Nintendo has announced a June 5 launch date for its latest gaming console, the Switch 2, which will introduce interactive chat and screenshare functions to connect gamers. Pre-orders in the U.S., however,

Namely, the two most notable games I played were Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza. The latter isn't a launch game, but they both made strong first impressions – not only as games themselves, but also as demonstrations of what the Switch 2 can do. Let's dig in.

Nintendo has been the talk of the gaming world this week after it finally unveiled details of the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, the sequel to the third-best selling console ever made. Despite excitement over its upcoming launch in June,

The $450 price tag is for the Switch 2 console alone, but Nintendo said it will also offer a bundle with the Switch 2 and a copy of the new Mario Kart World game, a Switch 2 exclusive, for $500. There's some fine-print attached to pre-ordering directly from Nintendo.

Nintendo finally unveiled more details about the Switch 2 this week, including its sticker price. The forthcoming console will cost $449.99 on its own, or $499.99 as part of a Mario Kart World bundle when it launches on June 5.

"Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025, in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions," Nintendo said in a