Update (04/04/25): Nintendo has delayed its original pre-order date so it can assess the impact of US-imposed tarriffs. This means back to the drawing board, where all prices in this article are subject to change.
Original post (03/04/25): Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel from its predecessor’s innovative design, but as the saying goes: if ain’t broke, don’t fix it. What it does do is sprinkle in a couple of new features, offer a tremendous selection of games with backwards compatibility, and focus on a coveted performance uplift everyone’s been asking for.
Here’s everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch 2:
When does Switch 2 release?
After a lengthy wait filled with rumours and false starts, Nintendo has revealed Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025. As a worldwide release, it should hit shelves on the same date across the globe.
Nintendo originally proposed a $450/£396 standalone model complete with 256GB of storage, alongside a $500/£430 Mario Kart Worlds bundle that includes the new open-world racing game. With the Trump Administration announcing 24% import tarriffs on Japan, these MSRPs could potentially shift upwards.
Where to pre-order Switch 2
If graphics card shortages teach us anything, it’s that the handheld console could be difficult to buy come crunch time. The ideal would be to pre-order one ahead of time so you can guarantee your purchase, but this isn’t as easy as Nintendo first envisioned. Originally planning to open pre-orders on April 9, the company has delayed pre-purchasing to an undisclosed date while it analyses the impact such high tarriffs will have on its bottom line.
Fortunately, there are still ways you can register your interest and get notifications when it does choose a date.
Register your interest in Nintendo Switch 2
Get your hands on Nintendo’s latest portable console on day one, complete with higher resolutions, better frame rates, and brand-new exclusives.
Amazon US still has no holding page at the time of writing. Other regional Amazon storefronts including the UK and Europe let you join reservation lists. It’s the same deal with Argos in the UK.
If we encounter short supply, rest assured that the official Nintendo Store is doing all it can to combat scalpers. From April 8, the only way to purchase one directly is by logging into an account that has:
- At least two consecutive years of Nintendo Switch Online membership by March 31, 2025 that’s still active when purchasing Switch 2
- This is only available for the bill-payer, not anyone else on family memberships
- A certain amount of play time in purchased games, with priority allocated to those with the most
- Opted to share console usage information with Nintendo
- Opted into receive promotional emails from Nintendo on the associated account
Nintendo tells GameSpot that it will “update timing at a later date” but “the launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”
What are Switch 2 specs?
Nintendo Switch 2 features a bigger screen than the original, better rivalling the current wave of handheld gaming PCs like Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. Ditching its predecessor’s 6.2in display, the new model brandishes a new panel technology it calls “Vivid LCD,” stretching to 7.9in and including support for high-dynamic range (HDR).
It’s not all about size, as refresh rate also sees a noticeable uplift. The new panel reaches a lofty 120Hz, which is a substantial increase over the first Switch’s 60Hz ceiling. Resolution rises to FHD (1080p) but the console does support 4K resolutions while in docked mode and connected to a compatible screen.
We know very little about what’s going on under the hood aside from battery and internal storage. 256GB of space might not seem like much when Xbox and PlayStation rock 1TB+ these days, but it’s another massive jump over the original Switch’s 32GB. After all, Nintendo games tend not to take up half as much room as their multi-platform counterparts.
Conversely its 5,220mAh battery is a whopper compared to the original’s 4,310mAh but with all these spec increases, Nintendo quotes a similar average of 6.5 hours of gameplay when handheld. Hopefully we’ll see that put to the test pretty quickly.
Nintendo has kept hush about what exactly lies at the heart of it all aside from the fact it continues its partnership with Nvidia, but Team Green spilled the beans that whatever’s under there enables DLSS support to upscale games and uses “dedicated RT Cores and Tensor Cores” to power ray tracing. Previous rumours suggest it’s an eight-core Tegra T239 processor with integrated graphics, giving it 1.72 TFLOPs as a handheld and 3.09 TFLOPs when docked, but that’s still a lingering question mark.
Similarly, signs point to 16GB of LPDDR5X, which would quadruple its forerunner’s LPDDR4 offering. Of course, we don’t know for sure just yet, so keep your eyes peeled.
Switch 2 features
Magnetic JoyCon 2 controllers: Detachable JoyCons unsurprisingly return, but this time with an added C button akin to the GameCube stick. Instead of sliding on rails, the new duo slots into the screen magnetically. You’ll still get the same motion controls but with the bonus feature that they also act as mice. I wasn’t entirely sold on the novel idea when it first leaked given the surface requirement is the antithesis of Switch 2’s portability, but Nintendo has won me over with its presentation. You’ll be able to aim more accurately in the newly announced Metroid Prime 4: Beyond akin to true keyboard and mouse users, and use both JoyCon 2 pads simultaneously to control your wheelchair in Drag x Drive.
Switch 2 Pro controller: Sold separately, this also features the new C button alongside new GL and GR buttons on the rear. Borrowing elements from more popular gamepads out there, you’ll also spot a tried-and-tested 3.5mm audio port in the bottom for headsets.
Switch 2 docks: It’s not just about rounded edges, as the new dock comes with a built-in fan to keep the whole system cool. Here’s hoping it doesn’t come with the same warping woes as the original did way back when.
Better screen: Thanks to its new 120Hz HDR screen, you can enjoy richer colours, deeper blacks, and smoother visuals on compatible titles. Some games, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will even let you choose between UHD/60fps while docked (dropped to 1080p handheld) or FHD/120fps (dropped to 720p handheld).
Expandable storage: 265GB of internal storage is a great start but game file sizes are still steadily increasing. You can pop in MicroSD cards to give yourself more space, but Switch 2 is limited to MicroSD Express Cards specifically, meaning standard ones that previously worked with the original won’t be compatible here.
GameShare: Nintendo has always been the king of local multiplayer, and Switch 2 continues this legacy. Compatible games will let you play a game with one cartridge across multiple systems so you can enjoy couch co-op without fighting for screen space. We don’t yet know the extent to which this feature is supported, but it’s neat nonetheless, although you’ll need an active Switch Online membership to enable it much like GameChat.
Switch 2 games
Physical games will still arrive on cartridges, adding backwards compatibility with the original console. New titles will be dipped in red to differentiate them so you can easily identify which is a Switch 2 title. These read quicker than the cartridges we’re used to, so we should see a noticeable jump in load times.
Switch 2 exclusives
As usual, Nintendo accompanies its new console with one major first-party title, which is Mario Kart World in this case. Innovating on the usual racing game, this will let you break free from the track to drive around an open world between competitions.
- Mario Kart World – releases June 5 for $79.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour – releases June 5
- Donkey Kong Bananza – releases July 17 for $69.99
- Drag x Drive – releases Summer 2025
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – releases Winter 2025
- Kirby Air Raiders – releases 2025
- Duskbloods – releases 2025
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is filled with mini-games and available on day-one, purchasable from the online store. I question why the brand would charge for this when Valve’s Apeture Desk Job has a similar function for Steam Deck and is completely free, but we’ll know more when the game releases.
Switch 2 Edition games
To make the best use of the console’s swanky new specs, Nintendo will offer Switch 2 Editions of previously-released games. This will bring higher resolutions, HDR, and in some cases higher frame rates to titles you’re already familiar with. So far, it’s starting with just three, but there are no doubt more on the way.
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – releases June 5
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – releases June 5
- Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – releases June 5
- Super Mario Party Jamboree – releases July 24
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World – releases August 28
- Pokemon Legendz Z-A – releases late 2025
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – releases 2025
Owners of the original will be able to buy a digital upgrade at a reduced price or gain access to the enhancements with an active Nintendo Online subscription. The latter requires you keep the membership going, but will also afford you access to the new Zelda Notes mode in the Nintendo smartphone app, which is a handy interactive map linked to your playthrough.
Nintendo Switch Online
Although the smartphone app is getting a rebrand to simplify its naming to Nintendo App, the company has doubled down on its Online service. This time, the long-awaited GameCube collection is joining the roster on June 5 for Expansion Pack members. The brand promises more will join later down the line, but there are three classics ready from the get-go:
- The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
- F-Zero GX
- Soulcalibur II (with Link as a playable character)
With around 651 games released for the system over the course of its seven-year lifespan, it has the one of the smallest libraries of a mainstream system from the big three manufacturers. Still, it’s about quality, not quantity. Hopefully we’ll see Super Smash Bros. Melee, Eternal Darkness, and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes make the cut – even if the latter is hilariously over-the-top.
Multiplatform games
There are some surprising entries here, particularly Cyberpunk 2077 given it’s one of the most intensive titles in our test suite. Call me keen to see how this one runs, remembering the woes of its PS4 launch.
Launch day
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Street Fighter 6
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Fortnite
- Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
- Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition
Coming soon
- Hades II
- Borderlands 4
- Split Fiction
- Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
- EA Sports Madden NFL
- NBA 2K
- Final Fantasy VII Remake Integrade
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4
- Enter the Gungeon 2
- Project 007
