Nintendo

One of the biggest sleepers of the whole Switch 2 launch has to be the new Pro Controller. I have been blown away by the material, build quality, size, and sound dampening, especially. At first I thought that $85 was a bit steep for a controller, but after using it for a day, I now see that it might be the best value in console controllers.

Update 6/6 at 4:15 a.m.: Nintendo Switch 2 now available at Target, including the console only and the Mario Kart World bundle – delivery by Monday, July 9 (at the time of writing):

• Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

Switch 2 finally released early this morning at midnight, and while the fresh online re-stock at retailers like Walmart, GameStop, and Costco was limited at best, not all is lost. There are additional Switch consoles scheduled to go live starting as early as later tonight and we are once again here to make sure you get a shot at them. 

Hopefully, if you were on the lookout for a new Switch 2, you could get one during the launch day festivities! Alongside the release, Nintendo released a few new titles as well as Switch 2 updates to those titles. Most importantly, for me, the new Switch 2 update for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is here!

If you’ve ever used the Nintendo eShop on a Switch, then you know what torture feels like. That’s an exaggeration, obviously, but the painful process of doing, well, anything in the eShop is tedious, slow, and annoying. That’s why we’re happy to see that Nintendo has finally fixed this with a major upgrade to the eShop on Switch 2.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is here and, for many, that means upgrading from a past device. If you want to treat Switch 2 as your primary console, though, you’ll need to ensure it is set that way. Nintendo doesn’t make this process particularly straightforward, though, so here’s a quick breakdown of how to set Nintendo Switch 2 as your primary console.

With the new Nintendo Switch 2, the included power brick – also called an AC Adapter – now has a detachable USB-C cable, but you might run into some problems if you try to use the original system’s charger.

Happy Switch 2 launch day folks! I hope everyone has had a chance to secure their pre-orders or took advantage of our midnight coverage to land a console lates last night (don’t worry if you didn’t, there’s more to come tonight). It is a big day for Nintendo and there’s a whole lot more than just consoles being released today, including all of the day 1 launch games, a whole slew of accessories, and much more. So for today’s daily console games feature, we are highlighting everything Nintendo released for Switch 2 launch day. 

After months of buildup, the Nintendo Switch 2 is here. I got early access to everything at a private event hosted by Nintendo at their flagship store in NYC. I was able to pick up the full launch lineup directly from Nintendo, including the console, accessories, and the new Mario Kart World game.

I’ve spent some time unboxing it all, setting things up, and playing with some of the accessories. While I think this is a fantastic upgrade to the Switch 1, its not all good. Let’s dive into the unboxing and first impressions.

Nintendo Switch is finally ready to take the world by storm tonight for the long-awaited launch day, with consoles and the Mario Kart World bundle set to go live at Walmart once again, so let’s take a quick look at the availability on the official accessories while we are at it. 

This is it folks – Nintendo Switch 2 finally launches on June 5 and here’s how to buy one starting tomorrow night. Loads of 9to5Toys readers were able to score a pre-order already, but if you didn’t you will have a chance to land one in under 48 hours now. Head below for details on where and when to score a Nintendo Switch 2 starting tomorrow night.

Switch 2 at Walmart – be ready at midnight ET June 5

• Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

Update: Samsung’s officially licensed Switch 2 Express microSD card is now up for pre-order at Target for $59.99 shipped. Folks who don’t want to wait can also snag either PNY’s $45 Express microSD cards or Onn’s Express memory cards starting at $35.88 shipped. More details below.

Nintendo’s new Switch 2, in case you missed it, supports only microSD Express cards – same size as regular microSDs, but with much faster speeds. While the format has existed for a while, it’s gaining more traction now thanks to the Switch 2. According to Nintendo, you’ll need a microSD Express card to play games off the Switch 2 console, and the standard microSDs will only let you load screenshots and videos. Only a few manufacturers have released Express microSD cards so far, but we expect more to show up with the Switch 2 becoming the first mainstream gaming device to support them. Here are the ones available now – perfect to grab one alongside your Switch 2 pre-order.

The release for the long-awaited next-generation Nintendo console is fast approaching now, so let’s take a look at the complete Switch 2 day 1 launch game collection. It’s all about the games after all, and while many of us will likely be popping in a copy of the new Mario Kart World the second we get our hands-on the new Switch 2, there is a rather extensive list of over 20 Switch 2 games that will be available on day 1. 

Switch 2 at Walmart – midnight ET June 5 and June 6

Walmart – Nintendo Switch 2 launch

• Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

Update 6/4: HORI’s officially-licensed Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera is now back in-stock at Walmart.

The all-new Nintendo Switch 2 Camera is cool and all. It has some sweet tracking features, appears to seamlessly integrate into a number of Switch 2 exclusive games, and we had a blast testing it out in person yesterday alongside Switch 2. But it’s not a Piranha Plant, and it can’t close its mouth like this official-licensed HORI Switch 2 cam that recently surfaced online. 

We already assumed that Switch 2 would being live at midnight online tonight, but now GameStop has made it official. Best Buy has confirmed it is only offering units in-store tonight, Target said it won’t have units online until June 6, and Walmart has confirmed units will be available on June 5 without quite mentioning the midnight ET start time we expect, but GameStop will for sure.

Everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch 2 has been collected into one handy guide for you below for tonight’s midnight launch. Nintendo’s next-generation console will hit store shelves tonight at Walmart (Nintendo Switch 2 Console and the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle), midnight pickup lines, and doorsteps starting tomorrow morning. We have collected all of the stories, rumors, and details on Switch 2 in the lead up to tonight’s launch alongside details on purchase availability – consoles will go live for purchase again at midnight ET on June 5.

Now less than 48 hours from the launch of Nintendo Switch 2, we have some potentially great news for folks who might have had their initial Walmart pre-order cancelled. It seems the retailer is now reversing these cancellations and giving folks a chance to secure their initial pre-order after all. 

Walmart has now officially confirmed with 9to5Toys that it will be offering Nintendo Switch 2 consoles both online and in-store this week. We very much expected Walmart to get in on the action, but it was all speculation up until now.

In our continued countdown to the launch of Switch 2 later this week, we are issuing another quick PSA based on details from the official user manual. That screen protector on the Switch 2 when you open the box isn’t a screen protector at all, and Nintendo is warning users to never remove it. 

While we know Best Buy, GameStop, and (likely) Walmart will all be participating in the Nintendo Switch 2 launch next week, Target is perhaps going to be your best bet for scoring one online. We know the national retailer will be hosting a launch day celebration at its brick and mortar locations with a chance to actually buy a Switch 2 console, followed by availability online the next day, but it has now issued an official press release with additional details and what time you’ll need to be ready to land a Switch 2. 

Before you too riled up, not all orders are being cancelled here. The one week countdown to the release of Nintendo Switch 2 is officially on. After years of waiting, and a countless number of rumors and leaks, the Switch 2 release is finally upon us and, while we would have liked to start our countdown off on a happy note, we thought it more pertinent to launch this PSA – loads of folks who thought they secured a Switch 2 pre-order last month are starting to see pre-orders getting cancelled. 

Nintendo has a decent selection of updated Switch 2 games scheduled to hits next-generation console as Switch 2 Editions in the coming months. Zelda BotW and Tears of the Kingdom being the two primetime titles alongside upgraded versions of Kirby and the Forgotten Land as well as Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV – and Nintendo just debuted a brand new trailer for the latter. Check it out below. 

The Pokémon company and Nintendo have now officially confirmed that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is set for release on October 16. This includes Pokémon Legends: Z-A for Switch and the Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Head below for more and details on the upcoming pre-order launch. 

Some credible sources already tipped us to upcoming Switch 2 stock at Target, but now it’s official. The national retailer has now updated its Switch 2 landing page on the official site with some details on when you can expect to get another chance to land Nintendo’s highly sought-after next-generation console, in-store and online. 

As we reported previously, Best Buy has already officially confirmed with 9to5Toys regarding details on more Switch 2 console stock coming available on launch day as part of its midnight release event. It has now also sent over some official imagery of the collectible coin select lucky customers will get a chance at that night as well. 

While Best Buy, Target, and GameStop have all now confirmed more Switch 2 units will be in-stock for launch day (and potentially online the following day on June 6), Nintendo is going to offer its new console and accessories directly too. It has announced that its two flagship stores in New York City and the recently launched location in San Francisco will also be selling Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, software and accessories, and not just on launch day. 

Target is now expected to have more Switch 2 stock up for grabs in the coming weeks. Now just over 2 weeks away from the official June 5 launch date, a reliable source is calming that Target will indeed have units available soon for folks who didn’t manage to land a pre-order last month. 

While Switch 2 is still just over three weeks out from launch, a new report suggests Samsung has already been pushing to get an OLED display on the new console. While Nintendo decided to launch and debut the Switch 2 with an upgraded LCD display, its main electronics manufacturing partner already has its eye on the Switch 2 OLED launch. 

While there does appear to be some folks still receiving emails directly from Nintendo to pre-order Switch 2, but looks like the next notable chance to land one is going tor launch day, and another major retailers has confirmed it will have more units up for grabs. 

Several manufacturers, including Lexar and Samsung, have released new Express microSD cards in the months following the Switch 2 announcement. Now, PNY is joining them with its new offerings, and it’s latest memory cards come with 128GB and 256GB storage, both capable of delivering read and write speeds of up to 890MB/s. The prices for these start at $44.99 shipped, and you can grab them now from Amazon. Head below for a closer look and more details.

As we detailed previously, not only are there new Switch 2 Edition games, Switch 2 exclusives, and Switch 1 games you can play on your next-gen Nintendo console, but there are also a series of first-party Switch games getting FREE updates for Switch 2. This we already knew, but at the time Nintendo was incredibly vague about what these updates actually were, and now we have official details. 

Nintendo’s Switch 2 launch game lineup features more than a few major AAA ports of already released titles, and it sounds like the open-world wild west epic Red Dead Redemption 2 might soon be one of them. Developer Rockstar has been supporting the Switch for years and is already on record stating its “long-standing relationship with Nintendo,” but the latest suggests RDR2 might be its first launch on Switch 2. 

Update: Nintendo has officially confirmed via a statement that the Switch 2 only supports VRR in handheld mode. A Nintendo spokesperson shared this information with the folks over at Nintendo Life. The brand removed the mentions of VRR in docked mode from its official website, and confirmed the same via a statement with an apology for the confusion. More details about its processor are in the original post below.

It’s no secret that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be a major step up in performance, but what’s actually under the hood? Nintendo’s official specs sheet says it has a “custom processor made by Nvidia,” but what exactly is this new chip and what can we expect from it? A recent deep dive from Digital Foundry sheds light on the hardware powering Nintendo’s next-gen console. Hit the jump for more details and a quick side-by-side comparison of the original Switch and the Switch 2’s specifications.

Today we are taking a look at what some might consider a more affordable Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller alternative, the HORIPAD Turbo for Nintendo Switch 2. While I was a fan of the original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and our early hands-on impressions of the latest model are favorable, it is in many ways just a regular controller for Switch 2, an official one sure, but for the most part just your average gamepad that delivers a more traditional feel, and one that will cost you $85 to pre-order. 

NBC Universal might have just accidentally confirmed the name of the upcoming Mario movie sequel as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations. The Super Mario Bros. movie took the gaming world and the silver screen by storm back in 2023, and we might have a better idea of what Shigeru Miyamoto meant when he said the team was “thinking about broadening Mario’s world further” for the sequel. 

There’s no telling how long this one might last folks, so if you’re soon-to-be a Switch 2 owner and a Nintendo switch Online member, you might want to go secure the new wireless Nintendo GameCube Controller now that pre-orders are now live directly from Nintendo. 

Yesterday we spotted the official Best Buy Switch 2 landing page specifically mentioning more console stock was inbound for launch day. Best Buy then quickly removed this mention altogether leaving most folks confused as to whether or not this was some kind of mistake or if it realized it wasn’t going to have any more units come next month. Best Buy has now official reached out to us to confirm more units are coming. Details below. 

Best Buy has now confirmed a Switch 2 re-stock. Pre-orders came and went quite quickly on the eve of April 24 last month with a quick, and particularly short-lived re-stock at Walmart the following weekend, but stock has been essentially gone since then. As we reported previously, it appear as though some major retailers are now readying more units for launch day, and Best Buy has now confirmed it will have more units. 

Today might be your last chance to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order folks. Switch 2 pre-orders came and went awfully quick at the tail end of last month. While we did catch a quick re-stock at Walmart that more than a few 9to5Toys readers were able to take advantage of the following weekend, console pre-orders in the U.S. (and basically everywhere else) have been long gone since then. Most major retailers, including Walmart, have now updated their Switch 2 console listings to ready for launch day – this appears to be the next chance we’ll have to score one at retail, but there is still a chance to land a pre-order, is not a big chance, but there is still hope as Nintendo’s invites will go out starting tomorrow. 

Now under one month before the official release date, Nintendo has officially reveled all of the new user icons it is introducing for Switch 2. As part of today’s update in the official new Nintendo Today! app on iOS and Android. 

The Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 is going up for pre-order today at Amazon for Star Wars Day 2025. During a special presentation in Japan, Ubisoft revealed the game’s new A Pirate’s Fortune expansion pack for all platforms while also confirming the game is coming to Switch 2 later this fall. 

Switch 2 pre-orders never went live on Amazon in the U.S. – some outlets suggested they likely will, others were much less optimistic. While Amazon stopped carrying most first-party Switch games previously, it would still somehow have stock popping up during major sales, but, while there is still an official Nintendo storefront on Amazon, just about everything on there is sold by third-party sellers at this point. In Canada however, for our friends north of the border, this isn’t entirely the case as pre-order listings for Switch 2 did go live there (to some degree) and invites to purchase one are still being sent out. 

Don’t forget that some Switch 1 games are getting FREE Switch 2 upgrades. Outside of how difficult it was for some folks to secure a Switch 2 pre-order, most of the not-so positive talk surrounding the next-generation of Switch 2 gaming has been about the price. Nintendo is charging $10 to $20 for upgrade packs on Switch 2 Edition Switch 1 games like Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart World carries a $79.99 list price, and that Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour system demo game thing that should be FREE is $10. But there are some Switch 1 games that are getting FREE SWitch 2 upgrades. Let’s dig in. 

The Nintendo Star Wars Day sale is now live. It was only a matter of time before Nintendo kicked off its now annual May the 4th sale on Switch games courtesy of the eShop and everything is now ready to roll with a sizable selection of just about every Star Wars title on the platform now marked down for the biggest day in the galaxy. 

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have now likely come and gone for good, and that leaves us to think about the games we will be playing come June 5 for launch and beyond. And even if you didn’t get a chance to secure a console, all signs point to there being another run of units ready for launch day before the rest of the 2025 Switch 2 titles start to release. We have already detailed and updated our growing list of Switch 2 launch games and launch window titles, but let’s look at some of the other titles still expected to be landing on the next-generation of Nintendo hardware. 

On top of getting the official release date, pre-order date, price, and some hands-on time to actually play the console, Nintendo and its partners have now detailed the Switch 2 launch games. Not only do we know just about exactly what major first-party Nintendo games will be launching on day one for Switch 2, but as part of yesterday’s Direct festivities, it also showed off a host of its own games as well as some ports and major third-party releases coming to Switch 2 in 2025. Down below we have begun to collect all of the Switch 2 launch games and all of the major titles that are scheduled to hit the system throughout the rest of the year for your reference.