Nintendo has a pattern. For decades, its consoles have swung between massive hits and frustrating misfires. NES to SNES? Success. N64 and GameCube? Struggled. Wii? A global phenomenon. Wii U? A disaster. Then came the Switch, which pulled Nintendo back on top.
Now, the Switch 2 is here, and the question is simple: Does it break the curse, or is it Nintendo’s next stumble?
The Hardware
Launch Date: June 5, 2025
Screen: 1080p LCD, HDR, up to 120FPS
Docked Mode: 4K support
Storage: 256GB out of the box
New Pro Controller: Headphone jack, programmable buttons
C Button: Voice chat, screen sharing, and optional camera for streaming
Game Cases: They’re red now
No wild reinventions—just a stronger Switch with quality-of-life upgrades. But Nintendo’s fate doesn’t rest on hardware. It’s all about the games.
The Games
Launch Titles
- Mario Kart World – More than just karts: boats, planes, wall-running, and even cows.
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour – A tech showcase in the vein of Astro’s Playroom. Strangely, its trailer has not been listed on the Nintendo Switch Youtube like others, perhaps due to the annoyance at this supposed pack-in game being a paid download instead? You can watch the trailer’s reupload here.
New First-Party Games
- Donkey Kong Bananza (July 17, 2025) – A hybrid 2D/3D action game, the biggest shakeup the series has had in years.
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (Q4 2025) – A prequel set during the Imprisoning War, with Zelda as a playable character.
- Kirby Air Riders (2025) – A sequel to Kirby Air Ride, directed by Masahiro Sakurai.
- Drag X Drive (August 2025) – A 3v3 online sports game using the new Joy-Con motion tech.
Third-Party Highlights
- Elden Ring – It’s coming.
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Two modes: 4K 60FPS or 1080p 120FPS.
- The Duskbloods (2026, Switch 2 Exclusive) – A vampire-themed FromSoftware game with Bloodborne energy.
- Hollow Knight: Silksong (2025) – It still exists.
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion (Sept 5, 2025) – A new entry in the mech-action series.
- Bravely Default HD Remaster – Out at launch.
- Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut – With more Like a Dragon titles to follow.
- Borderlands 4, Civilization VII, WWE, NBA 2K – More big multiplatform games confirmed.
Updated and Remastered Titles
- Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom (Switch 2 Editions) – HDR, better framerates, collectible tracking, QR codes for sharing creations.
- Super Mario Party Jamboree Expansion (July 24, 2025) – Adds mouse controls, voice-based minigames, and camera integration.
- Pokémon Legends Z-A (Switch 2 Edition) – Likely higher resolution and framerate.
- GameCube Games on Switch 2 NSO – Wind Waker, Soulcalibur II, F-Zero GX at launch.
The Price
Nintendo Switch 2 Console – $699 AUD ($449.99 USD)
Nintendo Switch 2 Console + Mario Kart World – $769 AUD ($499.99 USD)
The price jump is significant but not shocking. Hardware costs are up, and this is a real generational step forward. But it’s not just the console—games are getting more expensive, too.
Mario Kart World is listed at $79.99 USD, which translates to around $125 AUD, putting it in the same price tier as new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X releases. Some are calling it a scam, others say it’s just the cost of doing business in 2025. Either way, Nintendo is now firmly in the big-budget pricing model.
Odds and Ends
- GameShare: Lets friends play a game they don’t own by sharing your screen.
- MicroSD Express Support: Faster load times, but old Switch SD cards aren’t compatible.
- YouTube Stream Crashed Mid-Direct: Classic.
The Curse: Will History Repeat Itself?
Nintendo’s track record makes people nervous. After every major success, there’s a struggle:
- NES (1983) – HIT | SNES (1990) – HIT
- Nintendo 64 (1996) – MISS | GameCube (2001) – MISS
- Wii (2006) – HIT | Wii U (2012) – MISS
- Switch (2017) – HIT | Switch 2 (2025) – ???
The signs are promising. Nintendo isn’t chasing gimmicks, third-party support is stronger than usual, and the lineup is stacked. But it all comes down to execution.
The Takeaway
Nintendo isn’t taking any wild swings this time—just a more powerful console, a packed game lineup, and some long-overdue online features. The price is steep, and the new $125 game standard stings, but if the games deliver, the Switch 2 could be the one that breaks the cycle.
Login
0 Comments