The Nintendo Switch 2’s console and games got their biggest reveal yet Wednesday, with Nintendo unveiling a June 5 release date along with Mario Kart World as a launch title. Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for our reporting during the event.
- Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Live Recap: Launches June 5, $450 and More
- Nintendo Switch 2 Priced at $450, Coming June 5
- What You Need to Know About Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Games
- Mario Kart Goes Open-World With Mario Kart World
- The Duskbloods Is New FromSoftware Gaming Action Coming to Switch 2 in 2026
Nintendo Switch 2 Console
The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch 1080p resolution LCD display that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan.
The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards for physical games will have faster speeds for loading games. For digital libraries however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2 system.
The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls and the new C-button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice chat and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.
The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or to to help charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the new C-button (for chatting with friends and watching them play) along with customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.
Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled a $450 price for the system itself. Nintendo will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this year, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series.
Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80.
Joy-Con 2 C Button and GameChat
Nintendo’s rolling out its new C-button across several new Switch 2 controllers, which will be for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether the console is docked to a TV or in handheld mode. In its teaser video, Nintendo claims the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, which will allow for video chat along with various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles
The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Nintendo Switch titles, Nintendo Switch 2 games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need an Upgrade Pack if you own the original Switch title. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade, for instance Super Mario Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera.
Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting 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. Enhancements range, for instance the Zelda titles will start working with a companion phone app for maps and for sending schematics to friends. The Kirby game will get a new story that will be exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.
Nintendo did not yet announce what an upgrade pack would cost.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will be a new Zelda game that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that lead into the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and will expand on how she becomes involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.
Nintendo Switch 2 games
Several other first- and third-party games took the spotlight during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes over 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game, in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.
An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, and include Hades 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Street Fighter 6, Split Fiction, EA Sports FC, Madden NFL, Hogwarts Legacy for Switch 2, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and 4, Hitman: World of Assassination, Borderlands 4, WWE 2K and NBA 2K. A James Bond title in development is also on the way from Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2.
Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube titles on the Switch 2. These games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur II, and F-Zero GX on launch day. Nintendo says each title will receive Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mairo Strikers, Luigi’s Mansion were among the titles set to arrive later. Nintendo will also ship a GameCube controller at launch, which will be wireless and include a C-button for GameChat.
