Nintendo officially presented Switch 2 in January, but it was the event on April 2 that answered most of the gamers’ questions. Unfortunately, some of those answers were far from what we would love to hear. Nonetheless, here are the 10 most important and exciting things we’ve just learned about the Nintendo Switch 2.
Release date and price
The wait will come to an end shortly because the Nintendo Switch 2 will hit the market on June 5, 2025. The near release was great news, but the console’s price is much less pleasing. Nintendo Switch 2 officially costs $449.99/€469.99/£395.99. Hence, Switch 2 will be significantly more expensive than its predecessor, which cost $299.99 when it premiered in 2017. It won’t help the new console to break Switch’s record of 150 million units sold. Nonetheless, Nintendo certainly won’t suffer from the lack of gamers willing to pay. The preorders will start on April 9.
By the way, the exchange rate used by the Big N may be confusing. On the day of the presentation, $450 was worth around €405, not €470. However, the American price doesn’t include taxes. Consequently, the final cost for the players in the US will be higher than $449.99.
Game prices are going up
Not all of us have come to terms with the $70 price tag, and Nintendo decided to raise the bar even higher. The official price for Nintendo Switch 2 games is $79.99. And it’s only for digital releases. If you want to have a physical copy, the price goes up another $10, reaching $89.99. Beloved Switch exclusives, such as Mario Kart, Metroid Prime, and The Legend of Zelda, surely find customers. However, the increased price can hurt the sales of multiplatform titles.
Backward compatibility but paid updates
Most of your Nintendo Switch games should run smoothly on the new console. However, even the praised backward compatibility has its darker side. If I understand correctly, you can play older titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Metroid Prime: Beyond, on Switch 2, but to enjoy better graphics and smoother animation, you must pay for an update.
Not forcing players to buy another copy of the title they already have seems like a step forward for Nintendo. On the flip side, paying for unlocking capabilities of an already expensive system is not a user-friendly move.
Nintendo Switch 2 games
And speaking of games, the list of titles that you can play on your Nintendo Switch 2 system looks pretty impressive, especially compared to those available on PS5 when it was released. First of all, Nintendo announced some interesting new exclusives, including Donkey Kong Bananza, Kirby Air Riders, and Mario Kart World, which will be the first open-world game in the series. Later this year, players will also get a new The Legend of Zelda spin-off, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. The biggest surprise was The Duskbloods, a new game from From Software that will come next year exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Awaited titles that will get a Switch 2 port are another notable group. It includes Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, and Borderlands 4. Last but not least, there’s a long list of the praised games that will also come out on Switch 2. Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, Street Fighter 6, and Final Fantasy VII Remake are the tip of this iceberg.
Football is heading to Switch 2
Speaking of games, it is also worth highlighting that two EA Sports flagship franchises will be available on Switch 2. The release of EA Sports FC 25 is not surprising because it has already been available on the Nintendo Switch. However, Madden NFL is a whole different story.
This series has avoided Nintendo systems for over a decade. The last Madden installment released for any Nintendo console was 2011’s Madden NFL Football on the 3DS console. Consequently, the announcement of Madden coming to Switch 2 is a big deal for all NFL fans. We hope the NHL series will follow and finally reach outside Microsoft and Sony consoles.
120 FPS sounds good
Nintendo revealed a lot of interesting news about its latest child in January. However, the company saved some precious morsels for the April event. The most exciting news was that the console’s hardware allows it to run games at 120 FPS at 1080p resolution or at 60 FPS at 4K. Such performance has so far been reserved for PS5 Pro and PC.
Switch 2 has mice
Probably the most unique thing about Switch 2 is that you can use its Joy-Con like a computer mouse. It has the potential to change the way you can play shooters and strategy games on the console.
The C button
A significant part of the event was reserved for the C button, a dedicated button opening GameChat, a new feature on Nintendo consoles. It will allow you to talk to your friends you’re playing with online. Frankly, I would rather hear something about anti-drifting solutions in the new Joy-Cons.
Share your games
In January, Nintendo revealed that Switch 2 lets players lend games from their library to their family and friends. Now, another interesting feature has been announced. Some games will only need one copy to play together. Only the Switch 2 console can share games locally, but you can receive some titles on the original Nintendo Switch. Hence, players with old and new systems can have fun together.
GameCube on your Switch
Some games from the Nintendo GameCube era will finally be available on new consoles. Unfortunately, players need to pay for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription to play them. Nonetheless, it’s great to have a chance to play Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur II, or F-Zero GX again.
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