PART ONE: THE NINTENDO SWITCH 2 CONSOLE & SYSTEM

What is Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo Switch 2 is the direct successor to the Nintendo Switch console. It’s a hybrid console that can be played as both a handheld or dedicated console. It sports a faster processor, higher memory capacity and improved chipset compared to the original Nintendo Switch. The screen of the handheld is larger at 7.9”, LCD and supports HDR and up to 120 frames per second.^[1] The console is capable of outputting up to 4K resolution when in docked mode. The controllers of the console, dubbed Joy-Con 2, are larger and have been redesigned from the ground up. They attach to the system via a magnetic rail. Additionally they feature a new button on the right Joy-Con 2 that opens the new GameChat feature. They can be laid down on their side to function as a mouse in supported games such as Metroid Prime 4 and Civilization VII.

When Will Nintendo Switch 2 Be Available?
The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5th worldwide. Additional accessories and games will be available on the same day.^[2]

What Nintendo Games Can I Only Play on Nintendo Switch 2?
During the Nintendo Direct on April 2nd a variety of games were shown. The system seller is a new version of Mario Kart, dubbed Mario Kart World. Mario Kart World will be available on launch day and is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.^[3] Nintendo will release a new 3D platformer exclusively for the system featuring Donkey Kong on July 17th with Donkey Kong Bananza.^[4] Later this year games like Kirby Air Riders^[5], the sequel to the GameCube title Kirby Air Ride and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment^[6] will be available as well. A new title, Drag x Drive, will launch in summer 2025 and is designed to show off the controls with Joy-Con 2 working as mice to steer and control wheelchairs in a 3v3 wheelchair basketball game^[7].Drag x Drive is a digital-only release.^[74] Finally, on release day there will also be a game called Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. This is a digital-only paid game that shows off many of the features of the Nintendo Switch 2 system^[8]. It contains factoids about the console, as well as several minigames designed to highlight the new capabilities of the system. For example there’s a minigame where you need to guess the framerates shown on screen, or use the mouse function to putt a golfball into a hole. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will cost $9.99 USD and is available via the NIntendo eShop. ^[9]

What is the Battery Life of the Nintendo Switch 2 in Handheld mode?
The Nintendo Switch 2 has a Lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 5220mAh. The estimated battery life is between 2 and 6.5 hours, depending on the software being played. Nintendo emphasizes that these are rough estimates. Charging the Nintendo Switch 2 battery while in Sleep Mode will take about 3 hours.^[10]

What does the new button on the Nintendo Switch 2 do?
The button on front of the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 controllers opens the GameChat feature and can be used to mute the internal microphone of the system and other GameChat functions.^[11] This button is called the C Button.^[12]

How do the Joy-Con 2 work as a mouse controller on Nintendo Switch 2?
Both of the Joy-Con 2 controllers feature an optical sensor on the sides of the controllers. You can place these controllers with their sides down on a surface and they’ll be used as mice. In games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond it’s been confirmed that you can use the mouse controls instantly without having to switch to a menu.^[13] For games like Drag X Drive, players will be required to use both Joy-Con 2 controllers as mice. As the game requires players to move both controllers simultaneously to steer and accelerate their in-game wheelchair.^[14]  Nintendo has emphasized that the mouse controls works on jeans and other surfaces. Nintendo has also highly discouraged players from using the Joy-Con 2 as a mouse on the bare skin.^[15] The mouse controls can be used in both docked and tabletop mode. The included Joy-Con 2 Straps are not required for using them as a mouse, but enhance the smoothness of the mouse detection.

What ports are on the Nintendo Switch 2 Dock?
The Nintendo Switch 2 dock features: ^[16]

• 2 USB Ports (USB 2.0 compatible) on the side

• System connector (This is the bottom port that connects to the Nintendo Switch 2)
• AC adapter port, now consisting of a charging brick and cable.
• An HDMI port
• A LAN port

What will Nintendo Switch 2 Cost At Launch In My Region?
This information was not revealed in the Nintendo Direct but rather through retailers and the MSRP as listed on the various ‘My Nintendo Stores’ (MNS) across the internet^[17]. MNS is an official way to buy products directly from Nintendo and is available in many countries globally. The prices listed here are how Nintendo has listed them themselves on their own site. This does not reflect individual deals.

The base console, which comes with the Nintendo Switch 2 System, Joy-Con 2 controllers, Joy-Con 2 straps, a high-speed HDMI cable, a Nintendo Switch 2 Dock and a leaflet with important information on the system will retail as follows:
- United States: $449.99 USD^[18]

- Europe: €469,99 EURO^[19]
- Canada: $629.99 Canadian Dollar^[20]
- United Kingdom: £395,99 British Pounds^[21]
- Australia: AU$699.95 Australian Dollars^[22]

Japan:
Japan will have a unique situation as Nintendo has decided to launch two separate versions of the Nintendo Switch. Both consoles will include all the components mentioned above, but there is a standard ‘Japan Language version’ of the Nintendo Switch 2. This system will sell for a lower price, but is region locked to only read Japanese games and display all menus in the Japanese language. This version will cost ¥49.980 Japanese Yen. The second version to release in Japan is a ‘worldwide’ language version that will be able to read games from other regions and display international languages. The ‘worldwide’ edition of Nintendo Switch 2 will only be sold in Japan and is ¥69.980 Japanese Yen.^[23] This is due to the current low value of the Japanese Yen to prevent importing the system from Japan by other regions at a lower price.
It is important to note that this ‘region-locked’ Japanese language version is only sold in Japan. Nintendo Switch 2 in all other regions will be region-free and can play any game from any region and display multiple languages.^[24]

Nintendo Switch 2 Bundle (includes Mario Kart World):
The Nintendo Switch 2 will also be available as a bundle with Mario Kart World. This version includes all the components mentioned above, as well as a digital download code for Mario Kart World in the box. The system has the same design and internal components as the regular system. Mario Kart World will be available as a physical or digital purchase separately as well for those wanting to buy the game separately from the console.
According to the Nintendo website this bundle is: “Limited-time production through Fall 2025 (available while supplies last).”.^[25] 

The Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle will cost the following:
- United States: $499.99 USD^[26]

- Europe: €509,99 EURO^[27]
- Canada: $699.99 Canadian Dollar^[28]
- United Kingdom: £429,99 British Pounds^[29]

- Australia: AU$769.95. Australian Dollars^[30]
- Japan: ¥53.980 (Japanese Language only System) // ¥73.980 (multi-language)^[31]

Why Have Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-orders been postponed in the United States?
On the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2 presentation, the U.S. Government announced a new wave of tariffs that are targeted against imported goods from outside the U.S.^[32] Nintendo Switch 2 is primarily developed in Japan, but a lot of the assembly and factory production is based in Vietnam.^[33] This region in particular was struck by a 46% tariff. The president of Nintendo of America, Doug Bowser confirmed that Nintendo did not factor in this tariff into their suggested retail price of $449 in the United States for the Nintendo Switch 2 system.^[34] Nintendo announced on April 3rd that it would halt pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 within the United States, as it is reevaluating the costs of production for this region in particular.^[35] Retailers such as GameStop, Walmart and Best Buy have stopped accepting pre-orders, which were scheduled to go live on April 9th 2025.

A large number of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles and units have already been distributed and shipped to the United States over the last few months.^[36] 

Update April 8th 17:48 CET: Pre-Orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada have now also seemingly been delayed. As confirmed via a statement to MobileSyrup, Nintendo of Canada has said: “Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada will not start on April 9, 2025 in order to align with the timing of pre-orders to be determined in the U.S. Nintendo will provide updated information at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”.^[37]

2nd Update: April 21st 2025:

It's been confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders will be going live in the United States on April 24th, 2025. This comes two weeks after the pre-orders for both the US and Canada were postponed for this region. The price for the Nintendo Switch 2 will remain the same in the US for both options ($450 for the Nintendo Switch 2 system and $500 for the Nintendo Switch 2 system + a download code for Mario Kart World).^[100] For Canada prices have also remained at $629.99 Canadian and $699.99 Canadian respectively.^[101] However, with the tariffs, Nintendo has adjusted prices for accessories for the Nintendo Switch 2 in both regions. Please refer to part three of the FAQ for these specific changes.