After months of speculation, Nintendo announced the Switch 2 console on Jan. 16 — and that was about it. With close-ups of the new unit and a few shots of a (theoretical) new Mario Kart, Nintendo went the Nintendo route of meeting extreme demand by doing whatever the hell it wanted on whatever timetable it felt like. The reveal came with a promise: more news on April 2, 2025.
The day has come. In what’s promised to be an hour-long direct, Nintendo unveiled much, much, much more about its plans for Switch 2. To quote Mario: WAHOO! Here’s what went down.
Developing…
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart 9 was teased during the Switch 2’s initial reveal, but now it’s official: Mario Kart World is arriving for the console’s launch.
This version’s twist: the weather changes, off-roading is highly encouraged, and you keep on driving to the next course? Packing in 24 racers in each race makes this the most open-world of any Mario Kart, and there’s the promise of tons of social multiplayer modes.
GameChat
Get ready for a revolutionary pitch: You can now communicate with friends and family while playing a game! The Switch 2 has a microphone built into the console itself, versus the controller, but Nintendo promises that even if your bro is blending a muscle shake in the same room, noise control tech makes it no problem to keep talking without a headset. Nintendo emphasized the use of parental controls in order to contrast itself to the Wild West of Discord.
The big reveal? Turns out Switch 2’s mysterious C button launches GameChat.
Nintendo Switch 2 Camera
Nintendo is reinventing Zoom. While you can play your games and talk to your buds using GameChat, the new camera accessory — arriving at launch — can give your multiplayer a video-call-esque twist.
Local play via GameShare
While the Switch allowed for local play on one console using two Joy-Cons, the Switch 2’s GameShare function will allow pals to to play each other in a local setting using a single shared game — even if the friend doesn’t own a copy.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
All the new technology packed into the Switch 2 excited the team at Nintendo so much, they decided to make an entire game that allows player to learn about and experiment with the various features. In Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which feels like the Nintendo equivalent of Astro’s Playroom on Playstation 5, puts players in charge of a lil’ guy who goes around exploring a giant version of the console, as well as playing mini games that take advantage of the Joy-Con’s motion controls and mouse capabilities.
Motion and voice minigame upgrade for Super Mario Party Jamboree
There are three types of games playable on Switch 2: Switch 2 exclusives, Switch 1 backward compatible games, and Switch 2 “edition” games, which upgrade classic titles with console-specific enhancements. Super Mario Party Jamboree, for instance, will be re-released (but free to current owners) with new games like “Bowser Live,” which sees the king koopa doing karaoke? And the player sings? Lots of wacky stuff — but it’s all possible with the Switch 2’s more interactive capabilities.
Enhanced Zelda games
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will also receive enhanced editions, boasting upgraded graphics and a GPS-like Nintendo app integration that can direct you to hidden kooks. A Tears-specific add-on let’s friends share Zonai device builds using QR codes on the Nintendo app.
Drag and Drive
Optimized for the Joy-Con motion control, this new game drops players into a wheelchair basketball match. Yes, Nintendo did a Murderball. The trailer shows of the unique moves needed to score and outpace your opponents.
