In the way-too-early hours of the morning (ask me how i know), Nintendo finally pulled the curtain off the Switch 2 in an hour-long live presentation. The video feed was out of sound sync and actually froze for one minute (everyone on YouTube had this problem) but we got the information we needed, even if everybody’s speeches didn’t match their lip movements. Here’s my reflection on the whole affair.

There’s a lot about the Switch 2 that I thought was cool. It’s larger, with a 7.9-inch screen. The mysterious “C” button was revealed to mean “Chat,” or voice chat…it is now possible to conference with your friends while playing online, and even see them with an optional camera attachment. It’s possible to share multiplayer games with up to three other players in a feature called “GameShare” (appropriately enough). The handheld screen will be able to run games at 120 FPS (assuming they’re programmed that way). The Joycons-As-Mice thing was confirmed and yes, there will be gimmicky games at launch that demonstrate how to use them, which we’ll forget exist in about a year.

Mario Kart World, one of the Switch 2’s launch titles, looks mega-fun, with the ability to go beyond just racing and explore the landscape in your vehicle of choice. Mario Kart turned into Diddy Kong Racing so gradually I hardly noticed.

Some Nintendo Switch games will be given “upgrades” on Switch 2 with new features and graphics enhancements. Just as Sony has done with their upgrades, you’ll have to pay for a “pass” if you own the original game and want the better one. But if you’d rather not, the originals should work just fine. Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will receive Switch 2 enhanced versions, which amount to HDR support and the ability to share creations via QR codes on a phone app. That last feature is pretty tempting, but not if it comes at the cost of losing my precious duplication glitch.

Masahiro Sakurai has revealed his next game is Kirby Air Riders, a sequel to Gamecube’s Kirby Air Ride. I know some of you were hoping for Smash news, but I think Sakurai has earned a break from that series. Speaking of Gamecube, the Switch 2 will offer its games as part of its Nintendo Switch Online program. The Switch 1’s hardware can very likely run Gamecube games, but they needed to hold something over.

Any hint on a new mainline Mario would have been great, but he didn’t show up…Donkey Kong did. The NEW Donkey Kong, bulging eyes and all. It’s not just DK that looks different in DONKEY KONG BANANZA …nothing about the world he digs through feels familiar, and none of the other Kongs make any sort of appearance (are we really not getting Funky Mode?) For a company that so rigidly adheres to a specific house style, the look of this game is jarring. When the trailer started and panned over so many stylized environments, I thought for a second Nintendo was somehow making a Crash Bandicoot game.

As for third-party offerings…Switch 2 will have titles like Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy, Split Fiction and Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which basically means the console is playing catch-up with the titles the Switch 1 didn’t have the horsepower to run. Chances are you’ve played many of these already on rival systems — Steam Deck beat Nintendo on a portable Elden Ring by over a year. Eventually, as it goes, the thing will become underpowered compared to the competition and it won’t get this kind of support anymore. For now, EA has pledged to bring all their annual sports titles to Switch 2.

Perhaps the most unbelievable third-party news is that FromSoftware is creating an original game as a Switch 2 exclusive. The Duskbloods is an online multipllayer game set to release in 2026, and the creators of the term “soulslike” would make all the money if they released it multiplaform, but instead it’s calling Switch 2 its only home. Wonder why.

Nintendo Switch 2 will go on sale June 4 for an MSRP of $449.99; a bundle will be available that packs in Mario Kart World, since that’s the one game everyone will want. Preorders open in one week, and I’ll be gunning for the bundle to save a few bucks.

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