Nintendo Switch 2 will release June 5 priced at $449 with 4K support in docked mode, mouse functionality, and a Chat button

The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch screen and is 13.9 mm thick, the same depth as the Switch. That display is 1080p, up from 720p. The screen will go up to 120 frames per second on compatible games. It's an LCD screen with HDR support, but doesn't have OLED from the Switch OLED. The dock will allow some games to go up to 4K on a TV. It also has a built-in fan to keep the system extra cool while playing on a TV or monitor.

Nothing was mentioned about an SoC, though the original Switch famously ran on an Nvidia Tegra X1.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically, which Nintendo says keeps them "firmly attached." There are bigger SL and SR buttons on the inside, should you play with a single Joy-Con. The control sticks are larger, but nothing else was said about them (ora bout drift). Each controller can be used a mouse for compatible games, like Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, giving it some PC-style controls.

Nintendo also highlighted a new game for mouse controls called Drag & Drive, which looks like Rocket League with basketball. The Direct showed the characters, which are robots with wheels that move like people rolling wheelchairs, being pushed by multiple strokes of the mouse. Both Joy-Con 2 controllers are used as mice at once in this game, which you don't usually see on PC.:

Nintendo is promising a 3D audio system, even if you don't have surround sound. Sony had touted this kind of tech for the PlayStation 5.

The system has new kickstand that is larger and bends back quite far. It also features a second USB-C port on top, for charging in tabletop mode or connecting a camera.

The Switch comes with 256GB or storage built in, and reading and writing data is "faster." That's far bigger than the 32GB in the original Switch. The game card is the same shape as the original Switch's, but it's faster and is red to differentiate it from older games. The Switch 2 requires microSD Express cards for extra storage because of their faster speeds. The SD cards for the original Nintendo Switch won't work at all.

There will be three types of games for the Switch 2. Standard Switch 2 games, Nintendo Switch games with backwards compatibility, and Switch 2 Edition versions of existing games with new features and improved graphics.

In the Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, you'll see improved graphics and frame rates exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. Metroid Prime 4 Beyond will be available in Switch and Switch 2 editions, where you can play in HDR at 60 fps or 120 fps. Pokemon Legends Z-A will launch later this year in Switch and Switch 2 versions. If you own a Switch game, you can upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition version with a paid upgrade pack.

The Joy-Con 2 controller features a new C button, which Nintendo promoted early as a flagship new feature. It allows for GameChat, letting you talk with friends while playing games. There's a built-in microphone in the Switch that will recognize your voice, and Nintendo didn't show it in use with a headset. In fact, Nintendo shoes a blender in the background, suggesting it will cancel noise. The chat menu will also have game screens sharing to share with others in your party, though Nintendo's direct made it look a little choppy. Your chat can include players in different games, so you don't have to be playing together. It's nice to see this built in, as the original Nintendo switch required a smartphone app.

There's also a new Switch 2 Pro controller with rear GR and GL buttons for remapping front buttons like some pro controllers, and a C button like on the Switch. There's also an audio jack for headsets.

Another software feature is GameShare, which will let you share games on local networks with other consoles.

There's also a Nintendo Switch 2 camera that you can connect to the system to broadcast yourself on screen and video chat in front of your screen. The camera feed will also be incorporated into games, like some Mario Party-style mini games that were shown in the Direct.

Nintendo started the stream with Mario Kart World, showcasing what is sure to be a powerhouse game that will sell throughout the Switch 2's lifetime. It will launch day and date with the Switch 2. Beyond more detailed graphics, it showed wall-riding, the ability to take control of a truck, and more. The game will change with time of day and weather conditions. You can drive off the track, driving from race to race. The game will have 24 players in each race, the most in the series' history and a showcase of the Switch's increased compute power. There's also a free-roam mode in Mario Kart World, exploring an open world similar to Microsoft's Forza Horizon series.

A new Zelda title was shown off,. Hyrule Warriors,: Age of Imprisonment is a prequel of the story leading into Tears of the Kingdom, in which you play as the titular princess. This is being developed by Koei Tecmo with "support from Nintendo."

Nintendo also annoucned Kirby Air Riders, a sequel to the Gamecube game that featured racing and open-world exploration.

Donkey Kong: Bananza is marking another major first-party release in a frolicking platformer that shows the hero punching his way through destructible environments. It will launch in July.

Nintendo will launch Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, as a paid digital game which will guide the player through the new console. It iwill explain the magnetic circuit that keeps the Joy-Cons attached, as well as showcasing rumble, mouse controls, and more in a series of mini-games. Those include painting, golfs, playing maracas, and more.

Third-party titles announced on the stream include Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Hades 2, Street Fighter 6 (including Amiibo to support it), Daemon X Machina, Split Fiction, EA sports FC, Madden NFL, Hogwarts Legacy (with mouse controls), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, Hitman: World of Assassination, an upcoming James Bond 007 game. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, Yakuza 0 Directors' Cut, Deltarune, Civilization VII, WWE 2K, NBA 2K, Borderlands 4, Survival Kids, Enter the Gungeon 2, Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition., among others, many of which will release with the Switch 2 or later this year.

The last partner game Nintendo showed off was a new exclusive From Software game, The Duskbloods, sure to gain the system some hardcore credibility. The trailer showed a series of fearsome warriors, as well as some steampunk sensibilities and gothic undertones, all with a huge vampire twist.

Nintendo Switch Online will continue on Switch 2. An expansion pack for Switch 2 will bring GameCube games to the handheld. Launch titles include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soul Calibur II and F-Zero GX. The games will have higher resolution than the launches back in the early 2000's. This will launch the same day as the Switch 2 hardware. A GameCube controller will also be released for Switch Online members.

Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and Mastodon @FreedmanAE.mastodon.social.