On April 2, a Nintendo Direct showcase was held to provide more information on the Switch 2, going over what the console has to offer in terms of features, games, and when it will be released. 

Pre-orders were set to begin on April 9, but due to the 34% reciprocal tariffs President Donald Trump issued last week against China (one of the countries that manufactures Nintendo consoles), US pre-orders have been delayed with no clear date in sight. 

Nintendo is still claiming the console will on June 5 with a retail price of $450, $80 for digital games, and a rumored $90 for physical games. Many people are making comments about the console and physical games costing too much, and that they should lower the price. Due to the previously mentioned tariffs, there are rumors of a potential price increase in the US of up to $700, although Nintendo has not yet issued a statement on the matter.

While more information has yet to be revealed, here is what we currently know:

“Mario Kart World”

Nintendo first showed off the next Mario Kart game with the title of “Mario Kart World,” an open-world Mario Kart game with multiple features, like:

• Costume. 
• A screenshot/photo mode for you and your friends. 
• A traversal mode to just explore. 
• Your typical Grand Prix mode 
  • You now travel in real time to each track.
• Weather conditions change gameplay. 
• A knockout tour
  • If you’re below the placement shown below your own, you’re eliminated from the race.
• Your kart will transform into what kind of track you’re on. 

There will be a Direct that goes in-depth on what the game has in store on April 17. The game will be packaged as a digital download with the Switch 2 for $500. The game alone will be $80.

GameChat

Nintendo announced a new feature called  “GameChat,” which uses the C button on the right Joy-Con. GameChat allows you to converse with your friends while playing. You can share your screen or watch others. With GameChat, your voice will be picked up, and any other sounds will be blocked. The feature will also work in handheld play. The GameChat feature will be compatible with a camera sold separately from the Switch 2 at $49.99. From what they showed, some games like Super Mario Party: Jamboree will use your camera for it. The C button pulls up the chat menu with the ability to turn on the camera, mute/unmute yourself, share your screen, and access settings. Nintendo Switch Online will be needed to use the GameChat function, but it will be free from launch until March 31, 2025.

GameShare

Nintendo also announced GameShare, where local systems (even the Switch 1) can play compatible games temporarily, and online GameShare with other Switch 2 users. Up to three other systems can use the function. This function is similar to Download Play on the DS, originally used with games like Mario Kart DS. The games they showed during the Direct when talking about compatible games were “Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker,” “Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury,” “Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics,” “Super Mario Odyssey,” and “Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain.” But it will only start with Clubhouse Games. This feature is also planned for a select number of Switch 2 exclusives. 

Switch 2 Overview

• The Switch 2 will have a 7.9-inch screen compared to the 6.2-inch screen of the original Switch and will be the same width of 13.9mm (minus the ZL and ZR buttons).
• The Switch 2 will have approximately two times the number of pixels as the Switch 1, allowing 1080p. 
  • It also supports gameplay up to 120 Frames Per Second (FPS), compared to the Switch 1’s 60 FPS. 
  • The LCD screen is now brighter and supports HDR, which can provide a better contrast between light and dark areas on the screen. 
• The Joy-Con 2 attaches magnetically with strong magnets and can be easily removed with the release button.
  • The SL and SR buttons (the buttons on the sides of the Joy-Cons and Joy-Cons 2) are bigger and are metal to make the magnets work.
  • The joysticks are bigger, and they confirmed the mouse controls on the Joy-Cons 2 (only with compatible games).
• They updated the speakers for louder and clearer sound. 
  • There’s also now support for 3D sound with headphones, which makes noises sound from everywhere. 
• Tying in with the GameChat, they put a built-in microphone, which cancels out any other sound. 
• The Stand is now freely adjustable, like the Switch OLED model.
• There are also 2 USB-C ports, both allow charging. The camera would plug in the one at the top when in the Dock. The internal storage is now 256 gigabytes (GB). 
  • Reading and writing data is now quicker. 
• The dock also now supports up to 4k resolution with HDR, and there’s also a fan to keep the console cool. 
• The console is also compatible with most Switch 1 games, both physically and digitally. To understand the new console, they made a Switch 2 Exclusive paid-for welcome tour, releasing the same day as the Switch 2.
  • The Welcome Tour will explain both external and internal stuff about the Switch 2. 
  • The section on the SL and SR buttons was explained in their preview for the game. 
  • The gyroscope in the Joy-Con 2s and the mouse function also work hand-in-hand.

• The Switch 2 cartridges are similar in shape and size to the Switch 1, but they’re now bright red and transfer data more quickly than the Switch 1
  • While not announced in the showcase, t some cartridges are just keys for you to download the game from the eShop.
• They disallowed any normal microSD cards and only microSD Express due to data transfer. 
• If you want to transfer data from Switch 1 and Switch 2, you need to log in to your Nintendo account and use the system transfer function, which transfers all data from save data to digital games to Switch 2.
• The initial patents for the pro-controllers being able to be used as a mouse have been disconfirmed, but they added the C button, GL and GR buttons (back buttons), and headphone jack onto the controller.
  • GL and GR buttons allow you to map other button functions to them, like the ZL and ZR buttons, respectively.

The 3 Kinds of Games You Can Play on the Switch 2

1. Switch 2 exclusive games
2. Most Switch 1 games
3. Switch 2 Edition game
   1. Optimized and updated versions of Switch 1 games; two Switch 2 Editions announced have completely new parts of the games, kind of like DLC.

First-Party Games announced

• “Donkey King Bananza,” July 17.
• “Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV,” July 24.
• “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition,” June 5.
• “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition,” June 5.
  • An update to the Nintendo Switch App (originally called “Nintendo Switch Online App”)
• “Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World,” August 28.
• “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond,” Dual release on Switch 1 and 2 sometime this year.
• “Pokemon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition,” Late 2025
• “Drag x Drive,” Summer 2025

Third-Party Games Coming/Releasing That Were Announced

• “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment” (Zelda installment), winter 2025
  • It’s a game supported but not developed by Nintendo.
• “The Duskbloods,” Creator’s Voice series out as of April 4
• “Hades II,” later this year.
• “EA SPORTS Madden NFL” and “EA SPORTS FC,” release unknown/unspecified.
• “NBA 2K” and “WWE 2K,” release unknown/unspecified.
• “SPLIT FICTION,” June 5.
• “Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition,” release unknown/unspecified.
• “FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE,” release unknown/unspecified.
• “Street Fighter 6,” June 5.
• “Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition,” June 5.
• “Hogwarts Legacy,” June 5.
• “BRAVELY DEFAULT FLYING FAIRY HD Remaster,” June 5.
• “Borderlands 4,” this year.
• “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4,” summer 2025
• “ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition,” this year.
• “Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut,” June 5.
• “Fortnite,” June 5.
• “HITMAN World of Assassination – Signature Edition,” June 5.
• “Project 007,” release unknown/unspecified
• “STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expedition,” planned for 2026 according to Steam
• “Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion,” September 5.
• “DELTARUNE,” planned for June 5.
• “Survival Kids,” June 5.
• “Hollow Knight: Silk Song,” sometime 2025.

If you want more information on these games (both first and third-party), go to the Nintendo official site to find out more.