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Days ago, we had one Nintendo Direct that covered the first Nintendo Switch, along with a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Metroid game, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Now, we have a new direct that focuses on the Nintendo Switch 2, focusing on the new releases, the Nintendo GameCube coming to Nintendo Switch Online, and finally, that hefty new price for the console.
Before you read this article, it has been updated with the newest announcement from Nintendo regarding United States President Trump’s New Tariffs, which has now caused a delay in the Switch 2’s Pre-orders. But Nintendo did promise that the June 5, 2025 release date of the Switch 2 itself remains intact. (No matter how much he and his administration say it is good for the United States, it is not. We went down this road during the Great Depression with the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, which worsened the economy even more. In short, Consumers are directly affected by having to pay more for goods. They are a tax on the American People.)
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Mario Kart World, the Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusive
We knew there would be a new Mario Kart game coming the Nintendo Switch 2, but what we didn’t know was that this one would be in an open-world setting. Mario Kart World has been confirmed that it will be a Switch 2 exclusive right out of the gate (even offered in part of a launch day Switch 2 Bundle that will be available digitally with a download code for the title, following a similar bundle that was offered for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the first Switch. The Switch 2 bundle is priced at $499, but we’ll discuss that part later.) and it will feature an open-world mode, in-game atmospheric effects that depend on “the time of day and weather conditions,” and up to 24 drivers per race. The Open-World mode will be called Free Roam, where you guessed it, drive on or off-road around the world. Another fun new mode that is coming up will be the Knock-out Tour, letting players do a cross-country Cannonball Run-style checkpoint race. The company plans to share more about it in a Nintendo Direct scheduled for April 17th at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET.
Nintendo Switch 2 Specs Laid Out
We’re moving into the Nintendo Switch 2’s Console and Hardware area of the direct coverage. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa spoke about how the Switch 2 was the next step in at-home gaming based on eight years of play and discovery that began with the Nintendo Switch and how it will expand the possibilities of gaming experiences. They also confirmed that the Switch 2 was going to be released on June 5, 2025, priced at $449.99 and the Switch 2 Bundle with Mario Kart World was priced at $499. Some claim that it was Nintendo who was greedy with its pricing, $200 more than the first Nintendo Switch’s price tag, but American Politics will come into play, due to President Trump’s rekindled romance of tariffs, something that the industry has faced in his first term, It has come at a time when the industry is at its most fragile state, not to mention how it will impact game hardware because console devices are manufactured and shipped from China and that region at large. Joost van Dreunen, author of “One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games” spoke to AP News on this matter. Listed below are the specs and how you can get an invitation to pre-order your Switch 2 from Nintendo.
Tale of the Tape: Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 (Accessories and Pre-Order Requirements)
- Nintendo Switch 2 console
- Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)
- Both are Equipped with an Accelorometer, Gyroscope, and Mouse sensor
- It can magnetically attach to the Nintendo Switch 2 console.
- Can be operated like a mouse by sliding it on a surface like a table or on a pair of pants.
- They can be used in multiple ways, including for games that require aiming.
- Joy-Con 2 Grip
- Joy-Con 2 Straps
- Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)
- Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
- Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
- Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter
- USB-C Charging Cable
- Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
- Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
- Size– Approximately 4.5 inches tall x 7.9 inches wide x 2 inches thick
- Weight– Approximately .84 lbs
- Ports– 2 USB Ports (USB 2.0 compatible) on the side
- System connector
- AC adapter port
- HDMI port
- LAN port
- System connector
- Mario Kart World Digital Code (Nintendo Switch 2 Bundle Item)
- Pre-Order Date– April 9, 2025 (Delayed Due To President Trump’s New Tariffs).
- Pre-Order Requirements (My Nintendo Store Invitation):
- Buy at least 12 months’ worth of a Nintendo Switch Online membership
- Have at least 50 gameplay hours logged to your Nintendo account
- Opt-in to share gameplay data in your Nintendo account’s privacy settings
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Nintendo Switch 2 (Hardware)
- Size– Approximately 4.5 inches tall x 10.7 inches wide x .55 inches thick (with Joy-Con 2 controllers attached)
- Weight– Approximately .88 lbs
- Screen– Capacitive touchscreen
- 7.9-inch wide color gamut LCD screen
- 1920×1080 pixels
- HDR10 support
- VRR up to 120 Hz
- 1920×1080 pixels
- 7.9-inch wide color gamut LCD screen
- CPU/GPU– A Custom Processor by NVIDIA, resulting in faster processing speed and enabling new visually advanced gameplay. It also makes it possible to achieve more detailed graphics and faster loading times.
- Storage– 256 GB, which is 8 times the storage capacity of Nintendo Switch. For additional storage, Nintendo Switch 2 only uses microSD Express cards, which have faster data reading speeds than previous microSD models.
- Audio- The sound quality is more natural and clearer with an even more balanced sound range. When playing in handheld mode or tabletop mode, players will be able to experience games with even more immersive, three-dimensional sound.
- Game Card Slot– Both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 Game Cards can be played and inserted.
- Battery Life– Approx. 2 – 6.5 hours
- *Battery Life Depends on which game you play.
- Charge Time– Approximately 3 Hours
- MicroSD Express Card Slot– Compatible with microSD Express cards only (up to 2 TB)
- *microSD memory cards that are not compatible with microSD Express can only be used to copy screenshots and videos from Nintendo Switch.Game-Key Cards– Game-key cards are different from regular game cards because they don’t contain the full game data. Instead, the game-key card is your “key” to downloading the full game to your system via the internet.
- Game-Key Cards– Game-key cards are different from regular game cards because they don’t contain the full game data. Instead, the game-key card is your “key” to downloading the full game to your system via the internet.
- The game itself isn’t included on the game-key card, so you’ll have to download it before you can play.
- When you insert the game-key card, further instructions will be displayed on the HOME Menu. Please follow the instructions to download the game.
- Please Note: to download the game, you must have enough free space in your Nintendo Switch 2 system memory or microSD Express card. The amount of free space required is indicated on the game-key card packaging.
- The game itself isn’t included on the game-key card, so you’ll have to download it before you can play.
Nintendo GameChat
As we continue looking into the hardware territory, we’ll look at Nintendo’s newest accessory, the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera. The new camera allows players to host video chats with their friends, the lens can capture a wide view, too, so even big rooms or groups of people can get in on the fun. According to the accessories portion of the Switch 2, Its compact size makes the camera easy to move and place where you need it to be. The wide-angle lens can be freely adjusted to get everyone in on the action, no matter the room size. Plus, a high-sensitivity image sensor can adjust the brightness automatically to detect faces. The camera comes with a built-in privacy shutter, a USB-C charger, and an adjustable stand. Next, we’ll be looking at GameChat, which is an in-game chat system that lets you connect with friends online by pressing the new “C” button. There is also a new feature called GameShare that will let users share a game with friends who don’t own a compatible game so they can play together. Please Note: The Nintendo GameChat requires a Nintendo Online Membership to use, but for a limited time, all Nintendo Switch 2 owners can access GameChat without a Nintendo Switch Online membership through the GameChat Open-Access period, which lasts until the end of March 2026.
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