Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Recap

Nintendo’s latest Direct, focusing on the Switch 2, just aired on April 2nd, 2025. So let’s take a look at what Nintendo had in store for us with their newest console!

First off, the hardware. Nintendo demonstrated the Joy-Con 2’s mouse mode, a new Pro Controller with an audio jack, and compatibility with MicroSD Express cards, which are faster than regular MicroSD cards. Nintendo also showed off a new service called GameChat, which is launched with the C button. And this will have an open access period up to March 2026 before requiring a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Additionally, there’s GameShare, where one person can play locally on another’s system. As for the game cards, they’re now red with faster data reading speeds. Lastly, there are several other improvements over the original Nintendo Switch.

• Bigger screen, same thickness
• 1080p 120fps
• LCD/HDR support
• The Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically to the system
• Bigger SL/SR buttons and control sticks
• The Joy-Con 2 can be used as a mouse, bringing unique gameplay styles to compatible games
• Clearer speaker audio
• Built-in microphone for voice chatting
• 3D audio to give a sense of space
• A new stand for freely adjustable viewing angles
• 2 USB-C ports at the top and bottom of the system
• 256GB storage size
• 4K support
• A fan for powerful cooling
• Backwards compatibility for compatible Nintendo Switch games

So how’s Nintendo’s first-party lineup looking for the Switch 2? Well, the Direct as a whole started off with a game that was teased on January 16th: the newest entry in the Mario Kart series, Mario Kart World! This transcontinental race sees racers being able to drive virtually anywhere in a large open world. And, it has quite the roster of playable characters! The game launches the same day as the Switch 2 itself. And of course, there’s more details to be shared in the Mario Kart World Direct on April 17th, 2025.

Then there’s two other notable games, both of which are continuations of beloved franchises. Kirby Air Riders, the sequel to Kirby Air Ride that just so happens to be a project that Sakurai teased back in October 2024. The game is slated to release in 2025. The other one is Donkey Kong Bananza, a fully-3D Donkey Kong game in which the leader of the bunch runs around in the Underground World, destroying everything in his path. Donkey Kong Bananza is slated to release on July 17th, 2025.

A handful of other games were announced for the system. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a separately paid (albeit cheap) tech demo with a handful of mini-games demonstrating the power of the Switch 2. Drag x Drive (pronounced “Drag and Drive”) is a multiplayer basketball game built around the Joy-Con 2’s mouse mode. Lastly, there’s Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, the latest Hyrule Warriors game. It’s set in Hyrule’s past, as seen in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Nintendo also revealed that there will be Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of games released for the original Nintendo Switch. First off is Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV. The big new feature is that players can use the Nintendo Switch 2 camera to display themselves in the game. Next is Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World, which features an all-new story set in the Forgotten Land. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom also are getting upgrades, with the main feature being “Zelda Notes”. It lets players use their phones to track down any collectibles they’re looking for. There will also be Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of upcoming Switch games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends Z-A. Players who own these games on Switch can purchase Upgrade Packs for select games to upgrade them.

The GameCube is a new face to the Nintendo Classics selection on Nintendo Switch Online exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. The GameCube selection will launch with The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Soul Calibur II, and F-ZERO GX. More games like Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo, Luigi’s Mansion, and Pokémon Colosseum will be added to the selection later. The service launches on the same day as the Switch 2. Nintendo Classics as a whole will also be updated to support control mapping.

Lastly, the third party lineup includes:

• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
• Hades II
• Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 (with amiibo support)
• Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion
• Split Fiction
• EA Sports FC
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 (with a SpongeBob map)
• Hitman: World of Assassination Signature Edition
• Project 007
• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
• Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
• Chapters 1-4 of Deltarune
• Borderlands 4
• Civilization VII
• WWE 2K
• NBA 2K
• Survival Kids
• Enter the Gungeon 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Cyberpunk 2077
• FINAL FANTASY VII Remake Integrade
• The Duskbloods

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025. There will also be a special bundle with Mario Kart World pre-installed. If you'd like to re-watch the Direct, the link is directly below.

Author’s Note: Well, that was certainly a bonanza of a Direct. What did you guys think? As always, let us know in the comments below!

Credits:
Writing: Perkilator
Editing and Thumbnail Graphic: @Zerp

 

Plenty of stuff to look forward to

 

survival kids is selling -14 copies bro

 

Quite a disappointment of a Direct. Mostly because of the built-in microphone and the push to use a video camera.
We've had too much Big Brother posing as video games as it is and today's world of brain-zapping "smart" devices that seem to only make people stupid, I think that I'm perfectly happy having a console that doesn't have cameras and microphones. If I do get a NS2 then I'll decline plugging in a cam and drill out the mic.

As for the games... not much was shown that was of interest. A lot of ports and DLC that Nintendo is trying to brand as Switch 2 Editions, which didn't leave much to talk about, but here are the more interesting new, original Switch 2 games announced:

• Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion
• Survival Kids
• Donkey Kong Bananza

I was honestly not impressed with Mariokart or the wheelchair game, and Sakurai chose a poor title to work on before the next Smash game considering one of the showcase games was a racing game, but Air Ride was a bad game that should be forgotten regardless.
Duskbloods could be good or not, but idk, but it looked interesting in its style and presentation at least even if it turns out to be underwhelming as a gaming experience.

The console itself isn't much different than just a small step upgrade of the Switch, but maybe it'll actually be able to play Switch games at a proper framerate and most importantly without the really weird compensation the Switch seems to go through when playing games. This is the main reason why Smash Ultimate is not competitive, and compounding with each game in the series getting one degree less competitive as the previous title. So maybe a Switch 2 might actually get Smash to work to a tolerable degree to take semi-seriously for what the game actually offers outside of just a pretty bunch of content.

It's pretty sad when one of the NS2 exclusive "games" to be announced is basically an instruction manual. And, no, it's not a packed-in game that has some free amusement to it, it's a paid digital game that will cost up to $10; this is a very far cry from games that Nintendo used to give us like Nintendo Land for the Wii U which were wonderfully inventive, fun, and completely free with your new console.

But the saddest thing is the Switch 2 is a much more appealing piece of hardware than what we will be seeing in the future from their competitors - the prospects of another Playstation doesn't have me singing joyfully as an alternative, as anyone can guess the PS6 will simply just be the same thing as a PS2 except more expensive and more empty promises. At best maybe it will offer some bad emulation of Nintendo's innovation like they attempted in the past with their own brand of motion controls, touch pads, and Smash Bros.-like ripoff fighters, but probably not even that anymore considering PS5 is a low effort PS4 which was a low effort PS3 which was at least a noteworthy effort at trying to keep a PS2 image, but the PS2 was just building off what Sony stole from Nintendo with their PS1. Ultimately Sony tries to be Nintendo and then thanklessly pretends it's better and hopes gamers don't notice. Well, here's what I hope: That Sony bleeds out the rest of its studios and withers away from the gaming industry after being recognized as a fraud company.
I also hope the next Smash Bros. Sakurai makes won't be a complete departure from what made Super Smash Bros. great a video game console generations back.

 

After coming out of my initial put-off feelings of the games shown off for the Switch 2 (wheelchair basketball and an interactive instruction manual?) I decided the console itself is fine as long as it actually works correctly unlike the first Switch (which is a poor piece of hardware) if I'm getting a Switch 2 I will definitely not getting a Switch camera and I think I'll drill the built-in mic out of the console and get rid of as much of the big brother from it. Hopefully some decent games will be shown off this year, but the ones they have shown were rather underwhelming.

Sakurai either doing a subliminal for Smash Bros. or giving a hint that Air Riders will be the product of his team's "practice" for pre-production of the next Smash was very apparent to me. He's a troll even back before he flipped a middle finger to people complaining about too many Fire Emblem characters in the Byleth reveal. Basically trying to pull a red herring giving us a Smash-like trailer for what was possibly the worst racing game from Nintendo on the Gamecube (sorry, Air Ride fans).

Oh, and being a Splatoon player I know Splatoon is in the works, and that there is a new type of "Splatoon" gameplay for the Switch 2 that is going to be shown off in a new Switch 2 Direct soon.
But even being a Splatoon player, I'm not too interested in what they're doing with world building, but it is on the right track. But it really comes down to the library available to the console; even the Switch 1 library was enough to give enough reason to get one and play a wealth of new titles as well as a large back catalog.

 

Here's my opinion on the Switch 2: I'm not gonna lie, everything about the Switch 2 is awesome, like game chat, new games, game share, etc. One big asterisk about it that i can't let go is the pricing. Because of tariffs, bills, etc and etc, the console itself costs 449$, which is mind-blowing to me. Then, games for the Switch 2 cost hell. For digital, 80$, for physical, 90$. Which is astronomically high for a switch game.

Then, for accessories, the game chat feature has a camera accessory you can buy, to of course, have a web cam when on game chat. That cam accessory alone costs 49.99$. And, to add on, the Switch 2 dock costs 109.99$. Which to me is weird, because it's a switch dock, all you really do is use it to cast your switch, to your TV.

Overall, the Switch 2 is pretty good, I feel like it could be more accessible to people with financial struggles if the prices were changed.