Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Review: Sales Success, Game Lineup, and Early Performance

Nintendo Switch 2 debuted in June 2025, marking the company's first major hardware release in eight years.

The highly anticipated console arrived at a time when Nintendo fans were eager for innovation; the preceding year, Nintendo's software slate leaned heavily on remasters and remakes such as Mario vs.

Donkey Kong, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, signaling a shift of development efforts toward preparing for the new hardware generation. The trend of modernizing classic titles continued into 2025, with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition launching with little fanfare but notable improvements.

Rumors about upgraded Nintendo hardware had swirled for years, intensifying after several flagship games—namely Mario & Luigi: Brothership and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom—suffered from performance issues on the original Switch.

Third-party ports like Sonic Generations and Epic Mickey: Rebrushed also highlighted the aging limitations of the older platform, prompting industry watchers and players alike to call for a successor. Nintendo officially revealed Switch 2 on January 16, 2025, in an unconventional move that coincided with the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

The announcement included a brief teaser and an invitation to a dedicated Nintendo Direct on April 2, which would go on to showcase a robust software roadmap for the new system.

Game reveals included Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, the arrival of GameCube titles on Nintendo Switch Online, and upgrade packs for franchise heavyweights like Super Mario Party Jamboree, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

New entries such as Kirby Air Riders and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment further diversified the launch window. Consumer interest reached a fever pitch as pre-orders quickly sold out globally, with U.S.

sales delayed slightly due to tariff uncertainties.

Demand was so great that several retailer websites experienced service outages on launch day.

The console set a new industry benchmark, moving approximately six million units in just over a month and becoming the fastest-selling video game console of all time according to verifiable sales tracking. The Nintendo Switch 2 launched with a substantial suite of games.

Notable debut titles included Mario Kart World—praised for its refined gameplay and audiovisual presentation—Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrades, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Cyberpunk 2077, Street Fighter 6, two new Deltarune chapters, select GameCube games on Nintendo Switch Online, and free upgrades for titles such as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Super Mario 3D World, Link’s Awakening, Echoes of Wisdom, and Super Mario Odyssey.

Most of these efforts were well-received, especially for enhanced performance on the new hardware.

Still, some design limitations in Mario Kart World, such as the absence of Free Roam in multiplayer and restricted course selection online, drew modest criticism from the community. Now, just two months out from launch, Nintendo Switch 2 is experiencing a quiet period as the initial surge in major releases subsides.

While upcoming titles including Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment have been announced, release dates remain unrevealed.

Given the system’s early momentum, industry analysts expect further expansion when tentpole franchises like Animal Crossing and Super Smash Bros.

inevitably arrive on Switch 2. Overall, the launch of Nintendo Switch 2 stands as a commercial and critical triumph, though some fans await the next wave of marquee releases.

With several years of active support ahead, Nintendo's newest console is positioned for a promising future, continuing the company's tradition of innovative gaming experiences.

Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Switch Success Switch 2 launch console Mario Kart World Donkey Kong Bananza GameCube Mario vs. Donkey Kong Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Paper Mario:The Thousand-Year Door Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Xenoblade Chronicles X Mario & Luigi:Brothership Zelda:Echoes of Wisdom Sonic Generations Epic Mickey:Rebrushed NateTheHate Super Mario Party Jamboree Breath of the Wild Tears of the Kingdom Kirby and the Forgotten Land Metroid Prime 4 Pokemon Legends:Z-A Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Hyrule Warriors:Age of Imprisonment Drag x Drive Cyberpunk 2077 Street Fighter 6 Deltarune Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Super Mario 3D World Link’s Awakening Super Mario Odyssey