01 – The Switch 2’s form factor is much the same as its predecessor, just slightly larger. The main unit of the console has grown in size and the Joy-Con are now taller. We estimate that the entire console is about 15% larger than the original Switch.

02 – Gone are the brightly colored Joy-Con from the last generation. Nintendo has opted for a uniform dark gray across the entire console, giving the entire unit somewhat of a sleeker, Steam Deck-like appearance.

03 – This does not mean that the console is devoid of color. It pays homage to the original Switch’s bright red and blue controllers with a color ring around each analog stick. This extends to the inside edges of both the console unit and each Joy-Con, which not only looks smart, but acts as a color coding system – red slots to red and blue slots to blue.

04 – Speaking of slots, the Joy-Con no longer slide into place on rails. Instead, they now plug directly into the device with a protruding connector on the main unit that plugs into a port on the inner edge of the Joy-Con. Although not confirmed by this trailer, rumors have suggested that each Joy-Con is held in place using magnets similar to Apple’s Magsafe laptop charging cables.

05 – The back of each Joy-Con has a newly designed trigger system that releases the controller from the main unit. As you can briefly see in the demonstration video published on Nintendo.comsqueezing the trigger causes a piston-like component inside the Joy-Con to push the controller away from the console.

06 – On the front of the Joy-Cons, we can see that the classic control layout has been preserved. The analog sticks remain staggered, with the left stick sitting above the four directional buttons, and the right stick below the A, B, X and Y face buttons. Towards the top of the controllers are the plus and minus buttons, and at the bottom is the square record button on the left and the circle home button on the right.

07 – Below the Home button is a new, unlabeled button. What it does is currently a mystery to everyone but Nintendo.

08 – The L and R shoulder buttons are exactly where you’d expect them to be, and below them sit the ZL and ZR triggers. These appear to be deeper and more rounded than those on the Switch, and will hopefully be more comfortable to use and easier to operate.

09 – The analog sticks still use a low-profile design, but their faces have a noticeably smaller inner ring radius and thicker, taller rims. This is probably to provide better thumb grip and support.

10 – There’s no sign of the NFC Amiibo interface on the right Joy-Con, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be there. After all, the feature was invisible on the original Switch. What seems to be missing though is the IR sensor that was on the bottom edge of the original right Joy-Con. Given that almost no Switch games used it, it might not be surprising to see it cut from the Switch 2.

11 – Once again, the internal edges of each Joy-Con controller have SL and SR buttons, indicating that the Switch 2 will still allow players to use each Joy-Con as its own controller. The big improvement here, though, is that the SL and SR buttons are significantly larger – potentially up to four times the length of those on the original Switch. They will almost certainly be easier to use.

12 – The strip of four green LEDs indicating which player each Joy-Con is assigned to has returned, though this time it’s on the forward-facing edge of the connector strip instead of the inward-facing one.

13 – Between the SL and SR buttons is the connector port that connects each Joy-Con to the main console unit, but also a few interesting components. Mirroring the original Switch, we can see the Sync button below the connector, which will pair a Joy-Con with the console.

14 – However, it is the component above the plug that proves to be the most exciting. This small, clear lens could well be a laser sensor, similar to what is in a computer mouse. If so, that would mean the Joy-Con can be used as a mouse. The trailer even hints at this when the Joy-Con skate around with their wrist strap accessories – they literally look like scurrying mice with tails.

15 – Speaking of the wrist straps, they’re back in a redesigned shape with red and blue colors to match the inner splash of color on each Joy-Con.

16 – Moving to the main console unit itself, the main improvement is a larger screen. It’s not quite the near edge-to-edge panel that the Switch OLED boasted, but it takes up significantly more of the device than the original Switch’s screen. What screen technology it uses is currently unclear – while we’d love to see a bright OLED screen, this base model could do with a more traditional LED panel.

17 – The top edge of the device is largely unchanged. It has slightly redesigned power and volume buttons, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a ventilation grill that appears to be roughly the same size as the one on the original Switch, just split into three openings instead of five.

18 – The playing card slot also remains on the top edge of the console. It is also the only visible slot on the device. Given that the machine is backwards compatible, this means that the Switch 2’s game cartridges will almost certainly have the same form factor as those used in the original Switch.

19 – However, there is a curious new addition to the top edge to wonder about. Next to the headphone jack we can see a USB C port. We’re not sure what that is, as the Switch 2 also has the same bottom-mounted USB C port as its predecessor for docking and charging. Perhaps there’s a range of USB-based peripherals on the way that make more sense mounted on top of the console? Or maybe the next Pokemon will go completely old fashioned and use a link cable to trade monsters? We might be too excited than we should be to find out what a mysterious USB slot does.

20 – Next to the bottom USB C port are new, downward-facing speakers, which replace the original Switch’s rear-facing speakers. This new position will hopefully ensure better sound quality.

21 – The back of the console has a brand new rack system which runs the entire length of the unit. It does look a little flimsy, but the rubber feet on the edges of the console unit itself may be there to help support the kickstand and keep the whole unit stable. The stand also appears to be able to lock at multiple angles – at least it will have an upright position and one that lays it at a much smaller angle that almost lays flat.

22 – As you’d expect, the Switch can be docked and connected to a TV. The dock appears almost identical to the original Switch’s, but the corners have been rounded to match the radius of the Joy-Cons. Oh, and there’s a massive Switch 2 logo on the front of it too.

23 – Also mirroring the original Switch is the inclusion of a peripheral controller that the Joy-Cons slot into. It looks just as uncomfortable as the original version, but hopefully hands-on time will reveal that some improvements have been made.

24 – You can’t have a console reveal trailer without a game, and this Switch 2 reveal gives us a sneak peek at what looks like a brand new Mario Kart game. It looks like this will be a bigger, more chaotic version of Nintendo’s beloved racer, as the starting line holds 24 racers. Mario Kart 8 was limited to only 12 racers.

25 – Swirling above that starting line is a sign that reads “Mario Kart – Mario Bros. Circuit”. It appears to be a brand new, ostensibly American course for Mario Kart – one that appears to make use of more open space and off-road sections.

26 – The clip confirms ten characters for the roster: Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, Daisy, Rosalina and finally Wario, who can be seen for just a split second as the screen rotates.

27 – While completely new games such as new Mario Kart was obviously on the cards, it’s good to see that old Switch games will be supported through backwards compatibility. However, the reveal trailer warns that “certain games may not be supported.” We suspect this may refer to games that used peripherals that connected directly to the Switch 1’s Joy-Cons. Ring Fit Adventure, for example, required the Joy-Con to be inserted into the ring, and the new Joy-Con design will presumably be incompatible with the old rail system.

28 – But when can we finally get this brand new Nintendo console? 2025 is the only date we’ll get, so sometime in the next 12 months (but probably not before June).

29 – We’ll learn a lot more, including hopefully a release date, in just a few short months. A Nintendo Direct is scheduled for April 2nd.

30 – After that live, you’ll be able to get hands-on with the console yourself as part of the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience, a worldwide tour taking place between April and June. Starting April 4 in New York and Paris, then visiting cities like London, Berlin, Melbourne, Tokyo and Seoul, it’s open to all Nintendo Account holders… provided you win a ticket via free-to-enter the ballot. Registration for the draw opens on January 17.

And those are the 30 key details revealed by the Switch 2 announcement trailer. Be sure to check out everything that’s been confirmed so far, and stick with IGN over the next few months for even more Nintendo Switch 2 news.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. Additional editorial support for this article was provided by Alex Simmons, Dale Driver, Jesse Gomez, and Simon Cardy.