The big day is very soon for fans wanting to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2, which is scheduled to be released on June 5. Preorder will go live at 9 p.m. PT on April 23 and 12 a.m. ET on April 24.

For those wanting the chance to get some early hands-on with the upcoming console, Nintendo offered fans the chance to check out the Nintendo Switch 2 via the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in cities across the globe, including Los Angeles and New York City. Fans attending got to play demos of upcoming games and Nintendo Switch 2 versions, including Donkey Kong Bananaza, Mario Kart World, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Street Fighter 6, Split Fiction, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and more.

I had the chance to attend the experience in Los Angeles, and you can check out our highlight reel below:

The first game I had the pleasure of testing out was Mario Kart World. The exciting features include being able to roam freely in the open world and then jumping into a race of 24 players. You can explore with friends in a big, open world that connects different race courses together.

On the platforming side, we had a taste of Donkey Kong Bananza, where you can jump around and fight baddies. The coolest feature is being able to climb walls and dig through the ground to reach new areas. With the world of Donkey Kong opening up vertically and horizontally, it adds a lot of variety to the levels.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers are bigger, and new features include turning the controller on its side and using it like a mouse. Games that take advantage of that are Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Drag x Drive, and Super Mario Party Jamboree: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. With Drag x Drive, players can use two Joy-Con 2 controllers like a mouse, and it emulates the feeling of rolling a wheelchair. With Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, the right Joy-Con 2 is used like a mouse, with the left one regularly with the left analog stick controlling Samus’ movements.

As a Street Fighter 6 fan, I wanted to test out the motion controls for the game. For the regular controller feel, you can use the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, but since the game is trying to cater to more players with its Modern Controls, the Nintendo Switch 2 version takes it a step further with motion controls. To move the character, just rotate the Joy-Con 2 left or right. To attack, shake it up and down. Depending on where your fighter is and when you move the controller, fighting is possible. I was able to get the hang of it during my short time with the demo. It still feels novel, but it’s fun to use as a party game.

Of course, fans have concerns over the pricing of certain Nintendo Switch 2 games. For example, Mario Kart World is priced at $79.99 (digital and physical version), which is $10 more than Donkey Kong Bananza’s $69.99 (digital and physical version). Other games that are priced at $79.99 include The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Super Mario Party Jamboree. The cheapest game available on launch is Street Fighter 6 for $59.88, which includes Year 1-2 Fighters Edition.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is available for $449.99, and the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle retails for $499.99. The Joy-Con 2 Pair is $94.99.

You can check out the Nintendo Switch 2 preorder page at stores including Walmart.