After months of speculation, Nintendo announced the Switch 2 console on Jan. 16 — and that was about it. With close-ups of the new unit and a few shots of a (theoretical) new Mario Kart, Nintendo went the Nintendo route of meeting extreme demand by doing whatever the hell it wanted on whatever timetable it felt like. The reveal came with a promise: more news on April 2, 2025.
The day has come. In what’s promised to be an hour-long direct, Nintendo unveiled much, much, much more about its plans for Switch 2, which launches in June. To quote Mario: WAHOO! Here’s what went down.
Mario Kart 9 was teased during the Switch 2’s initial reveal, but now it’s official: Mario Kart World is arriving for the console’s launch.
This version’s twist: the weather changes, off-roading is highly encouraged, and you keep on driving to the next course? Packing in 24 racers in each race makes this the most open-world of any Mario Kart, and there’s the promise of tons of social multiplayer modes.
Get ready for a revolutionary pitch: You can now communicate with friends and family while playing a game! The Switch 2 has a microphone built into the console itself, versus the controller, but Nintendo promises that even if your bro is blending a muscle shake in the same room, noise control tech makes it no problem to keep talking without a headset. Nintendo emphasized the use of parental controls in order to contrast itself to the Wild West of Discord.
The big reveal? Turns out Switch 2’s mysterious C button launches GameChat.
Nintendo is reinventing Zoom. While you can play your games and talk to your buds using GameChat, the new camera accessory — arriving at launch — can give your multiplayer a video-call-esque twist.
While the Switch allowed for local play on one console using two Joy-Cons, the Switch 2’s GameShare function will allow pals to to play each other in a local setting using a single shared game — even if the friend doesn’t own a copy.
All the new technology packed into the Switch 2 excited the team at Nintendo so much, they decided to make an entire game that allows player to learn about and experiment with the various features. In Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which feels like the Nintendo equivalent of Astro’s Playroom on Playstation 5, puts players in charge of a lil’ guy who goes around exploring a giant version of the console, as well as playing mini games that take advantage of the Joy-Con’s motion controls and mouse capabilities.
There are three types of games playable on Switch 2: Switch 2 exclusives, Switch 1 backward compatible games, and Switch 2 “edition” games, which upgrade classic titles with console-specific enhancements. Super Mario Party Jamboree, for instance, will be re-released (but free to current owners) with new games like “Bowser Live,” which sees the king koopa doing karaoke? And the player sings? Lots of wacky stuff — but it’s all possible with the Switch 2’s more interactive capabilities.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will also receive enhanced editions, boasting upgraded graphics and a GPS-like Nintendo app integration that can direct you to hidden kooks. A Tears-specific add-on let’s friends share Zonai device builds using QR codes on the Nintendo app.
Optimized for the Joy-Con motion control, this new game drops players into a wheelchair basketball match. Yes, Nintendo did a Murderball. The trailer shows of the unique moves needed to score and outpace your opponents.
Elden Ring, Split Fiction, Hogwarts Legacy, Hades II, Street Fighter 6, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4, and Hitman: World of Assassination were among the many titles the Switch 2 will be up to the snuff to now support. And a number of games, including Civilization 7, will implement the console’s new mouse features.
The Zelda is back for Switch 2, in the classic way Nintendo’s known for before tentpole Zelda releases. The next installment of Hyrule Warriors is a prequel to Tears of the Kingdom, and chronicles the Imprisoning War, which was detailed over cutscenes in the original game. Now you can play them! The game will launch this winter.
Dreams can come true. Nintendo confirmed GameCube games will officially hit online platform when Switch 2 launches in June. And the company will release a brand new GameCube controller, complete with GameChat-friendly C button, for the full nostalgic feel.
While fans probably expected Elden Ring news, and prayed for more Bloodborne, but FromSoftware made a huge splash at the direct with something totally original. Full of Mythical beasties, razor-sharp weapons, swirling magic, and gothic architecture, it’s called the Duskbloods, and the direct promised much more information on the exclusive title before it launches in 2026.
Kirby Air Riders is a sequel to GameCube’s Kirby Air Ride, and finds the puffy hero zipping around on stars once again. Two racing games promised for Switch 2? Classic Nintendo. But the nostalgia is real for Kirby Air Riders, and the new game aims to faithfully reproduce its prismatic thrills.
The redesigned Donkey Kong, who reverted to his more retro look after a reintroduction in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, is finally getting a new, standalone 3D platformer. DK will be smashing through an underground world dubbed Ingot Isle, and looks like a worthy successor to his earlier adventures. The game drops shortly after the Switch 2 launch, on July 17.
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