Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console was officially unveiled this Wednesday morning during Nintendo’s dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation. The event served as a platform to disclose key details regarding the next-generation console, including its confirmed June 5 release date, a suggested retail price of $450, comprehensive specifications, and an impressive initial lineup of games slated for release from launch through 2026.
Fueling launch excitement, Mario Kart World will be available as a flagship title, offered either as a standalone purchase for $80 or within a $500 bundle alongside the Switch 2. This open-world racing experience positions itself as one of Nintendo’s most premium-priced offerings to date. Other revealed titles, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are set at a $70 price point, aligning with the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Both Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, popular titles from the original Switch, will receive enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades. These premium upgrades will grant players access to new features, gameplay modes, and enhanced visuals, leveraging the advanced capabilities of the new hardware.
Here are the key announcements from the Nintendo console event, encompassing all revealed games (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles, and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and comprehensive coverage.
Nintendo Switch 2 Console Details
The Nintendo Switch 2 boasts significant technical improvements over its predecessor. It features a larger 7.9-inch LCD screen with a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, mirroring display specifications commonly found in contemporary Android smartphones. When docked, the Switch 2 can output compatible games in 4K resolution. The redesigned dock also incorporates an integrated cooling fan to manage thermal performance.
The device comes equipped with 256GB of internal storage. The new Switch 2 Game Cards promise faster game loading times. For digital game libraries, the Switch 2 will utilize microSD Express cards, a different format from the standard microSD cards used in the original Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will provide a Software Transfer feature to facilitate seamless migration of games and data from the original Switch to the new Switch 2.
The redesigned Joy-Con controllers introduce support for mouse input and a new C button, integrated as part of a new GameChat communication system enabling both voice and video chat functionalities. A dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 Camera will also allow players to visually connect with each other.
Adding to connectivity, the Switch 2 includes a second USB-C port located on the top of the console. Nintendo indicates this port can be used for connecting the new camera accessory or for charging the console while in tabletop mode. Furthermore, Nintendo announced a new Switch 2 Pro Controller, also featuring the C button and incorporating customizable GL and GR buttons on the rear.
Following the presentation, Nintendo confirmed the standalone system price at $450 in the US. A bundle including a digital copy of Mario Kart World will be available for $500.
Mario Kart World: Open-World Racing
Mario Kart World departs from traditional circuit-based racing, offering players an expansive open world environment of interconnected courses. A dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation later this month will provide further details on the game. Currently announced features include traditional race modes alongside a Free Roam mode, drawing parallels to the gameplay structure of the Forza Horizon series.
Opting for the Switch 2 bundle including the game at a $50 premium might prove advantageous for interested players, as Nintendo’s website lists standalone copies of Mario Kart World at a price of $80.
Joy-Con 2 C Button and Enhanced GameChat
Nintendo is integrating the new C button across its new range of Switch 2 controllers. This button serves as a dedicated input for the new GameChat communication features, designed to function without requiring a headset. The C button will be used in conjunction with a microphone integrated into the console itself. Nintendo asserts that GameChat will be operational whether the console is docked connected to a TV or used in handheld mode.
Nintendo’s teaser video indicates the integrated microphone is designed with noise cancellation capabilities to minimize background sounds. GameChat will also be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, enabling video chat and supporting various camera-based game modes within compatible titles. GameChat will be offered as a free service at launch, running through March 31, 2026.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Game Upgrades
The Nintendo Switch 2 will support three categories of games: original Switch games, games specifically developed for Switch 2, and Switch 2 Edition games receiving substantial enhancements. For many Switch 2 Edition titles, owners of the original Switch versions may need to purchase an upgrade pack. These upgraded editions often include more than just graphical improvements. For instance, Super Mario Party Jamboree will incorporate new games utilizing the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition, and video camera gameplay via the Switch 2 Camera.
Further Nintendo Switch titles receiving Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. The nature of enhancements varies: The Zelda titles will integrate with a companion phone application for maps and sharing schematics, while Kirby will feature a new storyline exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party front, Civilization 7 will gain mouse control compatibility.
Nintendo has yet to announce pricing details for upgrade packs. However, some existing Switch games will receive free updates to improve performance or feature enhancements when played on the Switch 2. Games receiving these free updates include:
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new title set within the Zelda universe, narrating events leading up to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This mirrors the approach of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which explored the war preceding the events of Breath of the Wild. The initial trailer depicts Zelda arriving in Hyrule’s past, with the game expected to detail her involvement in the Imprisonment War.
Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Games and Upcoming Titles
Several first-party and third-party games were highlighted during the Switch 2 Direct presentation. These include Donkey Bananza, marking the return of 3D platforming for the Donkey Kong franchise since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also venture back into racing games with Kirby Air Riders, a sequel arriving over two decades after the GameCube title Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will utilize mouse controls for a futuristic wheelchair basketball simulation, where players mimic push and pull motions to control their on-screen characters.
A rapid montage showcased a variety of upcoming third-party Switch 2 games, listed below. An as-yet-unnamed James Bond game is under development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, alongside a darker themed title from Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, titled The Duskbloods, which will be a Switch 2 exclusive.
Full List of Announced Nintendo Switch 2 Games:
- Borderlands 4
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
- Deltarune
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Drag x Drive
- EA Sports FC
- EA Sports Madden NFL
- Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
- Enter the Gungeon 2
- Fast Fusion
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
- Fortnite
- Hades 2
- Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
- Kirby Air Riders
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
- Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
- Mario Kart World
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- NBA 2K
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Project 007
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Split Fiction
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
- Street Fighter 6
- Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
- Survival Kids
- The Duskbloods
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
- WWE 2K
- Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition
The complete roster of June 5th Switch 2 launch day titles can be found here.
GameCube Games Headed to Nintendo Switch 2 via Nintendo Switch Online
The expanding Nintendo Switch Online library will soon incorporate GameCube games on the Switch 2. Initial GameCube titles available at launch will include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2, and F-Zero GX, each receiving graphical enhancements. Online multiplayer functionality will be added to select titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers, and Luigi’s Mansion are among the titles scheduled for later release. Concurrent with the launch, Nintendo will offer a wireless GameCube controller, featuring a C button for GameChat compatibility.