Mario and his friends are revving their vehicles for the largest Mario Kart yet, the Joy-Con 2 controllers are put into position, and the larger, bolder screen is illuminated. It’s official: you can now enhance your gameplay with the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World, and more than 20 other titles.
Today, Nintendo released Mario Kart World, the most recent Mario Kart game for consoles in more than ten years, and the Nintendo Switch 2, the company’s first entirely new gaming platform in eight years. With new features and reinvented online capabilities like GameChat1, the Nintendo Switch 2 offers new ways to interact and play with friends and family. Players can take to the road in Mario Kart World, a huge networked playground that serves as their racetrack. Additionally, the Nintendo Switch 2 launch roster includes highly regarded games from Nintendo’s international publishing and development partners, including Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and more. When combined, these new experiences represent a significant advancement in Nintendo’s goal of bringing joy to people everywhere—All Together, Anytime, Anywhere.
You can check out the new Nintendo Switch 2 launch trailer HERE
Nintendo hosted the first-ever simultaneous launch celebration last night at both Nintendo NEW YORK and the recently opened Nintendo SAN FRANCISCO, with activations at Rockefeller Center. Among the first to welcome this new era for Nintendo games were fans who traveled from coast to coast to celebrate. When the first systems and games were bought at 9 p.m. PT in San Francisco and 12 a.m. ET in New York, the event came to a close. Photo opportunities and gameplay for Nintendo Switch 2 launch games, such as Mario Kart World, as well as games from Nintendo’s international publishing and development partners, were part of each event. Press materials for this announcement include photos from the event.
The following contains further details about the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World, games from Nintendo’s international publishing and development partners, and everything that is coming out today.
Building upon the framework of the Nintendo Switch system, the Nintendo Switch 2 offers a plethora of new features and improvements, such as:
- New social capabilities with the built-in mic and the new online feature GameChat, where up to 12 friends and family can play games and talk like they’re all in the same room, even when they’re miles apart. You can also video chat with up to four people if you connect a compatible USB-C camera, such as the Nintendo Switch 2 camera (sold separately).
- Powerful CPU and GPU capable of enhanced visuals and performance.
- A large 7.9-inch built-in LCD screen that displays in full HD at 1080p.
- Joy-Con 2 controllers that magnetically attach to the system. New mouse controls are also possible by sliding them across surfaces, such as a tabletop or even your lap in compatible games.
- 256 GB storage capacity – 8 times that of Nintendo Switch (a portion of which is reserved for use by the system).
- USB-C ports on the top and bottom of the system, and a freely adjustable stand for playing and charging in tabletop mode.
- Crisp audio quality and spatial 3D sound in handheld and tabletop modes.
- A new dock that enables the Nintendo Switch 2 to output video at up to 4K resolution or play games at up to 120 fps in supported games on compatible displays or TVs.
- Variable refresh rate (VRR) technology, available in handheld mode, helps games move seamlessly by preventing frame skips and flickering.
- Accessibility features to support a wide range of gameplay styles.
Some Nintendo Switch titles will also receive free upgrades to improve the gameplay experience on the Switch 2 device. You can get free updates for specific titles that might enhance graphics or provide support for different features by connecting your Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet and updating the system. Among these features is GameShare3, which allows you to share compatible games with friends and family, even if they don’t own the game, so that everyone may play together on a Nintendo Switch 2 device. Depending on the game, these free updates will have different contents. Please visit the Nintendo website to learn more about the free Nintendo Switch 2 updates for specific Nintendo Switch games.
Owners of a Nintendo Switch 2 with a paid membership to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack now have access to upgrade packs for both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, in addition to GameChat and other online features with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. If players already own the Nintendo Switch edition of the games, these upgrade kits let them play the improved Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of both games for free.
Additionally, the new Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics library, which features F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and SOULCALIBUR II, is available to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members with a Nintendo Switch 2 system at launch today. The library has higher resolution and clearer image quality than the original releases. Additionally, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers who have paid will be able to purchase a dedicated wireless controller that is modeled after the original Nintendo GameCube controller.
In the US, the suggested retail price for the Nintendo Switch 2 is currently $449.99. The Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle6, which comes with a system and a digital version of the Mario Kart World game, is also on sale today. It is indicated to retail for $499.99 in the United States. Go to Nintendo.com to learn more about the Nintendo Switch 2 and its accessories.
In addition to offering frantic Mario Kart racing like never before, Mario Kart World introduces a novelty for the series: a huge, networked area to explore and race through. When players want to go with Mario and their pals, they can enjoy:
- Up to 24 drivers at once – the most in Mario Kart history – race across courses.
- Reimagined returning modes like Grand Prix competition, where the paths between courses are part of the race, too.
- Knockout Tour, a new game mode where checkpoints eliminate drivers if they can’t keep up with the pack.
- Free Roam mode, another new game mode, where players can explore, see the sights and more, solo or with friends online. There are hundreds of single-player missions to complete in Free Roam, too.
- Plus, look forward to hectic faceoffs in the Battle mode!
- Multiple ways to play together with friends, locally7 or online8. This includes local split-screen for up to 4 players on the same system, local wireless play, and competing or exploring with people from around the world (or friends) in online play.
- Using the new GameChat feature on Nintendo Switch 2, players can talk with friends around the world while playing online. Plus, see their live expressions in-game with the new CameraPlay feature by connecting a compatible USB-C camera to the system (sold separately).
Both seasoned gamers and newbies can enjoy Mario Kart World because it is plenty of races to win and options for players to explore at their own speed. At a suggested retail price of $79.99, Mario Kart World is currently accessible in shops, on Nintendo eShop, and on Nintendo.com.
More than 20 Nintendo Switch 2 games, including titles from Nintendo and a robust lineup from its international publishing and development partners, are being released alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 console and Mario Kart World. Check out a few of these fascinating titles that are coming out today:
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour – Enter a virtual exhibition with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. Through tech demos, minigames and other interactions, players can explore Nintendo Switch 2 inside and out and get to know the new system in ways they may never have known about otherwise.
- Split Fiction – Jump between sci-fi and fantasy worlds in this co-op action adventure, where contrasting writers Mio and Zoe have become trapped in a simulation of their own stories. Split Fiction keeps you on the edge of your couch with weird and unexpected moments as players must coordinate and work together to overcome challenges.
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition – For the first time, Nintendo players can step into the shoes of V — a mercenary determined to become a legendary cyberpunk in Night City. With the powerful processing speed and graphical performance of Nintendo Switch 2, every neon-lit street and firefight feels more immersive, making it the most cyberpunk way to play Cyberpunk 2077. Players can aim with greater control with gyro and mouse controls, and intuitively navigate menus with the Nintendo Switch 2 system’s touch screen. Players can enjoy the full Cyberpunk 2077 experience, featuring the base game and the critically acclaimed Phantom Liberty spy-thriller expansion.
- Fortnite – Whether you want to be the last player standing in Battle Royale, headline your own concert with Fortnite Festival, or want to explore LEGO® Fortnite experiences and much more – the choice is yours. Experience Fortnite like never before on Nintendo Switch 2 with 60 fps, a higher resolution, clothing physics, and higher-quality textures, shadows and water rendering. Plus, relive your best Battle Royale matches with the Replay system.
- Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition — Steer the course of history on Nintendo Switch 2! Featuring new mouse controls that offer a more intuitive experience, players’ decisions will shape the cultural lineage of their empire. Construct cities and architectural wonders, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the world.
- Street Fighter 6 – Experience the next evolution of Street Fighter in Street Fighter 6 with three distinct game modes, new gameplay features and enhanced visuals. Fight your way to the top with new game modes exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 like Local Wireless One on One and Avatar Matches9. Enjoy new party modes utilizing Joy-Con 2 controllers like Gyro Battle and Calorie Contest. Plus, players can check out three new amiibo figures and 22 amiibo cards at launch. Choose from Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition, or the digital version of Street Fighter 6, for Nintendo Switch 2 today.
Check out the full list of games available in stores or on Nintendo eShop right now:
- Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER
- BRAVELY DEFAULT FLYING FAIRY HD Remaster
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- DELTARUNE
- Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Fast Fusion
- Fortnite
- HITMAN World of Assassination – Signature Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
- Mario Kart World
- Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics:
- F-Zero GX
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- SOULCALIBUR II
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
- NOBUNAGA’S AMBITION: Awakening Complete Edition
- No Man’s Sky – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Sonic X Shadow Generations
- Split Fiction
- Street Fighter 6
- Suikoden I&II HD Remaster for Nintendo Switch 2 Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars
- Survival Kids
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
Additionally, a wide range of games are scheduled to release for the Nintendo Switch 2 soon, such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, which will allow Trainers to explore picturesque Lumiose City and participate in intense, real-time Pokémon battles (Oct. 16); the explosively outrageous Borderlands 4 (2025); the captivating roguelike dungeon crawler Hades II (2025); and Donkey Kong Bananza, a new 3D platforming action adventure featuring the smashing, bashing, banana-hoarding Donkey Kong (launching July 17) and EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26.
Not only that, but there are still more games coming out in the upcoming months, including: FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE, ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion (September 5), Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Drag x Drive, Kirby Air Riders, Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World (Aug. 28), and Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV (July 24).
This summer, GameTruck is hosting Nintendo Switch 2 Demo Events at a few Best Buy locations for everyone who is excited to test Mario Kart World on the Switch 2 system. Starting on June 7, these demonstration events will be held on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Please visit BestBuy.com to learn more about these events.
To win a 2-hour video gaming party with up to 15 friends, enter the My Nintendo – Nintendo Switch 2 Party with GameTruck Sweepstakes10. My Nintendo users can enter up to five times by redeeming ten My Nintendo Platinum Points until September 8. There will be two fortunate winners chosen. Go to the My Nintendo website to learn more.
In the free Nintendo Today! app11 for iOS and Android, keep an eye out for more Nintendo Switch 2 content. Visit HERE to learn more.
Related: Nintendo Download Update: Discover the Nintendo Switch 2 (June 5, 2025)
I have always enjoyed playing video games and am a programming team lead for a video game company. I co-founded Gaming Cypher because I enjoy the gaming community and would like to provide the best news service around. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will make sure to get back to you quickly.
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