Quick Links
TheSwitch 2 Directon Jun 23, 2025 waschock full of game revealsand new information about the Switch 2 hardware, and much of it was completely hidden from fans before being announced officially in this Switch 2 Direct. Though we got more information about some games we already knew about, there were many surprise Switch 2 reveals that blindsided gamers.
Anew exclusive FromSoftware game, a newKirby Air Ridegame, the true purpose of the Switch 2 Joycon optical sensor and mysterious C button, and even a mention of the perennially awaitedHollow Knight Silksong– there was seemingly no end to big announcements. This list collects some of the most interesting new information and the most surprising games revealed at the Switch 2 Direct.
10The Switch 2 C Button Is For GameChat…
A New Group & Communication Service From Nintendo
For months, gamers have wondered what the new C button on the right-hand Joycon would be used for. As it turns out, it’s a way to access Nintendo’s new communications service, GameChat. This buttonenables group voice chat in gamesand screen share functionality to play games with your friends “like you’re all in the same room”, and this new service works with groups of up to 12 people.
The Switch 2 C button and GameChat will also work with the new Switch 2 USB Camera, which can be used to see each other while playing games together. It can even crop out the background as if you had a green screen behind you.
There were a lot of theories on what the Switch 2 C button is for, but a proprietary Discord-like chat feature was not what many thought this button would be tied to.
9…And The Joycons Have PC Mouse Capabilities
Many Switch 2 Games Can Use Joycon Mouse Functionality
Though we have known that the Switch 2 Joycons would feature some kind of optical sensor since the initial reveal, Joycon mouse functionality was just a theory until this surprise Switch 2 reveal.
In fact, the reveal went relatively in-depth on what the new Joycons can dowith the new mouse functionality, including several games that will benefit from fine-tuned mouse movement.
An expansion toMario Party Jamboreewill take advantage of the new Joycon mouse features for new minigames, for example, while highly anticipated FPS games likeMetroid Prime 4will let players accurately aim in first person. It’s an exciting new addition to the Joycons that comes on top of a litany of other upgrades for these iconic Switch controllers.
8Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour
A Paid Overview Of The New Switch 2 Console
It’s a common trend with new gaming consoles to include a game that introduces players to the basics of the platform, often a game that tutorializes controls within a unique setting tied to the console.
The PlayStation 5 came packed withAstro’s Play Room, a critically-acclaimed platformer that turned into TGA 2024 Game of the Year winnerAstrobot, while the Steam Deck can runDesk Job, an Aperture Science andPortal-themedintro to Valve’s pioneering handheld PC.
Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tourseems to be a game that’s similar to these two pack-in titles, but there is one key difference. Instead of a free, included game,Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Touris a paid game that does not come with the console. If you want to learn more about the Switch 2 hardware, you might want to check this one out.
7Drag x Drive
An Extreme 3v3 Wheelchair Basketball Game
One of the first games announced in the Switch 2 Direct wasDrag x Drive, a sports game that uses the Switch 2 Joycon mouse functionality to control players' wheelchairs – the right joycon spins the right wheel, the left joycon spins the left.
It’s certainly an interesting-looking game that doesn’t seem like anything we’ve ever seen before in the sports genre, but the closest comparison one could make is probablyRocket League.
6Hollow Knight: Silksong
Silksong Mentioned – But Only For About Five Seconds
It’s hard to think of a game that has been more hyped up thanHollow Knight Silksong, and after years without much information to go off of (and several previous release date windows that have long since passed), fans have become ravenous for new information. According to the Switch 2 Direct,Silksongwill be released sometime this year.
It’s difficult to believe, but all we saw ofSilksongwas a few seconds of new footage in a sizzle reel featuring dozens of different titles coming to the Switch 2. In this quick peekSilksongwas revealed as being released sometime in 2025. After so long without any major news,Silksongfans were not expecting to hear anything, let alone a confirmed release window, for this long-awaited sequel.
5Deltarune Chapters 3+4
The Next Two Chapters Of Deltarune, Released At The Same Time
Toby Fox, creator ofUndertale, has slowly released chapters to his next gameDeltaruneover the last few years. It’s apopular game amongst diehard fans, but until now, the only chapters players had access to were Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.
The Switch 2 Direct featured a short segment that showed someone in a Toby Fox dog costume reveal not onlyDeltarune Chapter 3, but alsoDeltarune Chapter 4. It’s a surprise Switch 2 reveal that’s giving gamers more than what we expected to get, though the game will not be completed untilDeltarune Chapter 5comes out at a yet-to-be revealed date.
4Mario Kart World Will Be Open-World
The Crew Meets Mario Kart In An Open-World Setting
We saw the newMario Karttitle,Mario Kart World, during the first reveal for the Switch 2. However, the quick peek at the new visuals of the now-confirmedMario Kart Worlddidn’t show the game’s name or it’s open-world focus.
As it turns out,Mario Kart Worldwill be an open-worldtake on the traditionalMario Kartformula, a bit likeThe Crewor other open-world racing games of its ilk. A natural next progression for the series,Mario Kart Worldwill also be available in a special Switch 2 bundle that includes a digital copy of the game.
3Kirby Air Riders
The Air Ride Sequel We Didn’t Know We Needed
One game that absolutely nobody expected from the Switch 2 Direct wasKirby Air Riders, the long-awaited follow-up tothe Gamecube Kirby cult classicKirby Air Ride. Directed by Masahiro Sakurai (the mind behindKirbyand, notably, theSuper Smash Bros.series),Kirby Air Riderslooks to bring the original game’s fast-paced, energetic races to the modern age.
Though it does seem a bit strange to announceKirby Air Riders, a racing game, in the same Switch 2 Direct asMario Kart World, die-hardKirbyfans will surely have a great time with this long-dormant continuation.
2The Duskbloods
FromSoftware’s Switch 2 Exclusive That’s Totally Not Bloodborne 2
Arguably the most surprising reveal from the Switch 2 Direct wasThe Duskbloods, a brand-new, fresh IP from FromSoftware that will be exclusive to the Switch 2. Instead ofa spiritual successor toBloodborneas some fans theorized during the reveal trailer,The Duskbloodswill be a PvPvE multiplayer game that seems to follow more in the footsteps ofElden Ring: Nightreignthan FromSoft’s single-player titles.
The game is set to release sometime in 2026, and will be directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki himself. Not much else was revealed about this new FromSoftware game, but if the development studio’s track record is anything to go by, it could become a system-selling tentpole of the Switch 2.
1Donkey Kong Bananza
Otherwise Known As Donkey Kong 65
The final game revealed in the Switch 2 direct was a huge surprise. Initially, it looked like it could be a new 3DMariogame, but as soon as players saw the bananas, monkeys, and a big grunting ape smash through a blocked mine, it becameobvious that this was a newDonkey Konggame.
We haven’t had a proper 3D platformerDonkey Kongtitle sinceDonkey Kong 64, andDonkey Kong Bananzalooks like a spiritual successor to this cult classic Nintendo 64 game – DK even says “ooh, banana” in the trailer.
It’s one of the most surprising reveals from the Switch 2 Direct, but after so long without a standalone, full-fledged game with Donkey Kong as the main character, it’s a welcome surprise that could be a huge hit.
