To prepare you for the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, Metro has compiled all the important info you need about its features and games.
After years of rumours, Nintendo is finally preparing to move on from the Nintendo Switch, as it launches its next major gaming console: the Nintendo Switch 2.
The original Switch will still be supported for at least the next year, with new first party games already scheduled for 2026, but the Switch 2 will become the new priority for both Nintendo and other publishers.
With the new console’s release right around the corner, we’ve compiled everything there is to know about the Switch 2, so you know exactly what to expect from it.
All you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2
- When is the Switch 2’s release date?
- How much does the Switch 2 cost?
- What features does the Switch 2 have?
- What is GameChat on Switch 2?
- What features do the Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 controllers have?
- What games will be available at launch for Switch 2?
- Will the Switch 2 be backwards compatible with Switch 1 games?
- What are Nintendo Switch 2 Editions?
- What GameCube games will be available on Switch 2?
- What accessories are available for Switch 2?
- Are Switch 1 controllers compatible with Switch 2?
When is the Switch 2’s release date?
The Switch 2 is scheduled to launch on Thursday, June 5. That’s an unusual time for a new console to be released, as most come out in the autumn or spring, but Nintendo has never really explained why it picked such an unusual date.
How much does the Switch 2 cost?
The Switch 2 is priced at £395.99. It comes with a dock for connecting the console to your TV, a pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers, two Joy-Con 2 straps, a Joy-Con 2 grip that lets you use the Joy-Con 2s like a traditional controller, an AC adapter, and an HDMI cable.
There is also a bundle that includes a digital copy of Mario Kart World priced at £429.99, which means you’re only spending £34 on the game, instead of its usual asking price of £66.99.
At the time of writing, only the Switch 2 on its own is available from Nintendo’s own website, with the Mario Kart bundle sold out. Other retailers have their own bundles as well, that are significantly more expensive but do come with additional games and/or accessories.
What features does the Switch 2 have?
Since the Switch 2 is primarily a more powerful version of the Switch 1, it retains most of the features of its predecessor, including the ability to play games on the go in handheld mode or on your TV at home.
Tabletop mode is also back, allowing you to stand the Switch 2 on a table or desk, but the kickstand is much larger and sturdier, and can be angled in different ways.
The Switch 2 is markedly bigger than the Switch 1, boasting a 7.9-inch screen, compared to the original’s 6.2-inch screen. However, it is an LCD screen and not an OLED one like the Switch OLED model.
That said, the Switch 2’s improved specs means it can offer better visuals, including support for resolutions upwards of 1080p and even 4K, as well as frame rates upwards of 120 frames per second for select games (if playing in 4K, the frame rate is capped at 60 frames per second).
It also has a larger internal storage. Whereas the original Switch has 32GB of storage space, the Switch 2 offers eight times that at 256GB – allowing it to store a lot more games at once. Plus, the Switch 2 is much faster at reading and writing data, so loading and saving games should go quicker than on Switch 1.
The built-in speakers have also been improved to offer clearer audio when in handheld and tabletop mode. 3D audio is supported as well.
Nintendo Switch 2 specs
- Size: Approximately 4.5 inches tall x 10.7 inches wide x 0.55 inches thick (with Joy-Con 2 controllers attached).
- Weight: Approximately 0.88lbs without Joy-Con 2 controllers attached, approximately 1.18lbs with Joy-Con 2 controllers attached.
- Screen: 7.9 inch LCD touch screen with 1920×1080 resolution, HDR10 support, and VRR up to 120 Hz (VRR only supported in handheld mode).
- CPU/GPU: Custom made processor by Nvidia, with DLSS and ray-tracing support.
- System memory: 256GB (can be increased with compatible microSD Express cards).
- Video output: Maximum 3840×2160 (4K) resolution at 60 fps when docked. Supports 120 fps when at 1920×1080 / 2560×1440 resolutions. Maximum 1920×1080 resolution in handheld mode.
- Audio output: Supports linear PCM output 5.1ch.
- Stereo speakers and 4 pole stereo 3.5mm mini plug audio jack.
- Two USB-C ports, on bottom and top of console. The bottom is using for charging or connecting to the dock. The top is used for charging or connecting accessories.
- Battery life: Approximately 2 – 6.5 hours (dependent on the game you play).
- Charging time: Approximately 3 hours (when in sleep mode).
What is GameChat on Switch 2?
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One of the biggest new features for the Switch 2, GameChat is what it says on the tin: something that allows you to communicate with friends online while playing games on Switch 2.
GameChat is activated by pressing the ‘C’ button on the right-hand Joy-Con 2 controller and up to 12 people can take part in a chat session. Up to four people can also share their game screen simultaneously and the Switch 2’s built-in microphone is designed to adapt to your environment, filtering out any unwanted background noise.
A separate GameShare feature also makes it possible to share certain games online or via a local wireless connection, so friends can enjoy multiplayer sessions without needing their own copy.
Although only Switch 2 consoles can share games, it is possible to receive them with a Switch 1 console, although only locally since Switch 1 doesn’t support GameChat.
Nintendo is selling a separate camera accessory for £49.99, which you can use for video chats and displaying your face in certain games. You plug it into the second USB-C port on the top of the console.
While GameChat will be free for everyone to begin with, this is a limited time offer until March 31, 2026. After that, you will need to pay for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to use GameChat.
What features do the Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 controllers have?
One of the big newsfeatures of the Joy-Con 2 controllers is that they magnetically attach to the Switch 2, meaning they’ll be more firmly connected but still easy to detach by pushing a release button on their back.
They also come with larger ‘SL’ and ‘SR’ buttons, which makes them more comfortable to use horizontally.
Most importantly though, the Joy-Con 2s come with mouse controls, offering new ways to play certain games, such as first person shooters like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and allowing for more types of games to release on Switch 2.
It will be possible to plug a regular USB mouse into the Switch 2 as well, as confirmed in a gameplay demonstration for Koei Tecmo’s Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition.
What games will be available at launch for Switch 2?
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Exactly 23 games are scheduled to launch the same day as the Switch 2. Only four of them are first party games from Nintendo (two of which are upgraded ports of Switch 1 games), while the rest come from third party companies.
Those games, along with their prices on the official Nintendo UK website, are as follows:
- Mario Kart World – £66.99 digital, £74.99 physical – Switch 2 exclusive
- The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £66.99 – can be upgraded from the Switch 1 version for £7.99 – the upgrade is free for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers
- The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £66.99 – can be upgraded from the Switch 1 version for £7.99 – the upgrade is free for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour – £7.99 – digital only – Switch 2 exclusive
- Street Fighter 6 – £34.99 – digital only – a Years 1-2 Fighters Edition that includes all the DLC is available physically and digitally for £49.99
- Split Fiction – £44.99 – digital only – compatible with GameShare
- Hogwarts Legacy – £49.99 for standard edition, £59.99 for digital deluxe edition
- Hitman: World Of Assassination – Signature Edition – £54.99
- Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster – £33.99 – Switch 2 exclusive
- Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut – £44.99 – timed Switch 2 exclusive
- Deltarune – £20.99 – digital only – includes chapters 1 through 4
- Civilization 7 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – digital only – can be upgraded from the Switch 1 version for £8.99
- Survival Kids – £44.99 – digital only – Switch 2 exclusive
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition – £59.99
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess – £32.99
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S – £34.99 – digital only
- Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £59.99 – can be upgraded from the Switch 1 version for £10
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition – £57.99 for standard edition, £87.99 for collector’s set – digital only
- Fast Fusion – £13.49 – digital only – Switch 2 exclusive
- Fortnite – free-to-play
- Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer – £14.99 – digital only
- Sonic X Shadow Generations – £44.99 for standard edition, £54.99 for digital deluxe edition
- Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune And Dunan Unification Wars – £44.99 – discounted to £35.99 until June 4
- Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – can be upgraded from Switch 1 version for undisclosed fee – exact UK prices not confirmed yet
There is also a host of Switch 2 games scheduled to follow all the way through 2025 and beyond, both from Nintendo and other publishers. While not all of them have release dates, here is a list of every Switch 2 game confirmed thus far:
- Raidou Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army – June 19
- Tamagotchi Plaza – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – June 27
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – July 11
- Donkey Kong Bananza – July 17 – Switch 2 exclusive
- Shadow Labyrinth – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – July 18
- Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV – July 24 – can be upgraded from Switch 1 version for £16.99
- No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files – July 25
- Wild Hearts S – July 25 – Switch 2 exclusive
- Madden NFL 26 – August 14
- Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road – August 21
- Story Of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – August 27
- Kirby And The Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World – August 28 – can be upgraded from Switch 1 version for £16.99
- Star Wars Outlaws – September 4
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion – September 5
- Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake – October 30
- Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment – winter 2025
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion – winter 2025
- Witchbrook – winter 2025
- Borderlands 4 – 2025
- Drag X Drive – 2025
- Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition – 2025
- FUR Squadron Phoenix – 2025
- Goodnight Universe – 2025
- Hades 2 – 2025
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – 2025
- Kirby Air Riders – 2025
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 2025
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 2025
- Professor Layton And The New World Of Steam – 2025
- Reanimal – 2025
- Spine – 2025
- Two Point Museum – 2025
- Yooka-Replaylee – 2025
- The Duskbloods – 2026 – Switch 2 exclusive
- Enter The Gungeon 2 – 2026
- Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions – 2026
- AFL 26 – TBA
- Aurascope – TBA
- Bestiario – TBA
- Cookie Clicker – TBA
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade – TBA
- Human: Fall Flat 2 – TBA
- Mouse Work – TBA
- My Time At Evershine – TBA
- Project 007 – TBA
- Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O – TBA
Will the Switch 2 be backwards compatible with Switch 1 games?
Yes, you will be able to play your Switch 1 games on Switch 2 through backwards compatibility. Some games will have compatibility issues, but Nintendo has said it’s investigating those. You can view which games have compatibility problem on Nintendo’s website.
Select Switch 1 games will also receive free Switch 2 updates, which range from optimising the graphics and frame rates to adding GameShare support. Those games are:
- ARMS
- Big Brain Academy: Brain Vs. Brain
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- Game Builder Garage
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Super Mario Odyssey
- The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom
- The Legend Of Zelda Link’s Awakening
These updates will be available to download from June 5.
What are Nintendo Switch 2 Editions?
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games are essentially upgraded versions of existing Switch 1 games and offer significantly improved visuals and/or entirely new content. This is why these are sold as separate purchases and not offered as free upgrades.
So far, the majority of Switch 2 Editions come from Nintendo itself and if you own the original version on Switch 1, you can pay a variable fee for an upgrade pack to receive a digital copy of the Switch 2 version. A small handful, however, come from third parties, so Switch 2 Editions aren’t exclusive to Nintendo.
So far, the Switch 1 games confirmed to be receiving Switch 2 Editions are:
- The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild – includes improved performance, support for the Zelda Notes app, and HDR support – upgrade costs £7.99 – upgrade is free for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers
- The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom – includes improved performance, support for the Zelda Notes app, and HDR support – upgrade costs £7.99 – upgrade is free for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers
- Super Mario Party Jamboree – includes new modes and minigames using the mouse controls, microphone, and camera accessory and GameShare compatibility – upgrade costs £16.99
- Kirby And The Forgotten Land – includes new Star-Crossed World story content and improved graphics and frame rate – upgrade costs £16.99
- Pokémon Legends Z-A – includes improved performance
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – includes mouse controls support and support for 4K resolution, HDR, and 120 fps (for compatible TVs)
- Civilization 7 – includes mouse controls support – upgrade costs £8.99
- Story Of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – upgrade costs £10
- Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma – upgrade costs £10
- Shadow Labyrinth – upgrade is free
- Tamagotchi Plaza – includes three exclusive shops that make use of mouse controls
What GameCube games will be available on Switch 2?
Nintendo will be adding GameCube games to its retro library with Switch 2. These will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription tier and only available on Switch 2.
So far, only 10 GameCube games have been confirmed, of which three will be available at launch on June 5. Those games are:
- The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker (available at launch)
- Soulcalibur 2 (available at launch)
- F-Zero GX (available at launch)
- Super Mario Sunshine
- Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance
- Pokémon XD: Gale Of Darkness
- Mario Smash Football
- Chibi-Robo!
- Luigi’s Mansion
- Pokémon Colosseum
To coincide with this, Nintendo is also selling a wireless GameCube controller that will launch on June 5. It’s available for pre-order on Nintendo’s website for £58.99, but it’s exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
What accessories are available for Switch 2?
Nintendo has a handful of Switch 2 accessories available for purchase on its website, including the aforementioned USB-C camera and wireless GameCube controller.
Below is a list of all Switch 2 accessories, their prices, and links to their listings on the Nintendo storefront:
- Joy-Con 2 charging grip – £29.99
- Joy-Con 2 controller set (includes two) – £74.99
- SanDisk microSD Express Card 256GB – £49.99
- Samsung microSD Express Card 256GB – £49.99
- GameCube controller (exclusive for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers) – £58.99
- Switch 2 Pro Controller – £74.99 (currently out of stock)
- Switch 2 camera – £49.99
- Piranha Plant Switch 2 camera – £33.99
- Switch 2 carrying case and screen protector – £20.99
- Switch 2 all-in-one carrying case – £66.99
- Joy-Con 2 wheel (set of two) – £16.99
Are Switch 1 controllers compatible with Switch 2?
Yes, Switch 1 controllers will still work on Switch 2 through a wireless connection. In the case of the Switch 1’s Joy-Cons, though, they can’t be physically attached to the Switch 2 and thus can’t be charged using the console.
Accessories for the Switch 1 Joy-Cons, like the Ring-Con from Ring Fit Adventure, can used on Switch 2 as well but are not compatible with the Joy-Con 2 controllers.
Here is a complete list of Switch 1 controllers and accessories compatible with Switch 2:
- Joy-Con controllers (must be charged separately)
- Pro Controller (can be charged by connecting it to the Switch 2 dock with a USB cable)
- NES controller (must be charged separately)
- SNES controller (can be charged by connecting it to the Switch 2 dock with a USB cable)
- N64 controller (can be charged by connecting it to the Switch 2 dock with a USB cable)
- Sega Mega Drive control pad (can be charged by connecting it to the Switch 2 dock with a USB cable)
- GameCube controller adapter
- Joy-Con grip (not compatible with Joy-Con 2 controllers)
- Joy-Con charging grip (not compatible with Joy-Con 2 controllers)
- Joy-Con wheel (not compatible with Joy-Con 2 controllers)
- Leg strap (not compatible with Joy-Con 2 controllers)
- Ring-Con (not compatible with Joy-Con 2 controllers)
The following Switch 1 accessories, however, are not compatible with the Switch 2 whatsoever:
- Switch 1 dock
- Switch 1 AC adapter (can be used when plugged in directly but not for using the console in TV mode)
- Switch 1 HDMI cable
- Adjustable charging stand
- microSD cards
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