Originally published at: Exciting Reveals from the Nintendo Direct: Mario Kart World and More! -
Author: Greg Lozano
Well folks, the day Nintendo fans have been waiting for is finally here. After tons of rumors and speculations, we get concrete information from the big N itself and today I’m going to be breaking down the information that was provided from the one hour Direct. If you would like to see the video yourself, I have provided the link to the video here. The way I will write the following article is in the order of how it was presented, so if you would like to skip ahead to certain bits of information, titles will be provided for easier access.
Mario Kart World
The video opens with the introduction of the game that will be available in a bundle (more on that in the end). By the time this game releases, it’ll have been 11 years since a new Mario Kart installment has released, and it doesn’t seem like many people noticed as continuous support for it existed throughout the lifetime of the first Switch. With this new Mario Kart, players will have the chance to freely roam the world to their heart’s content or choose to participate in races such as the standard Grand Prix we’ve been conditioned to know since the franchise’s inception, only this time, players will need to drive to the next race in order to continue the participation of the run. This allows for people to approach the game at their own desired speed which is a huge departure from how the games were in the previous generations. Races can be influenced by weather as day and night cycles pass, potentially changing terrains.
A new mode called Knock Out Tour aims to really use the chaos of the expanded racers, as previously the highest number of racers the series has ever seen was 12, but now that number is up to 24. In this mode, players will race along tracks and will be required to reach a certain placement in order to continue the race or be eliminated if they fall below the placement at checkpoints. On top of all this, there are cosmetics that players will be allowed to gain in races. Whether or not they apply buffs like items, that will probably be discussed in the Mario Kart World Direct that is happening April 17th of this year.
Console Communication Features
About 20 years behind the rest of the competition, Nintendo finally added Game Chat, however, this isn’t the simple voice chat found on Xbox or PlayStation, but more along the lines of Discord integrated into the console. Players will be able to connect to friends to communicate, but aside from just chatting, people will be allowed to screen share if they so choose, and on your Switch 2, you can choose to have their screens visible to many sizes, watch someone else’s gameplay, or limit it to simply voice chat like the other consoles.
Nintendo is also adding a camera that has the capability to remove the background to give a streaming overlay look if people choose to share their game footage while also showing their face. The console also features impressive technology with the microphone as it could pick up your voice clearly from a distance, and even if there are other noises in the background, the noise cancelling technology will block it all out, only focusing on your voice. The microphone can be used while docked or in handheld mode.
There is a new C button on the right Joycon that makes it easy to turn on and off the camera, mic, and streaming. The feature allows you to play different select titles at the same time while sharing, and will also be incorporated in games like Mario Party Jamboree where you can see people’s faces highlighted to the character they use. The idea behind this feels less distant than online gaming has in the past 20+ years and makes it feel like a way to connect with friends and family when far away. If the lag is minimal with online play, this would honestly be a great way to keep in touch with those close to you. While this feature is limited to those that have Nintendo Switch Online, it will be available for everyone to use until March 31st 2026.
Welcome Tour
It’s a little disappointing that this is an actual paid game, but I can see how this would be great for designers and those curious on the mechanics and building something similar.
Micro SD Express
Regular SD cards will not work, so the need for an upgrade will be mandatory. However, these cards tend to read much faster, making load times to be minimal.
Release Date and Price
The Nintendo Switch 2 will be launching just over 2 months from the release of the video. Its scheduled date is June 5th, 2025. People will have the option of purchasing just the console or the bundle with Mario Kart World. Price for just the console will be 449.99 while with the game it will be 499.99. Depending on where in the world you are will also depend on the pricing. This price reflects that of the United States.
Super Mario Jamboree
There are new and updated modes such as getting to see players’ faces on the Mario Party board mode, which will even separate each player with one single camera if they’re all in the same room. The other modes are reminiscent of the Kinect that was released on the Xbox 360. For those that purchased the game on the original Switch will be allowed to upgrade by purchasing the upgrade pack.
Switch 2 Edition Games
Some games will have free upgraded features to a Switch 2 edition like Arms, while other games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will not only have improved graphics, but added features that can also turn your smartphone into a map that can rid you of having the pause the game each time you want to see where you would like to go. In addition, some of these titles will have DLC extensions not released on the original Switch. Games on the Switch 2 will also have mouse controls.
Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass
Gamecube Games will be releasing for those that have the Online Expansion Pass. The games that were named so far is Wind Waker, Soul Calibur II, F-Zero GX. This version of the GCN games will have higher resolution than their original counterparts and also has an option for custom controls. Some titles that will be released in the future are: Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo, Luigi’s Mansion, and Pokemon Colosseum. In addition, a bluetooth gamecube controller will be available for purchase for those that don’t own the adapter for the Switch.
Announced Games
- Drag x Drive – a 3 on 3 wheelchair basketball game that uses both of the joycons as mice to maneuver. Dragging both forward will simulate the motion of moving the wheelchair forward, while dragging one back and the other forward will allow for a turn.
- Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition – Released on the PS4, PS5, PC, and every Xbox that came after the Xbox One, Elden Ring finds its way finally to a Nintendo Console. The Tarnished Edition will contain Shadows of the Erdtree as well as a special armor set specific for the console. Nightreign will not be included in this copy.
- Street Fighter 6 – This game will release when the console releases, and will also have Amiibo support with new Amiibo being designed as time continues.
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion – A sequel to the mech game that was released on the first Switch. Not much information was given about this title, but it has taken a step away from the cell-shading of the first.
- Split Fiction – This game has been getting a lot of attention on all other consoles. A new title from the company that made It Takes Two, and it looks to be another great two player adventure.
- EA Sports titles – It’s been a while since EA sports have been on the Switch. This is possibly a sign that the new console has more power than expected as it’s getting support from big 3rd party developers.
- Hogwarts Legacy – Launch Day
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 & 4 – Launch Day
- Hitman: World of Assassins – Launch Day
- Project 007 – TBA
- Bravely Default – Launch Day
- Yakuza 0 – Launch Day
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – Winter 2025
- Deltarune Chapter 1 – 4 – Launch Day
- Borderlands 4 – TBA
- Civilization VII -Launch Day
- WWE2k and NBA 2k – TBA
- Survival Kids – Launch Day
- Enter the Gungeon 2 – TBA
- Starseeker Astroneer Expeditions – 2026
- Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition – Launch Day
- Final Fantasy VII Remake – TBA
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess – Launch Day
- Silksong – 2025 release
- Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – 8/27/25
- Goodnight Universe – 2025
- Two Point Museum – 2025
- Wild Hearts S – 7/25/25
- Witchbrook – Winter 2025
- Puyo Puyo Tetris S2 – Launch Day
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – Launch Day
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion – Winter 2025
- Star Wars Outlaws – 2025
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition – Launch Day
- Fast Fusion – Launch Day
- Shadow Labyrinth – 7/18/25
- Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army – 6/19/25
- No Sleep for Koname Date – From AI: The SOMNIUM FILES – 7/25/25
- Reanimal – 2025
- Fortnite – Launch Day
- Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER – Launch Day
- Professor Layton and the New world of Steam – 2025
- Tamagotchi Plaza – June 27 2025
- Humans Fall Flat – TBA
- The Duskbloods – 2026
- Kirby Airriders – 2025
- Donkey Kong Bananza – 7/17/25
Conclusion
This was a HUGE announcement and there are tons of games that are coming out. While we mentioned the price earlier, for those that scrolled and missed it, 449.99 for just the console, and 499.99 with a digital version of Mario Kart World. Will you be trying to pre order the console? Which titles are you most excited about?