First Look: Nintendo Switch 2 Cartridge Revealed

Nintendo has given us our first detailed glimpse at a Nintendo Switch 2 game cartridge, just ahead of the console's eagerly awaited launch next month. In a recent video shared via the Nintendo Today app, the company showcased the official Switch 2 carry case, which features slots designed to safely store up to six cartridges from both Nintendo Switch 1 and Switch 2.

As previously announced, the Switch 2 cartridges are identical in size and shape to their Switch 1 counterparts, allowing the new console to use a single cartridge slot for games from both generations. However, there's a notable distinction: the color of the cartridges. Switch 2 cartridges are distinctively red, a design choice that seems to be consistent across all titles, not limited to just the Mario Kart World cartridge seen in the video. You can view this video on the Nintendo Today app or through OatmealDome's post on X / Twitter.

The top of the cartridge also features a printed design sticker with the Switch 2 logo, differentiating it from the original Switch cartridges. The official Switch 2 carrying case is designed to accommodate the console with the Joy-Con 2 attached, along with six cartridges and two Joy-Con 2 straps.

Despite these changes, the Switch 2 cartridges remain identical to their predecessors in every other aspect, including the bitter-tasting coating that Nintendo applies to prevent accidental ingestion. "We don't want anybody to be at risk of any unwanted consumption," Switch 2 director Takuhiro Dohta explained to GameSpot. "We have indeed made it so that if it enters your mouth, you'll spit it out."

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to hit the market on June 5, 2025, just three weeks away. Earlier today, a report surfaced that Nintendo's key electronics partner, Samsung, is already contemplating a hardware refresh for the Switch 2, potentially featuring an OLED screen upgrade.