Key facts
- Nintendo's Zelda-themed Switch 2 special edition console is out in stores as of October 31, 2026, following last-minute pre-order complications at some retailers.
- Some customers who pre-ordered the Zelda-themed Switch 2 from Target are reportedly being told their orders will not arrive until the middle of November.
- Walmart reportedly cancelled some Zelda-themed Switch 2 pre-orders at the last minute, notifying buyers that the item was out of stock.
- Customers who pre-ordered the Zelda 40th Anniversary special edition Switch 2 began receiving their consoles on October 29, 2026.
FromSoftware announced on Oct. 29, 2026 that its Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods is moving from a 2026 launch to 2027 without a set release date, while Nintendo’s Zelda-themed Switch 2 special edition console reached stores on Oct. 31, 2026 after last-minute pre-order complications at some retailers including Target and Walmart.
Nintendo announced on Sept. 8, 2026 that the Switch 2 – The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition would launch on Oct. 29, 2026, with textured foil cover art special packaging available while supplies last. The announcement covered the console and matching accessories launching on the same date, positioned ahead of the holiday shopping period.
Some customers who pre-ordered the Zelda-themed Switch 2 from Target are reportedly being told their orders will not arrive until the middle of November. Walmart reportedly cancelled some pre-orders at the last minute during the console’s launch week in late October 2026, notifying buyers that the item was out of stock.
Nintendo sent a Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 console to Nintendo Life for an unboxing and showcase as pre-order customers began receiving the special edition system on Oct. 29, 2026. The system is out in stores as of Oct. 31, 2026.
Nintendo released a Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 Pro Controller and carrying case with screen protector on Oct. 29, 2026. The company also released a display-stand controller bundle exclusive to Nintendo Store, Nintendo New York and Nintendo San Francisco.
Nintendo held a 15-minute Indie World Showcase during the week of Oct. 26, 2026, announcing smaller titles coming to Switch 1 and Switch 2 in the coming months. Nintendo followed the showcase with an infographic listing every title shown as part of a busy October of game launches and news.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is set to release on Switch 2 in the week following Oct. 31, 2026, with a new video highlighting eight ways the quest has been remade. Nintendo Life staff said they were trying to play non-Zelda games before the remake’s release the following week. A rumor that Samsung is developing an 8LPU+ chip process that could enable a Switch 2 Lite remains unverified as of Oct. 29, 2026.
Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can download Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and Super Mario Bros. 3 at no extra cost on both Switch and Switch 2 as of Oct. 26, 2026. The two games are not locked behind the Expansion Pack and are available to all standard subscribers.
The Game Boy collection includes 38 games such as Tetris, Donkey Kong and Kirby’s Dream Land, with online play and voice chat available through a smartphone app. The collection is part of the standard Nintendo Switch Online service at no extra charge, and access requires an active membership.
Game Boy games on the service include Suspend Points, a rewind option triggered by holding ZL and ZR, and screen styles imitating the Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket or Game Boy Color. These features are part of the Nintendo Classics collection that comes with a standard subscription. Members keep access to classic NES and Game Boy games only while their subscription is active and must connect their console online once a week to keep playing.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins reached its 34th anniversary on Oct. 21, 2026, after launching in Japan on Oct. 21, 1992 and in Western regions on Nov. 2, 1992. Nintendo describes the game as a Wario adventure and lists it among the featured Game Boy collection titles. Super Mario Bros. 3 debuted in Japan on Oct. 23, 1988, before arriving in the Western hemisphere in 1990, making it 38 years old at the time of the offer. The NES title is the older of the two anniversary games in the free Nintendo Switch Online pair.
Nintendo requires a Nintendo Account for the free Super Mario Switch Online offer as of October 26, 2026, and Nintendo Accounts are available to users aged 13 and up. The offer also gives subscribers access to Super Mario Bros. 3 on NES and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins on Game Boy at no extra cost on both Switch and Switch 2 through the separate NES and Game Boy apps.
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