Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2 console’s launch plans in a waited video on Wednesday, announcing the launch date for the wildly popular foldable game console.
On June 5, The Switch 2 will be available for$ 450 on its own or$ 500 with a Mario Kart World download code. The starting price for the basic design is$ 150 more than the original Switch.
Nintendo also disclosed some information regarding what the Change 2 experience will mean with fresh hardware features. The Switch 2 may have a 7.9-inch LCD screen with crisp 1080p quality, HDR support, and the option to play supported games at 120 frames per second, but the hardware won’t get any thicker than the previous Switch model.
The program will have 256GB of domestic storage, which is eight times the original Switch model’s. It will support sdhc Express cards for flexible storage, but not the more common microSD cards.
Additionally, the dock will help 4K resolution when playing on your Television. The Switch 2 may also play initial Switch games, both physical and digital, as recently announced, with a Switch move feature that allows you to transfer data between devices.
As previously mentioned, the new Joy-Con controllers have a magnetic attachment, and they also have larger control sticks that, hopefully, will be less susceptible to disassembling ( or “drifting” ) over time. And certainly, for supported games, the Joy-Cons can be used separately like a rat on a table.
For instance, the right Joy-Con controller’s earlier visible” C” option will launch a GameChat feature that enables you to communicate with friends over Discord-like audio chat while you play.
There’s also a screen-sharing option, though yet Nintendo’s own flow suggested that the picture quality would be a little choppy for outside observers. You can upload your own graphic to streams using a USB camera, including one that Nintendo did debuting right away, as well as place your face in some of the games that support it.
GameChat will remain open to anyone who owns a Switch 2 through March 31, 2026, but it will still require a paid Switch Online license in the interim.
The hardware will be complemented by well-known video games like Mario Kart World, a more expansive sequel to the popular driving game series with longer tracks, 24 drivers on the courses ( double the previous norm ), and new elements like weather conditions and swappable costumes.
You’ll also be able to travel between the interconnected courses while competing against yourself in a separate Free Roam mode that lets you explore every piece of the terrain. On April 17, Nintendo may host a video of Mario Kart World to share more information about the game.
Additionally, Nintendo teased a fresh 3D Donkey Kong Bananza game called Donkey Kong Bananza, which sounds similar to “bananas,” and another race activity, Kirby’s Air Riders. The latter will be available on July 17.
Additionally, Nintendo will launch upgraded versions of some of the original Switch games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Mouth of the Wild and Weeping of the Kingdom, which will have crisper graphics and faster frame rates.
In addition, Kirby and the Forgotten Land adds a new world along with aesthetic improvements, while an improved version of next season’s Mario Party Jamboree adds several fresh features, including game that uses cameras. Users of the Switch copies can obtain an upgrade package to get the improvements on Switch 2, and these superior types will be sold on their own for Switch 2.
Both the Switch 2 and Switch 2 versions of the future Nintendo activities Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be available for both platforms, with efficiency improvements for Switch 2 versions as well.
Additionally, the stream featured improved versions of Sid Meier’s Culture 7 and Hogwarts Legacy as well as third-party activities coming to Switch 2.
Additionally, Nintendo is developing a new Legend Warriors activity game called Age of Imprisonment with Koei Tecmo, with a plot that is set before Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom debuts. It will be available following spring.
GameCube games from GameCube will also be available for the Switch 2 solely to Switch Online + Expansion Pack users, with names like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur 2, and F-Zero GX being offered digitally, with both local and online online.
Nintendo plans to release a GameCube-like wireless controller for the Switch 2 as well, along with Super Mario Sunshine and Luigi’s Mansion.
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