Nintendo Switch 2 Unveils 7 Game-Changing Features

Announcements for new video game hardware tend to follow a predictable pattern. With each generation of consoles, we anticipate the usual improvements: enhanced graphics, faster loading times, and fresh iterations of beloved franchises featuring plumbers and turtles.

Nintendo, which has consistently introduced unique innovations across generations—from the N64 analog stick and compact GameCube discs to the Wii's motion controls and Virtual Console, the Wii U's tablet screen, and the Switch's hybrid portability—has continued this tradition with the Switch 2.

True to form, Nintendo delivered several genuine surprises during the Switch 2 Direct presentation.

It's 2025, and we're finally getting robust online play.

I've been a Nintendo fan since I was four years old in 1983, when my babysitter would roll footballs at me like Donkey Kong hurling barrels at Mario. I'd leap over them, making the classic sound effect, then grab a toy hammer and smash them just like Mario. After all these years, I can't discuss this exciting reveal without a hint of affectionate frustration.

As longtime fans know, Nintendo has never been a leader in online gaming. Outside of experiments like Satellaview and Metroid Prime: Hunters, the company has barely scratched the surface of what's possible with a unified multiplayer platform like those offered by Sony and Microsoft. It's rarely easy to find and communicate with friends on Nintendo systems; even the original Switch required a separate app for voice chat.

Surprisingly, that seems to be changing. During the Direct, Nintendo introduced GameChat, and it looks impressively well-designed. This four-player chat system features noise suppression, video camera support for showing friends' faces, and screen sharing across consoles, allowing you to monitor up to four different screens at once. According to the Switch 2 accessibility page, GameChat also includes text-to-speech and speech-to-text functionality, offering players multiple ways to communicate.

We haven't seen a unified matchmaking interface yet, but this is a significant step forward. I'm hopeful it spells the end of the dreaded friend code system for good.

Miyazaki brings a shocking exclusive to Nintendo

When the first frames of this trailer appeared, I thought I was looking at Bloodborne 2. The dark atmosphere, character designs, and environments all echoed the distinctive style of FROM Software. Thanks to Eric Van Allen at IGN, I learned I was actually watching The Duskbloods, a multiplayer PvPvE game directed by the master of challenging gameplay, Hidetaka Miyazaki.

I have no idea how Miyazaki found time to direct a Nintendo-exclusive title. I'm starting to suspect he never leaves his office or sleeps, much like one of his own tormented, hollowed characters trapped in a gothic prison tower. But I'm not complaining. FROM Software has an impeccable track record lately, so I'm eagerly anticipating another masterpiece.

An unexpected but delightful surprise

Speaking of overworked developers, it appears Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has moved on from Smash to develop a new Kirby game. That caught me off guard. Someone get that man some rest!

To be frank, the original Kirby's Air Ride was a visually appealing but ultimately lackluster racing game for the GameCube. However, Sakurai has always had a deep affection for Nintendo's round, pink elder deity, and a Kirby title under his direction is all but guaranteed to be a far more polished and enjoyable experience.

Addressing control limitations

It was almost mentioned in passing, but the Pro Controller 2 sounds like a genuine upgrade this time. Nintendo announced it now includes an audio jack—a feature that's about a decade overdue. More importantly, they've added two mappable rear buttons. As a huge fan of customizable controls, this small but significant improvement genuinely excited me.

No Mario at launch?!

This genuinely shocked me. From what I can gather, many of Nintendo's key Mario developers have been hard at work for years on his next 3D adventure, which I assumed would be the flagship summer title for the Switch 2. I was completely wrong. It turns out the Super Mario Odyssey team is actually behind Donkey Kong Bananza, an intriguing new 3D platformer focused on destructible environments. Once again, Nintendo is defying expectations, trusting that dedicated fans will flock to Donkey Kong's most ambitious game in generations while saving Mario for a later release.

The Switch 2 will also launch with extensive third-party support and Mario Kart World. While World looks like a potential system-seller, I expected it to be positioned as a holiday family game. Nintendo typically relies on Mario, Zelda, or both to attract its core audience during a console's first year. However, buoyed by the record-breaking sales of Mario Kart 8, Nintendo is betting that its most popular party game, alongside Bananza, will drive enough Switch 2 sales to ensure a successful launch.

Forza Horizon meets Nintendo was unexpected

Open-world Mario Kart is now a reality, for better or worse. I'm optimistic it will be great, as the series' unpredictable physics, quirky vehicles, and combat mechanics seem perfectly suited for navigating a vast landscape, battling friends, and causing chaos. The brief glimpse we saw suggests a seamless world similar to Bowser's Fury, but on a much larger scale with support for numerous drivers simultaneously.

The price point is surprisingly high

The Switch 2 is quite expensive. I understand that costs are rising across the board due to tariffs, currency fluctuations, and inflation. However, $449.99 USD is a steep price by any measure, making the Switch 2 the most expensive console launch in Nintendo's over 40-year history in the US market. In fact, it's $150 more than the original Switch's launch price and $100 more than the previously most expensive Wii U. Successful Nintendo consoles have often leveraged lower prices as a key advantage, but the Switch 2 will need to succeed without that competitive edge.