At the time of first publishing this page (the 3rd of April, 2025), it has been eight years since Nintendo released the original Nintendo Switch. The Switch has since become one of the most successful consoles ever made, behind only the PlayStation 2, and Nintendo’s very own DS. This unique hybrid idea has revitalised Nintendo’s fortunes, and it has become home to some of their best games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom.
All good things must come to an end, and eight years is a long time for any games console, especially in an era defined by power and performance. Nintendo officially announced their plans for a new console in 2024, and in January 2025 confirmed what the world suspected: their next hardware would be a direct sequel, as it were. The Switch 2 builds upon the original, with some new features joined to a more powerful machine. Whereas Nintendo have historically made some strange decisions with new hardware (the transition from the Wii to the Wii U was pretty rough), they have shown an evolution, a natural progression from the first Switch to the new one, and this meerkat is therefore very excited.
The Hardware
The Switch 2 has some obvious changes. Firstly, it is bigger. The original Switch has a 6.2 inch screen, whereas the Switch 2 has a 7.9 inch screen, affording better resolution. The new joy-cons are correspondingly bigger too, and feature larger buttons for when they are used as independent controllers. The joy-cons now connect magnetically to the console, snapping in place, in what is said to be a more secure connection. The issue of joy-con drift (which afflicted a number of original joy-cons) should be rendered a thing of the past, with a new system in place for the joysticks.
The Switch 2 has more storage. The original has 36GB of storage; the Switch 2 has 256GB, with room to add more via micro SD cards (albeit these cards must be micro SD EX cards). There are enhancements to the sound quality to go with improvements to screen resolution.
The Switch 2 will have a docking station, much like the original, so that you can connect the console to the TV. Some games will support 4K graphics via the dock, which has a built-in fan to keep the console cool (the original, as much as I love it, sometimes sounds like it’s going to take off, such is the exertion of the console’s built-in fan).
One of the biggest changes will be the addition of a microphone, built directly into the console. The joy-cons and the pro controller have a button to enable access to chat mode. Speaking of the pro controller, the original pro controller, and the original joy-cons, will work with the Switch 2, but it won’t be possible to physically connect the original joy-cons to the new hardware.
The Switch 2 has two USB-C ports, one at the top and one at the bottom. The theory is that the top one will make it easier to charge the console when used in hand-held mode, but that’s not its only function…
Accessories
Things get a little funky here. Alongside the chat function, Nintendo are releasing a specialised camera accessory, to enable video chat, which will couple with the means to share game screens. My wife has pre-emptively banned me from getting this, and to be fair, at £50, it’s a hard item to justify buying. It will have a privacy guard.
There will be a new pro controller, featuring a headphone jack, and also two new buttons, mounted on the controller’s underbelly.
There will be a joy-con grip, much like with the first console, and as with the first Switch, there will be a version designed to charge the joy-cons.
Expect to see steering wheel attachments, carry cases, chargers etc, and the means to buy a separate docking station.
Software
The Switch 2 will use game cards, much as the original Switch does. The difference is that the Switch 2 cartridges will be red, and it goes without saying Switch 2 games will not be compatible with the original console. Some original Switch games will work with the Switch 2, but Nintendo have stressed that not all titles will be compatible. As before, games will be available physically and digitally. The Nintendo Switch Online service is continuing, and people with existing accounts will be able to easily transfer game data, account info, and other info from their original Switch to the Switch 2. Those who have the Expansion Pack will receive access to something else…
Game Cube games will be available via the Switch Online service, on the Switch 2. Some of these will gain my attention, and what has got my attention is that it seems Nintendo are allowing gamers to optimise controls, a big departure from how previous games were handled.
Among the launch titles for the Switch 2, the one that stands out is Mario Kart World, which will incorporate free-roaming, alongside the traditional grand prix mode, and a new last one out mode. There is a 3D Donkey Kong game on the way, remasters of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and some big third-party games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, and entries from the Hitman series.
Speaking of the launch, the Switch 2 is slated for release on the 5th of June, and in the UK it is set to retail at £395, or £429 if you want it with Mario Kart World bundled in.
Time to start saving! In the meantime, keep an eye on this page, it will inevitably be updated as more news comes our way.