All the Games Coming to Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 is slightly different from the OG Switch: the Joy-Cons are more powerful and connect magnetically; When docked, the console supports 4K output at 60 frames per second; and you’ll finally be able to charge your console while playing in tabletop mode. But at the end of the day, the most important thing about a new console like the Switch 2 is the games: if there’s nothing new to play, what’s the point?

Of course, Nintendo shared a number of Switch 2 exclusives during Wednesday’s big Direct. This isn’t a repeat of the Nintendo 3DS launch, there are games you can play if you buy the Switch 2 on day one. But a number of interesting games will be released soon this year. (There’s even a new From Soft game coming out in 2026!)

The games will be released on the same day as Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5th. While many of the games announced today won’t launch with the console, many of them will, including Mario Kart World .

True to its name, this game offers the Mario Kart experience in an open world. You can travel around the world with your friends, participating in different races. Not that every game needs to have an open world, but this one doesn’t have to be complicated. It looks like it’s fun to drive around a giant Mario Kart. You don’t even need to go anywhere special: Nintendo recommends that you drive slowly while taking selfies.

Of course, the core gameplay remains the same: race other racers around the track. But now up to 24 people can race at a time, and part of the competition takes place at the next race. There’s even a new “Knockout Tour” where you race non-stop from one side of the map to the other. If you get through the checkpoint too low, you’re out. Plus, you can bounce off walls like Mario in a platformer, slide along rails, and play as a cow for some reason.

Here are the rest of the games you’ll be able to play on launch day:

• Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

• Street Fighter 6

• Split fiction

• Hogwarts Legacy

• Hitman World of Murder

• Brave & Default Flying Fair (HD Remaster)

• Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut

• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Nintendo Switch Online)

• Soulcalibur II (Nintendo Switch Online)

• F-Zero GX (Nintendo Switch Online)

• Deltarune 1 + 2 + 3 + 4

• Civilizations VII

• Children of Survival

• Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition

• Fortnite

• Arcade Arcade 2 RIDGE RACER

• Rune Factory: Azuma’s Guardians

• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S

• Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition

• Fast synthesis

Upcoming Nintendo Games

During the presentation, Nintendo announced a number of its own games and updates that won’t be ready for release on June 5th.

Drag X Drive (summer 2025)

This is a completely new game for Nintendo. Drag X Drive is a wheelchair basketball game that uses the new mouse controls on the Switch 2 Joy-Cons. You can push both controllers forward as your character pushes both wheels of their wheelchair forward. You can also swing the Joy-Con to shoot baskets, similar to Wii Sports .

Donkey Kong Bananza (TBD)

After a number of remasters , Donkey Kong is finally getting a new game. This was the last Direct announcement, and it was worth the wait: Bananza is like Donkey Kong ‘s version of Super Mario Odyssey – a 3D platformer in an open environment (though I’m not sure it’s an “open world”). The biggest difference? You fight your way through almost everything you see in the world.

Hyrule Warriors Age of Prisonment (Winter 2025)

It is the third entry in the Hyrule Warriors series, taking place before the events of Tears of the Kingdom . I won’t go into spoilers here, but you will be able to play out the events of the Imprisonment War and even play as Zelda.

Kirby Air Riders (2025)

Looks like we’re finally getting a sequel to 2003’s Kirby Air Ride. We don’t have many details yet other than stars, bicycles and spaceships as vehicles. But Kirby Air Riders is directed by Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros. , which is a good omen.

Nintendo Switch 2 Editions

Like other consoles, Nintendo is now offering Switch 2 users updated versions of some Switch 1 games. These may include improved graphics, faster performance, or new features that take advantage of the Switch 2 controllers. These updates include:

• Super Mario Part Jamboree + Jamboree TV (July 24, 2025)

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (TBA)

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TBA)

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star World (TBA)

• Metroid Prime 4 Beyond (TBA)

• Pokémon Legends ZA (TBA)

GameCube Games

Nintendo Switch Online is finally adding support for GameCube games, but only for the Nintendo Switch 2. (Why my 2017 Nintendo Switch isn’t compatible with games that ran on the 2001 system is beyond me, but I digress.) In addition to the three aforementioned GameCube games that will be available at launch, here’s what’s coming in the future, none of which have a release date yet:

• Super Mario Sunshine

• Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

• Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness

• Super Mario Strikes

• Chibi-Robo

• Luigi’s Mansion

• Pokemon Colosseum

Third party titles

Nintendo has released a number of third-party games that will be coming to the Switch 2. These include:

• Tarnished Edition of Elden Ring (2025)

• Hades II (TBD)

• Daemon X Machina Titanic Scion (September 5, 2025)

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 (Summer 2025)

• Project 007 (to be confirmed)

• Borderland 4 (2025)

• WWE 2K (TBD)

• NBA 2K (to be confirmed)

• Enter Gungeon 2 (TBA)

• Astoner Starfinder Expeditions (2026)

• Remake of Final Fantasy VII Intergrade (TBA)

• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

• Hollow Knight: Silkson (2025)

• A Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (August 27, 2025)

• Goodnight Universe (2025)

• Silk Song (2025)

• Museum of Two Points (2025)

• Wild Hearts S (July 25, 2025)

• Witchbrook (Holiday 2025)

• Marvel Comics Invasion (Holiday 2025)

• Star Wars: Outlaws (2025)

• Shadow Maze (July 18, 2025)

• RAIDOU Remastered: The Secret of the Soulless Army (June 19, 2025)

• Kaname Can’t Sleep Date – from AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES (July 25, 2025)

• RESUME (2025)

• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (2025)

• Tamagotchi Plaza (June 27, 2025)

• Human Fall Flat 2 (TBD)

• Twilight Blood (2026)

More…