The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled on 2 April, sporting a number of exciting innovations for the console.

But how much will the console cost when it lands in South Africa on 5 June? The local distributor for Nintendo South Africa has revealed the pricing for both its standalone Nintendo Switch 2 and the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle.

What does the Nintendo Switch 2 offer?

While I’ve found many gaming and tech announcements underwhelming lately, the Nintendo Switch 2 bucks the trend by introducing a variety of upgrades over the original console.

Like the original Switch console, the Switch 2 can be played in handheld or dock mode (with the dock included in the purchase). A kickstand on the back of the device also allows you to play in tabletop mode.

The Switch 2 sports a bigger screen while retaining the same thickness of the original console. The screen on the new console is 7.9 inches, while the original had a 6.2-inch screen.

The Switch 2 also has a full HD display with a 1080p resolution, with approximately double the pixels of the original device, which had a 720p resolution. The new display also supports up to 120fps in compatible games. It also supports HDR is compatible games.

One of the more impressive upgrades is the ability for the console to support 4K resolution at 60fps while docked. The docked mode also supports HDR,

When it comes to the controllers, the Joy-Con 2 controllers also feature a number of improvements, such as larger thumbsticks. The controllers also connect magnetically to the Switch 2 and each Joy-Con 2 can also be used as a mouse, but the functionality depends on games that support it.

In addition to these upgrades, the Switch 2 also includes a noise-cancelling microphone that will allow you to chat with friends in both handheld and dock modes. Notably though, the GameChat feature will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription after March 31, 2026.

Another big upgrade is the storage. While the Nintendo Switch only had 32GB on internal storage, the Switch 2 has 256GB of internal storage — significantly increasing the number of games you can have installed on the device.

Nintendo Switch 2 price in South Africa

So how much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost when it comes to South Africa? The Nintendo Switch 2 will cost R12,499 at launch, according to the distributors.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will cost R13,499.

To put this into perspective, this is a higher launch price than the PlayStation 5. The PS5 Digital Edition launched at a recommended retail price of R9,999; while the PS5 had an RRP of R11,999.

But the price is notable cheaper than the PS5 Pro and some PC gaming handhelds. The PS5 Pro launched at R19,499, while the Asus ROG Ally X launched at R17,999.

_{Featured image: Nintendo}