Nintendo Switch 2: everything you need to know

Nintendo saved a dying handheld console market back in 2017 when it launched the Nintendo Switch. The little hybrid console that could had a great run, playing host to some all-time classic games – but its reign is over. The Nintendo Switch 2 is official, and heading your way on June 5th 2025.

Nintendo officially confirmed the follow-up handheld’s existence with a two-minute YouTube trailer highlighting some of its new features – and teasing an all new Mario Kart game – following several high-profile leaks. It held plenty back for a full reveal though. The Switch 2 Nintendo Direct showcase covered the hardware itself, new Switch Online features, and plenty of upcoming games.

Nintendo Switch 2 name: finally some clarity

In all of Nintendo’s (admittedly limited) official communication up to the initial hardware reveal, it called the upcoming console “the successor to Nintendo Switch” – but eventually confirmed it will indeed be called Switch 2.

Only a few Nintendo home consoles have ever been direct continuations like Switch to Switch 2. The NES to the SNES and Wii to Wii U, for example – but its handhelds have largely stuck to similar naming conventions. Think Game Boy, Game Boy Colour and Game Boy Advance, or DS, 3DS and New 3DS.

The name similarities could cause some confusion for unaware parents – not helped by the fact the retail box looks very similar to the Switch OLED’s, albeit a little smaller.

Nintendo Switch 2 release date: mark your calendars

The Switch 2 will go on sale on the 5th of June 2025. There’ll be one version offered with 256GB of internal storage, and will cost $450/£396.

It’ll launch alongside Mario Kart World, a new open-world entry in the long-running racing series, and will be available as a bundle for $500/£430.

Pre-orders opened a lot sooner, on April 9, with all the usual electronics retailers taking deposits. Things stalled in the US on account of fluctuating trade tariffs, but the console is still on track to release on June 5th.

Also read: When and how to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2

Switch 2 design: similar, but different with a redesigned kickstand and new Joy-Cons

The Switch 2 is another hybrid handheld, with detachable joy-con controllers that sit either side of a screen, and a docking station that lets you play on a bigger TV. The screen is considerably larger than the OG Switch at 7.9in, but the console’s thickness hasn’t changed.

That screen uses an LCD panel, which comes as a big surprise given how popular the Switch OLED proved with gamers. It’s a big step up everywhere else, though, with a Full HD resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and HDR support.

The Joy-Cons have grown to match the display, and have gained a new magnetic mechanism and release button that should make them easier to attach and remove than the original console’s slide-on rails. The analogue sticks are larger now, as are the SL and SR buttons on the side, which should make it comfier to play horizontally. They were shown in black, with blue and red accents around the analogue sticks. The IR function of the original Switch Joy-Con has been removed.

New is the ability to use a Joy-Con on its side like a computer mouse, and the right controller has also gained a new C-button below the home button. This launches a new GameChat feature that uses the microphone built into the console for on-device voice and video calls. You won’t need to use a separate smartphone for in-game comms anymore. The menu also supports screen sharing.

A redesigned kickstand at the rear can now be placed at a wider range of angles, and a second USB-C port up top next to the 3.5mm headset port makes it easier to charge the console while in tabletop mode. This is also where the cartridge slot lives. It’ll accept original Switch games as well as Switch 2 carts (marked by their red casing). Each console has 256GB of on-board storage, which uses faster flash memory than the original console for quicker read and write speeds. External storage is still offered too, although only newer MicroSD Express Cards are supported; original Switch MicroSD cards won’t work.

Physical and digital backwards compatibility is great news to Switch owners, although Nintendo says not every game will be supported. A post on the Nintendo website now lists the games that are set to receive a post-launch patch to enable Switch 2 support, with the rest of the Switch line-up seemingly good to go without any updates.

You’ll be able to play handheld for between 2.5 and 6 hours, depending on the game. That’s less than even the original launch edition Switch, which was rated for 2.5 to 6.5 hours; the Switch OLED lasted between 4.5 and 9 hours.

The console still sits in a dock to output to a TV, but the Switch 2’s dock can now output a 4K HDR image at 60Hz – a massive step up from the 1080 SDR of the first Switch. It can also manage 1080p/120Hz and 1440p/120Hz for games where refresh rate takes priority over resolution – think competitive shooters. A fan built into the dock cools the system while it’s pushing those extra pixels.

Also read: No OLED? No problem! Why I don’t mind the Switch 2’s LCD return

Nintendo Switch 2 specs

Nintendo didn’t confirm the Switch 2’s internals during its Direct presentation, but that’s no surprise: the firm has never made outright power a priority.

Nvidia is back again to supply the silicon, this time a custom T239 processor with eight cores – although only six are available to game developers, with the other two dedicated to the operating system. The accompanying GPU has 1536 CUDA cores, a massive step up from the original Switch’s 256. The chipset is paired with 12GB of RAM, but again only some of that is accessible to game developers; 3GB is always reserved for the system.

The Switch 2 will support Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) upscaling tech, which is now an integral part of its PC gaming graphics cards. This basically means it’ll use AI to boost frame rates and resolutions beyond what the hardware could otherwise achieve natively.

All other specs are now confirmed:

Key hardware

Nintendo Switch 2 games: Mario and Donkey Kong star first

The headline Switch 2 launch title is Mario Kart World. It’s an all-new take on the long-running racing franchise that lets you leave the track for the first time, driving between courses or freely roaming either solo or with friends. A new Knockout Tour exchanges laps for point-to-point races, with the last player to reach each checkpoint eliminated until there’s a winner. Weather conditions and the time of day will change mid-race for the first time, and there seems to be a new costume change mechanic on top of the usual weapons hidden in question mark blocks.

Donkey Kong Bananza was the other highlight. Though not a launch title, this is the first fully 3D Donkey Kong adventure since the Nintendo 64 era, and it’ll launch on July 17. So far we’ve only seen one trailer, which shows a redesigned DK smashing boulders and hunting for hidden gems on Ingot Isle.

Kirby Air Riders is a sequel to a Gamecube family favourite. The brief teaser trailer looks fun, though with Mario Kart getting an earlier release I wonder what else this will bring in terms of racing gameplay.

The other new first-party game – if you can call it that – is Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. This looks like a Switch 2 tutorial done in a very Nintendo-like way, with minigames highlighting the console’s new features and functions. It’ll be a digital-only download, and you’ll have to pay for it too (grumble).

Gamers can also expect a bunch of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles, which will see Switch 1 releases updated with new features and functionality for the new console. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are set to support higher resolutions and HDR, while Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new minigames to utilise the mouse controls and Switch 2 camera accessory.

Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will also get Gamecube games for the first time, exclusive to Switch 2. Zelda: the Wind Waker, Soul Calibur II and F-Zero GX will be among the launch line-up, and you’ll be able to pick up a wireless Gamecube controller, complete with C button, to go with them.

Third party support looks extensive, with Hades II, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 and Borderlands 4 all set to launch on Switch 2. Existing console greats like Elden Ring, Street Fighter 6, Hogwarts Legacy and Hitman: World of Assassination will also receive ports.

Finally, Nintendo has secured FromSoftware for a Switch 2 exclusive coming in 2026. Duskbloods looks certain to appeal to Dark Souls and Bloodborne fans with its steampunk-meets-Castlevania vibes.

Also read: Switch Virtual Game Cards are a good idea – but I want Nintendo to go further

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Nintendo Switch 2 pricing: how much will it cost?

The Switch 2 will cost $450/£396 at launch, or $499/£430 if you buy the bundle with Mario Kart World.

That’s a big increase from the first Nintendo Switch, which cost $300/£280 when it launched in 2017, and even from the $350/£310 Switch OLED. As is the case with almost all things Nintendo, enduring popularity means these prices have stayed pretty consistent, so I’d be surprised if there’ll be much in the way of discounts any time soon.

Switch 2 game prices have also jumped up, whether you buy a digital copy or a physical cartridge (which may or may not hold the game on it – some carts will just contain a license key, and you’ll need to download the entire game to your console’s onboard storage). Donkey Kong Bananza is set to cost £59 for a digital version, while Mario Kart World will set you back £67.

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