If you’re still on the hunt for a Nintendo Switch 2, follow these expert tips we’ve learned from years of tracking hard-to-find consoles.

In 2025, there are alternatives for dedicated gamers after greater performance. The Steam Deck most prominently (particularly for how it too can be used as a co-op console, albeit less. elegantly without removable Joy-Cons), but even the PlayStation Portal can be regarded as a decent in-home handheld.

With the Switch 2, Nintendo has improved everything we liked about the original while retaining its sleek and portable design.

The Nintendo Switch 2 improves on one of the best consoles ever with smoother gameplay, a better design and some fun new tricks, but you can probably wait a bit to buy one.

You can't simply go to the My Nintendo Store and buy the Switch 2. To order the Switch 2, you need to log in with an active, paid Nintendo Switch Online account. Once you do that, you can choose either a Switch 2 standalone console or the Mario Kart World bundle and then hit the confirm button to "register your interest" in ordering a Switch 2.

You can finally buy the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US — or at least, try to buy. The $450 console officially went up for sale on June 5, and several retailers have offered the device both online and in-store in the days since. That said, online stock dried up fairly quickly at most stores last week and remains highly limited as of Wednesday morning.

The Nintendo Switch 2 improves upon the original in nearly every way but battery life, with a bigger screen, sharper graphics, and smarter Joy-Con controllers.

With “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,” producer Kosuke Yabuki said he felt his team at Nintendo reached a finish line. In an interview published by the company, the developer said they perfected the formula that Nintendo had used since the original, and the team wanted to embark on a new adventure.

Mario Kart World was tested on Nintendo Switch 2. Pokémon Legends: Z-A will arrive on October 16, 2025, but pre-orders begin on June 5. The Pokémon Company also announced new Mega Evolution merchandise (available now on the Pokémon Center) and confirmed the Pokémon Presents presentation coming July 22.

Splatoon 3's 10.0.0 update makes the game look and run better on Switch 2, and adds a wealth of new weapons and a classic map.