly with the best smart glasses. As it turns out, that wasn't the case at all, or at least I thought so at first.
While you can't plug a pair of Xreal One or Viture Pro AR glasses directly into either of the Switch 2's USB-C ports, with a bit of trickery and a timely firmware upgrade, I managed to play Mario Kart World and my new favorite Mario game in AR.
Although the experience wasn't as plug and play as I had hoped Nintendo would've made it, playing the Switch 2 on a 135-inch screen half an inch away from my face, without the official dock no less, was awesome to say the least.
Here's how I did it, the devices I used and why the inevitable Switch 2 OLED or even the Switch 2 Pro better support AR glasses right out of the box.
This bundle has everything you need to start playing your Switch 2 or other game consoles in AR. You get a pair of Viture Pro XR glasses, the Viture Pro Mobile Dock and Viture is even throwing in a limited-edition controller made in collaboration with 8BitDo as a free gift.
After I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses, Viture reached out to me about testing its new mobile game controller made in collaboration with 8BitDo.
This wasn't just any controller that attaches to one of the best phones though. Instead, it has an extra port equipped with DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C functionality on the bottom you can plug a pair of AR glasses into. That way, you can play games on a massive screen right from your phone.
In the box with the controller and a pair of its AR glasses though, Viture also included a few extras including its Viture Pro Mobile Dock. If, like me, you think it bears a striking resemblance to one of the best power banks, you'd be right as it does have a built-in 13,000 mAh battery that can charge your devices. That's not its main purpose though.
When you flip the Viture Pro Mobile Dock over, you're greeted with several ports including three USB-C ones and an HDMI port.
While the two USB-C ports on the right allow you to plug in two pairs of Viture's AR glasses, the one in the middle plugs into your source device which can be a phone, a tablet, a laptop or in this case, a game console.
Meanwhile, the HDMI port on the left is for connecting one of the best streaming devices such as a Roku or an Amazon Fire Stick or even a game console without a USB-C port, like the PS5 or the Xbox Series X.
With support for two pairs of AR glasses simultaneously, you can do things like watch a movie with a friend from the same device. Likewise, you can also play local multiplayer games in the same way that you would in front of a TV in your living room, but both people have their own screen. I still need to try this out myself but I could really see it coming in handy on a long flight or even on the couch during those times when your TV is otherwise occupied.
When the Switch 2 launched, the Viture Pro Mobile Dock wasn't compatible with the new console. You could connect the Switch 2 via HDMI using Nintendo's official dock but not directly over USB-C.
Following a recent firmware update though, Viture's Pro Mobile Dock now works with the Switch 2 in the same way that it does with the original Switch. You just plug the console into the USB-C port with the blue and red ring around it and a pair of Viture's AR glasses into one of the other USB-C ports on the right side and you're good to go.
I have to admit, I had my doubts at first too. Would I still need to connect my Switch 2 to an AC outlet? Would doing so damage my brand new handheld? Well, I'm happy to report that the answer is no on both fronts. Updating the Viture Pro Mobile Dock was easy enough via my browser and once the new firmware was installed, I now had a plug and play way to use the Switch 2 with AR glasses.
Since Viture's Pro Mobile Dock is designed to work seamlessly with all of its AR glasses, I used the Viture Pro XR glasses with it to test out the dock's new Switch 2 compatibility. However, the dock also works with smart glasses from other manufacturers too, including ones from Xreal and RayNeo.
My favorite thing about the Viture Pro XR glasses is that they use a magnetic connector instead of a standard USB-C port. Not only does this make taking them out and getting everything set up faster but it also prevents the glasses from being ripped off your face if their cord gets snagged.
With the Viture Pro Mobile Dock updated to the latest firmware (version 1.03.0.02_20250613) and my Switch 2 in hand, it was time to try to play some Nintendo games in a brand new way.
As I was heading out on a family trip to the beach, I decided to bring Viture's Pro Mobile Dock and its Pro XR glasses with me along with my Switch 2.
Normally, I prefer playing on the big screen in docked mode when possible instead of in handheld mode. However, since there isn't a Switch 2 version of my favorite third-party dock—the Genki Covert Mini—yet, I figured this setup would let me play on the big screen without having to bring Nintendo's larger dock with me. At the same time, I wouldn't have to mess with the TV in the place we rented for the weekend.
In AR, the whole experience of dealing with Fury Bowser felt even more intense, especially when I turned electrochromatic dimming on and couldn't see anything outside of what was on the screens of the Viture Pro XR glasses.
After getting everything plugged in, much to my surprise, the Switch 2's home screen suddenly appeared on the Viture Pro XR glasses.
Since the console's launch, AR enthusiasts like myself have been trying to get it to work with smart glasses to no avail. With its latest firmware update for the Pro Mobile Dock though, Viture managed to pull off what myself and my colleague Jason England thought was impossible only a few weeks ago.
As I had Mario Kart World open as I'm trying to unlock all the characters and the game's Special Cup, I decided to try things out with a few races. Even though I was sitting on the back porch with a pair of AR glasses on my face, it really felt like I was back at home in front of my TV.
For those unfamiliar with AR glasses, one of their coolest features is that you can have a black background thanks to their electrochromatic dimming or a clear one if you turn this off.
I chose the latter and as I was racing through courses in Mario Kart World, I was still able to take in the scenery with the Viture Pro XR glasses on. This also comes in handy if you want to play games or work in a room with other people without being completely cut off from the world around you. Think passthrough mode on one of the best VR headsets but with it enabled while you're playing a game.
Since the full-featured USB-C to USB-C cable Viture includes in the box with its Pro Mobile Dock is definitely on the short side, I put my Switch 2 down on the table next to me and played with its Joy-Cons in their controller grip.
You can use any of the best Nintendo Switch controllers with this setup if you want but as I haven't had a chance to try out Nintendo's new Joy-Con 2 Grip as I've mainly been playing with the Switch 2 Pro Controller, I figured now was the perfect time to test it out.
Although you do need to carry a bit more gear than you would if you were playing the Switch 2 in handheld mode, as you can see here, it doesn't take up that much space at all.
The Viture Pro Mobile Dock is just over 6.5 inches long, about 3.5 wide and less than an inch thick, which makes it even easier to slip into a bag than the Switch 2. Honestly, the Joy-Con 2 Grip was more awkward to bring with me and for a more portable setup, I'd probably use a detached Joy-Con in each hand.
After a few races in Mario Kart World, I decided to boot up an original Switch game that I still haven't finished on a whim. Although I beat Super Mario 3D World back on my Wii U, I had just scratched the surface on the standalone expansion Nintendo included with it when the company brought the game to the Switch.
If you're a Mario fan that hasn't played Bowser's Fury yet, you owe it to yourself to give this cat-themed open world take on 3D Mario a try.
I won't go into all the details but what I really enjoy about the expansion is that besides being the first truly open world Mario game, it has a unique mechanic that really shakes up the tried-and-true formula Nintendo's been using since Super Mario 64.
Around every six minutes, the sky turns dark and Fury Bowser appears. Unlike in past games, Bowser is absolutely massive in this form and it really feels as if you're running away from a Kaiju like Godzilla instead of from a normal boss.
In AR, the whole experience of dealing with Fury Bowser felt even more intense, especially when I turned electrochromatic dimming on and couldn't see anything outside of what was on the screens of the Viture Pro XR glasses.
Playing this way instead of in handheld mode or in traditional docked mode was also more comfortable too as I didn't have to strain my neck while looking down or take up the entire TV.
In fact, before I knew it, I had collected several Cat Shines, which serve as stand-ins for the stars Mario usually gets when completing levels or challenges, and I was even closer than I had been to stopping Fury Bowser for good.
Once fully charged, the Viture Pro Mobile Dock is able to power the Switch 2 just like if you had placed it in Nintendo's official dock. With the original Switch, you can play for up to eight hours on a single charge. However, on Switch 2, which uses more power while docked, you'll likely get about half this time.
On the top of the Pro Mobile Dock, there are four orange indicator lights, which let you know how much battery power you have left. They stay lit but become dimmed one by one once you start depleting the dock's internal battery. This is a nice visual touch that means you don't have to look at yet another battery percentage meter. Plus, the lights are easy to see with AR glasses on.
So why would you want to play video games or watch movies in AR glasses to begin with?
Well, doing so gives you much more screen space than you'd get with your average TV. The Viture Pro XR glasses I'm wearing here can project a 135-inch image right in front of your eyes. At the same time, they also have a refresh rate of 120Hz which the Switch 2 can take advantage of at the glasses' native 1080p resolution.
The other big benefit to using AR glasses this way is that instead of craning your neck down to look at your Switch 2 in handheld mode, you can sit upright or lean back with good posture. You can also lie down and play this way without being worried that you might accidentally drop your Switch 2 on your face.
The Viture Pro Mobile Dock works seamlessly with the company's AR glasses. However, as I also have a pair of Xreal One glasses on hand, I decided to try it with them when I got home.
They worked and I could see the Switch 2's home screen as soon as I plugged them into the dock. There was just one problem though: everything was red. I could read text and see the games installed on my Switch 2 but instead of the black background you get with dark mode enabled, I saw a red one instead. Granted, I haven't updated my Xreal One glasses yet, so doing that could potentially fix this problem.
After playing my Switch 2 in AR over the course of several days during my vacation, it was time to head home. While it was fantastic having a big screen experience with the Switch 2 using this setup when I was away from home, it's just as convenient when you're not traveling.
Getting everything set up only takes a few minutes or so and then, you can play Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 games on a massive screen with the added benefit that what you're playing is completely private. Nobody can look over your shoulder or walk into the living room and see what game you're currently playing on your TV.
I definitely need (and want) to play my Switch 2 in AR a bit more but for now, I really enjoyed the experience of using Viture's Pro Mobile Dock with its glasses. I would have been over the moon if Nintendo had included video out over USB-C without a dock on the Switch 2 but until the Switch 2 Pro or the Switch 3 comes along, this portable, battery-powered AR setup more than does the trick.
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