Nintendo unveiled the full scope of the Nintendo Switch 2 during their Direct on Wednesday (April 2). The storied gaming company previewed the improved Joy-Cons, the system's 4K support, Nintendo Switch Online and even a glimpse into their flagship first-party offerings like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World.
Shortly after the dopamine hit from the Direct ended, Nintendo revealed the hefty price of their latest console, which shocked many. Per the company's official website, the Nintendo Switch 2 is listed at a suggested retail price of a whopping $449.99, with a release date set for June 6, 2025. The original Nintendo Switch was released in 2017 at $299, so the sequel console is priced at a $150 increase. However, it should be noted that the Japanese gaming company issued the Nintendo Switch OLED in 2021, which was priced at $349.99—only $100 less than the projected price of Switch 2.
With the suggested price of the Nintendo Switch 2, the forthcoming console is the third most expensive system in the company's history. Here are the other two.
Tariffs may change it, but the Switch 2 is a great deal right now
Since Nintendo formally unveiled all the details of its upcoming Switch 2 hybrid console, there's been a big uproar over the company's pricing structure, a lot of which is valid. Games being sold for $80 is certainly not something I expected, and it'll be a tough sell for a lot of people. But I have to say, in terms of hardware, Nintendo really delivered the goods for a reasonable price. I mean, the Steam Deck is often hailed as a very competitively priced handheld, and it starts at $400. The Switch 2 starting at $450 with a more powerful processor, a bigger screen, HDR and VRR support up to 120Hz (both of which the Steam Deck LCD lacks), detachable controllers, and an included dock is actually a pretty fantastic deal. Of course, if the recently proposed tariffs from the US government go through, that price will change, but to be fair, that won't just be Nintendo's problem. At its core, this piece of hardware offers great value for the money.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
The NES costs more money than you remember
Nintendo released its Entertainment System for American markets in 1985. The groundbreaking console was listed at $180 retail during this period, per Digital Trends, and while that price may seem cheap for the coveted Control Deck, it wasn't. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator, Nintendo's revolutionary tech would sell for the 2025 equivalent of approximately $528.38. Yes, you read that right.
With that price, the NES would be only $80 more than the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 in today's market and economy. The system would go on to become one of the best-selling consoles of all-time, prompting the Japanese gaming company to create a sequel to their beloved tech. And spoiler alert: it was as expensive as its predecessor.
The SNES was a sequel and an expensive one at that
After the uber success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, the company moved to release its successor to kick off the '90s. In August 1991, Nintendo raised the bar in the gaming industry once more with the debut of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in America.
The console appeared on shelves with a $199 price tag, almost $20 more than the NES, per Digital Trends. However, after accounting for inflation between 1985 and 1991, compounded with adjustments for 2025's economy, the final total comes to $467.15—a price still more expensive than the Switch 2.
How Much Did NES And SNES Games Cost?
NES games were priced like luxury items
With a price tag reaching $500, there is no way that the games could cost almost $100. Right? The answer is yes, and now ask yourself, am I talking about the Switch 2 in 2025 or the NES in the '80s?
According to retro video games archive HuguesJohnson.com, upon release, NES games, such as Super Mario 3 and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, were listed at $49.95 and $44.95, respectively, upon release and well into the early '90s. One scan dated to 1987 saw sales for critically acclaimed games like Castlevania I and The Legend of Zelda listed at reduced prices of $29.99. When converting these prices to account for 2025 inflation, Super Mario 3 and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse would cost you $120.11 and $108.81, respectively. Games that were on sale for $29.99 would run you $83.21, accounting for today's financial shifts.
Popular NES game values today
|
Game Name |
Loose Price |
Complete in Box |
New (Sealed) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Super Mario Bros. |
$13.99 |
$258.73 |
$4,750.00 |
|
Duck Hunt |
$6.67 |
$131.80 |
$2,000.00 |
|
Super Mario Bros. 3 |
$18.49 |
$63.99 |
$1,276.60 |
|
Tetris |
$12.00 |
$23.40 |
$350.00 |
|
Super Mario Bros. 2 |
$20.49 |
$72.50 |
$2,300.00 |
|
Legend of Zelda |
$29.99 |
$179.99 |
$1,025.00 |
SNES games were so expensive you only got one at a time
By the time we reached the SNES release, games were reaching the 2010s pricing level. In a scan dated to August 1991, games from the console's launch, such as F-Zero, Pilotwings, and Sim City were listed at $53.99 a piece— an increase from the titles offered for the NES.
Now, let us convert these prices to account for the ever-changing economy of 2025. When converted, attempting to buy just one of these launch titles would set you back $126.11—I don't know about you, but my parents would definitely have told me, "Wait until Christmas." Buying all three of these games would have totaled around the suggested retail price of the Nintendo Wii, $249.00, or $349.00 if it were sold in 2025.
Popular NES game values today
|
Game Name |
Loose |
Complete In Box |
New (Sealed) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Super Mario World |
$16.99 |
$421.47 |
$1,349.00 |
|
Super Mario All Stars |
$19.99 |
$94.29 |
$1,030.99 |
|
Donkey Kong Country |
$19.99 |
$81.50 |
$759.98 |
|
Super Mario Cart |
$32.74 |
$89.99 |
$5,800.00 |
|
Street Fighter II |
$17.22 |
$60.00 |
$1,283.88 |
|
Donkey Kong Country 2 |
$23.74 |
$83.09 |
$699.00 |
Did Nintendo Release Costly Accessories For Either Console?
Yes, and they were quite interesting to say the least.
Apparently, releasing an array of accessories for their home consoles has always been Nintendo's modus operandi. Both the SNES and the NES had attachments, additions, and extras made available for sale during the life cycle of each system—and they were not cheap.
The NES offered accessories like the Cleaning Kit to extend the console's "life and prevent problems before they occur." The self-proclaimed product was sold for $11.99, which would be USD 27.76 in 2025. The NES Satellite product was listed at $39.99, and allowed 4-player wireless controller action via "an infrared signal up to 15 feet." Kinda cool. The interesting gizmo would run you $92.60 after being converted to meet today's market standards.
By the time we hit the SNES, the products become more ambitious and, at times, more expensive. The controllers would cost $17.99, a $6 increase from the NES counterparts, equivalent to $40.42 in today's economy. Nintendo's iconic Super Scope 6 was priced at $54.99 in a 1992 holiday shopping guide, which translates to $123.57 in 2025.
Popular NES Accessories
- NES Advantage - an arcade-style controller
- Four Score - an adapater that allowed you to connect up to four controllers (often used for Gauntlet and Super Spike V-Ball)
- Laser Scope - basically a voice activated gun for games like Duck Hunt
- Max Controller - basically the equivilent of a pro controller
- Power Glove - a unique style of motion controller that promised the world but was pretty limited in what it did
- Power Pad - an early footpad controller that allowed you to take a more active role in games like World Class Track Meet and Dance Aerobics
So, What Else Can We Expect From The Nintendo Switch 2?
The price of games is a bit eye-raising
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Nintendo released a lot of information regarding their new console since the Switch 2 Direct in early April, including information about the games.
The Switch 2's game's prices have remained unchanged by President Donald Trump's tariffs and are just as expensive as when Nintendo announced them. Mario Kart World's price of $79.99 is listed on the company's website, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 Edition potentially costs $80 if you don't already have the product. If you do own the TOTK, the upgraded version would only run for $9.99, and it would be free if you were a Nintendo Switch Online member. There also seems to be a difference in pricing regarding the system's digital and physical games, with physical copies costing $10 more on average.
There’s a ton of new accessories and they ain’t cheap
As far as accessories go, there are a ton of them, naturally. Nintendo is offering a camera for the console priced at $49.99, a new reworked Pro Controller listed at $79.99, additional Joy-Cons for $89.99, the Joy-Con wheel for $19.99, a Joy-Con charging priced at $34.99, and an extra Docking System for $109.99. And that is just some of the accessories announced.
Official Switch 2 Controllers
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
- Joy-Con 2 Controllers
- Joy-Con Charging Grip
- Joy-Con 2 Strap
- Joy-Con 2 Wheel
- Switch 2 CAmera
- Switch 2 Dock Set
- Switch 2 Carrying Case And Screen Protector
- Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case
Any Chance Prices Will Drop?
Nintendo had this to say about pricing and pre-orders
As mentioned, Nintendo asserted that the price of the Switch 2 would stay $449.99, despite the ongoing tariff war launched by the United States. However, the initial pre-order date scheduled for April 9th, 2025, for America was pushed back so that the company could" assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions" and that "Nintendo will update timing at a later date."
Bill Trinen, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, opened up about the Switch 2's controversial game prices in an interview with IGN. Trinen explained that the pricing of games was less "about strategy" and "more just whenever we look at a given game, we just look at what is the experience and what's the content and what's the value?"
So, while the Nintendo Switch 2's expensive price point may be shocking and elicit a feeling of disappointment, understand that the company has traveled down this road before. Albeit, to two of the most successful launches in gaming history, but we have been here before.
Will the Switch 2 be as accepted as the NES and SNES before it? Or will the gaming Gods have a more unlucky fate in-store for Nintendo's forthcoming console due to an abhorrent American economy? Only time will tell.