A recent presentation from Nintendo Direct that aired on April 2 contained a ton of news and game announcements regarding the Nintendo Switch 2. This article rounds up the biggest reveals from the livestream.
Nintendo Switch 2: Release Date, Price, Hardware, Features, and Accessories
Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date and Price Revealed
Nintendo revealed that Nintendo Switch 2 will officially be released on June 5, 2025 and it will cost $449.99 USD. There will also be a Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle that will cost $499.99 USD.
Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Begin April 9
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders will open at retailers in North America on April 9, 2025.
If you wish to purchase from My Nintendo Store, you can register your interest for either the Nintendo Switch 2 or the Mario Kart World bundle. If selected, those who registered will be sent an invite to their Nintendo Account e-mail when it’s time to purchase.
Invitations will go out on May 8, 2025, and will be “prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025.”
Nintendo Switch 2 Has 4K Support, HDR, Joy-Con With Mouse Controls, 256 GB of Storage, Red Cartridges, and So Much More
The Nintendo Switch 2 has a ton of new hardware features and experiences, and it all starts with the console itself that has a 7.9-inch LCD screen that displays games at 1080p. However, those looking for better resolution will be happy to know that the new dock will be able to output video up to 4K resolution and play games at up to 120fps.
The new Joy-Con, which connects to the Nintendo Switch 2 with a magnetic “snap,” looks similar to the original models but offers new features like mouse control. The right Joy-Con also includes a new C button that will work with the new online feature called GameChat.
It was also confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 will have red game cartridges, 256 GB of internal storage that can be expanded with microSD Express cards, spatial 3D sound, and more.
GameChat Is Nintendo’s New Solution to Playing With Friends
GameChat is a new online feature from Nintendo that will let players play and talk with each other while playing Nintendo Switch 2 games. Once GameChat is activated, players will be able to press the C button on the right Joy-Con to not only start chatting with friends, but also share their screen, use video chat with the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera accessory or other compatible USB-C camera, and more.
GameChat will be free until March 2026 for all Nintendo Switch 2 users, but it will require a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
There is also a new feature called GameShare that will let users share a game with friends who don’t own a compatible game so they can play together.
Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories: Pro Controller, Camera, and More
Nintendo Switch 2 will be launching with a bunch of accessories, including a Pro Controller for $79.99 that looks a lot like the original Switch Pro Controller but comes with an audio jack, the C button for GameChat, and two extra back buttons.
There will also be a new Nintendo Switch 2 Camera for $49.99 that can be used with GameChat and can bring you not only into video chat with your friends, but also into various games like Super Mario Party Jamboree in fun ways.
Nintendo also shared details on other accessories like new Joy-Con 2 ($89.99), Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($34.99), Joy-Con 2 Strap ($12.99), Joy-Con 2 Wheel ($19.99 for two), Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($109.99), Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector ($34.99), Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case ($79.99), and a Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter ($29.99).
Nintendo Switch 2 First-Party Games: Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and More
Mario Kart World Kicked Off the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and It Was Confirmed to Be a Launch Title
Mario Kart World kicked off the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and it was PACKED with a ton of gameplay and exciting reveals we can’t wait to learn more about. First of all, it was confirmed that Mario Kart World will be released on the same day as Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
What may be most exciting about Mario Kart World is that it is really a massive interconnected world that Nintendo wants you to explore. While there will be traditional levels with up to 24 drivers, there is much more freedom during and outside of the races.
Alongside seeing our favorite characters racing in cars, motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, and planes, we also saw characters grinding on rails, riding on walls, and more. There was even a moment when a giant cow from MooMoo Meadows was racing!
We were also shown two new brand-new game modes – Knockout Tour and Free Roam. Knockout Tour is an elimination/battle royale-style mode where you have to be the last driver racing as you travel across the wide world of this latest Mario Kart and avoid elimination.
Free Roam allows players to explore the levels Mario Kart World has at their own pace. They can go off track or learn routes or even just take a casual drive through the countryside. Oh, and you can bring your friends along with you!
It is important to note, however, that Mario Kart World will cost $79.99, which is higher than any base Switch 1 game ever released.
Nintendo also announced a Mario Kart World Direct will take place on April 17 at 6am PT/9am ET.
Donkey Kong Bananza Is Smashing Its Way to Nintendo Switch 2 This July
The last big trailer for Nintendo Switch 2 was Donkey Kong Bananza, a new 3D platforming action-adventure game that sees Donkey Kong smashing through a new world. He can even break off chunks of the world to find more areas to explore and use that debris to attack enemies with. There also looks to be plenty of bosses, humor, and even 2D sections.
Donkey Kong Bananza will be released on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17, 2025.
Kirby Air Riders Is a New Racing Game Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 That’s Being Developed by Super Smash Bros.’ Director Masahiro Sakurai
Kirby Air Riders is a new title from Super Smash Bros.’ director Masahiro Sakurai that will be racing to Nintendo Switch 2 later in 2025. While we didn’t see any gameplay, we did get a glimpse of Kirby on his Warp Star machine and other Kirby air riders on different machines.
This will be the first Kirby Air Ride game since the original was released on GameCube in 2003.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom Are Getting Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Versions at Launch
Both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are getting Nintendo Switch 2 Edition versions at launch that will enhance Link’s grand adventures with “smoother frame rates, faster load times, and better graphics.”
There will also be a new Zelda Notes app on the Nintendo Switch Online app that is exclusive to these new editions and will help players find shrines, Koroks, and other locations alongside commentary from Princess Zelda that wasn’t part of the original games.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Is Getting a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Version With Mouse Controls and Quality and Performance Modes
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition that will feature mouse controls and Quality (4K/60fps/HDR) and Performance (1080p/120fps/HDR) Modes.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World Brings a New Story to Switch 2
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is another title getting the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition treatment, which includes a brand new story called Star-Crossed World that will include new Mouthful Modes to utilize. The game will also have improved performance when it arrives on Switch 2 on August 28, 2025.
Super Mario Party Jamboree Is Getting an Expanded Version on Switch 2 With Mouse Controls
Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV is the new version of the Switch party game that will add new features and modes that take advantage of the Switch 2. This expanded version will feature minigames that use mouse controls, the built-in mic, and the Nintendo Switch 2 camera alongside a new Bowser Live game-show 2v2 experience.
Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV on July 24, 2025.
Pokémon Legends Z-A’s Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Will Feature Improved Resolution and Framerate
Pokémon Legends Z-A may not be releasing until later this year, but it will be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 with improved resolution and framerates.
Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour Will Showcase This Much-Anticipated Next Console
Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour was revealed as an exclusive title for Switch 2 and it looks to be an interactive and fun way to learn more about this new console and everything it can do. It features gameplay experiences and a models of the Switch 2 and its Joy-Con that teach players in a fun way.
It will be available as a paid digital title at the launch of Nintendo Switch 2.
Drag x Drive Is an Online 3v3 Game That Puts the Focus on Switch 2’s Mouse Controls
Drag x Drive is a brand-new online 3v3 game that puts the focus on Switch 2’s new mouse controls. Players will use their Joy-Con to play basketball and control their wheelchairs, perform tricks, shoot and dunk the ball, and more.
Drag x Drive will be released on Switch 2 this summer.
Nintendo GameCube Games Are Coming Exclusively to Switch 2 via Nintendo Switch Online
GameCube games are finally coming to Nintendo Switch Online, but they are exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. These classic games will begin launching when Switch 2 is released, and it will all start with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and SOULCALIBUR II.
Nintendo will also be releasing as brand-new wireless GameCube controller that can be used to play these titles.
Nintendo Switch 2 Third-Party Games: FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods and Elden Ring, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and More
The Duskbloods Is a New FromSoftware Game Coming Exclusively to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026
In one of the most shocking reveals from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, FromSoftware shared a first look at The Duskbloods, which is coming exclusively to Nintendo’s new console in 2026. This new PvPvE multiplayer action game, which is giving us Bloodborne vibes, features a very gothic-looking world and it appears we may be playing as a vampire as we see the player character biting into someone’s neck.
To learn more, be sure to check out The Duskbloods’ Creator’s Voice developer diary series with director Hidetaka Miyazaki on April 4.
Elden Ring Is Getting Its Own Tarnished Edition on Switch 2 in 2025
Nintendo is showing it means business with Switch 2 as it is bringing Elden Ring to its newest console in 2025. It will arrive in the form of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, which includes the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, new weapons, armor, and Torrent appearance customization, and more.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a Musou-Style Game That Will Serve as a Prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo and Koei-Tecmo are working on a new musou-style game called Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment that will serve as a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This new entry will take us back to Hyrule’s past to learn about the Imprisoning War and let us play as Princess Zelda, King Rauru, and more.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will be released this winter.
Deltarune’s Newest Chapters Will Launch on the Same Day as Nintendo Switch 2
Deltarune Chapters 3 + 4 will launch alongside the first two when Nintendo Switch is released on June 5, 2025. The first two chapters were released in 2018 and 2021, respectively, so this is big news for Nintendo fans and more as it will also be released on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Hades 2 Will Be Released in 2025 on Switch and Switch 2 Before Other Consoles
Hades 2 was featured in today’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and it was revealed it will be coming to both of Nintendo’s Switch consoles before any other consoles, complete with a target of 60 frames per second.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Street Fighter 6, Split Fiction, Project 007, and More
The Switch 2 does not appear to be lacking in third-party support, as a ton of older and upcoming games and planned to join the party in 2025 and beyond. This list will be ever-growing, but here are the other games Nintendo revealed are coming to Switch 2 from its global developers and publishers.
- EA Sports Madden NFL
- EA Sports FC
- NBA 2K
- WWE 2K
- Split Fiction
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
- Street Fighter 6
- Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Borderlands 4
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
- Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
- Fortnite
- Enter the Gungeon 2
- Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition
- Project 007
- Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
- Survival Kids
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Silksong
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
- Reanimal