May they blaze a trail for future RTS games on Switch 2

In today’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Firaxis’ Games announced their recently launched Civilization VII will receive a Nintendo Switch 2 edition. Featuring compatibility with the system’s mouse controls, an upgrade path will be made available for those who purchased the Nintendo Switch version.

Some of the stuff will be new to you.

After being teased in fine print last week, Nintendo has detailed what exactly a "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" game is.

Switch 2 Editions will offer enhanced graphics and framerate, as well as additional gameplay options to selected games. The first example shown was be a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree on July 24, which will add a new series of dedicated minigames that support the Switch 2 camera and microphone.

A brand new DK in a brand new 3D platformer.

Closing out today's Switch 2 Nintendo Direct was the reveal of the long rumored Donkey Kong 3D platformer. Officially revealed as Donkey Kong Bananza, the new game stars a redesigned Donkey Kong similar in appearence to the design seen in Mario Kart World and the Super Mario Bros. Movie. Though he's also wearing pants this time around.

Yes, this is a Nintendo game.

The Switch 2's mouse controls will have a demo game shortly after launch.

During the Nintendo Direct, a new game called Drag X Drive was shown. Due in the summer, the game uses the JoyCon mouse movement to control a wheelchair in a 3v3 basketball-like game, using the top buttons to shoot and perform dunks.

It's a significant boost.

Following the reveal of Gamecube games being added to the Nintendo Switch Online service for Switch 2, Nintendo showed several brief trailers for the titles launching on the platform. After counting resolution on each title we are able to confirm that Gamecube titles on Switch 2 appear to be running... Read more...

Bundles including a digital copy of Mario Kart World will be available for slightly higher price points.

The Nintendo Switch 2 will cost $449.99 when it launches in the US. It will launch at £395.99 in the UK. It will require ¥49,980 in Japan. It will demand 469,99 € in the EU, and $629.99 in Canada.

Additionally, a bundle including both the Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware and an included code for... Read more...

Three PRICY RPGs in the "coming soon" pile.

It was already confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online would carry over to Switch 2, but it will bring a new library with it.

Expansion Pack subscribers will get access to a library of GameCube games on June 5 (launch day). The first three games in the library will be The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soul Calibur 2 - the latter offering 4 player local and online support.

Everyone's favorite bug came out from under her rock.

Silksong, follow-up to beloved 2017 indie game Hollow Knight, appeared in today's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct with a 2025 release date.

Hornet, a nuisance-turned-ally from the original Hollow Knight, stars in this spin-off adventure that was originally planned as paid DLC. Silksong was upgraded to a stand-alone game in 2019.

Explore Zelda's journey to the past.

Koei Tecmo returns for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, a musou game set in the far past of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

The Imprisoning War took place "long ago" in the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and Age of Imprisonment's story leads directly into that of Tears of the Kingdom.

Older regular SD cards will not work on the Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch 2 will only use the newer, faster, Micro SD "Express" cards, for expandable memory. Older regular Micro SD cards that players may already own for their current Nintendo Switch systems will not be compatible.

The SD "Express" format of SD Cards is... Read more...

"C" is for GameChat.

The mysterious C-button on the Switch 2 JoyCon launches GameChat, Nintendo announced in today's Direct.

GameChat uses a noise-cancelling mic on top of the system, even when docked. Chat members appear at the bottom of the screen under a slightly shrunken game window. Players do not need to be playing the same game and can stream their screens to each other.

Switch AND Switch 2 systems can share a single game copy to other players for multiplayer purposes.

Remember Download Play for the Nintendo DS? It's back! Announced today, the new feature allows players to play multiplayer locally or online with a single copy of a game. Essentially, they are "sharing" their copy with other players for purposes of multiplayer.

This feature will only be available... Read more...

Is your wallet ready?

Nintendo will be bringing the Switch 2 home in early June.

The Nintendo Direct has confirmed the new console as well as Mario Kart World will be available on June 5.

Confirming some of the details you might have guessed.

We now have some details on the Switch 2's hardware specs.

The system's screen will be a 7.9" LCD with HDR support, with support for up to 1080p handheld resolution and 4k TV display with the dock. The JoyCons do have the speculated mouse function on both controllers, and the SL/SR buttons for single JoyCons are larger.

They borrowed some elements from That Man before shanking him.

The first first-party game announced for Switch 2 is the one you'd expect.

Mario Kart World was the first game shown in the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct. The game will feature 24 racers on track, as well as an F-Zero-like "Knockout Tour" and "Free Roam" modes.

The game will launch on day 1 of Switch 2, and a dedicated Direct will air on April 17 at 9 a.m. ET.

Thankfully, Switchmas II will be confined to one location instead of three different ones.

Things we missed last week: Aside from a freaking Nintendo Direct with three shadowdrops (Rift of the Necrodancer, Disney Villains Cursed Cafe, and another f**king Saga game), Taito's Land Sea Air Squad was added to the Archives.

Look, we all know what we're here for this week, and it's sure as... Read more...

And the Horizon movie will be out on the 19th.

Nintendo seems to love the late March / early April window for theatrical launches.

The company announced today that the Legend of Zelda movie will have its wide theatrical release on March 26, 2027. Ths follows on from the first animated Super Mario Bros movie launching in early April 2023 and the sequel April of next year.

Including a series that has been seemingly only been localized for Nintendo consoles when it was entirely OCs.

Other announcements from today's Nintendo Direct:

Probably not surprising that they're adding new content to the first two games like they did with the third.

Today's Nintendo Direct opened with new twists on a couple of seminal RPGs.

Dragon Quest I + II HD-2D was shown to begin with still only a "2025" release window. The footage showed the familiar art style applied to the original games in the long running franchise, but with seemingly new characters added to the first two parts of the Erdrick narrative.

And this AI won't burn the world to the ground for the sake of plagiarism.

The honour of "longest title in the Nintendo Direct" went to the third game in an adventure series.

"No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES" will launch on July 25, and was announced as a Switch (family?) exclusive. The third in the series from writer Kotaro Uchikoshi that began in 2019, No Sleep will see the title character attempt to rescue the idol Iris from a brutal escape game.