Nintendo will retail the Switch 2 for $449.99 at launch, which is significantly higher than the original Switch's $299 price tag. A separate bundle that includes the new "Mario Kart World" game will also be available for $499.99.

Nintendo is switching a few things up with its new console as it enters the next generation of gaming. The Switch 2 was unveiled Wednesday morning during a Nintendo Direct press conference, and Variety got a hands-on demo with the hardware and games launching on June 5.

Namely, the two most notable games I played were Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza. The latter isn't a launch game, but they both made strong first impressions – not only as games themselves, but also as demonstrations of what the Switch 2 can do. Let's dig in.