Nintendo Brings Hands-On Switch 2 Demos to PAX East 2026 in Boston

Nintendo is bringing three playable titles to PAX East 2026 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, with the four-day event running March 26 through 29 and the company's headliner game dropping on the convention's opening morning.

The centerpiece is Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park, which launches March 26 and will be playable at booth 18019. The Switch 2 version adds co-op and competitive gameplay modes alongside platform enhancements to the original Flower Kingdom, plus a new zone called Bellabel Park containing three plazas loaded with solo and multiplayer challenges. Nintendo notes that additional accessories may be required for local multiplayer and are sold separately.

The second Nintendo Switch 2 title on the floor is Pokémon Pokopia, described in Nintendo's announcement as a game offering "cozy time with Pokémon friends." Nintendo has not detailed a release date or full gameplay breakdown for Pokopia beyond that characterization.

The third demo is Pokémon Champions, assigned to booth 18031, and it carries a distinction worth noting for anyone tracking the Switch 2 rollout: Nintendo explicitly describes it as a game for the Nintendo Switch system, not the Switch 2. It is a battle-focused title built around online Single and Double Battles using mechanics familiar from mainline Pokémon games, including type matchups and Abilities. Players will be able to enter Ranked Battles, Casual Battles, or invite-only Private Battles, and the game will support Pokémon HOME transfers from previous titles and Pokémon GO. For PAX East attendees, this represents a rare early look at a title that, as of this writing, has had limited public gameplay footage.

Beyond the show floor, Nintendo will operate a desk in the North Lobby where attendees can create a new My Nintendo account or log into an existing one to earn Platinum Points and receive a Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition acrylic character standee, while supplies last.

Nintendo announced the lineup on March 19 from its Redmond, Washington headquarters. The company's announcement framed the event around the simultaneous launch: "We'll bring the Wonder Flowers, crafting tools and Mega Stones, you bring the smiles."

What the announcement does not address is equally relevant for anyone planning to cover or attend: Nintendo has not disclosed how many demo units will be on the floor, whether sessions are timed or require sign-ups beyond the North Lobby check-in, or what staffing model will run the stations. With Pokémon Champions being the only game at the booth not yet publicly released in any form, wait times at booth 18031 could be the most telling indicator of how much interest the title generates heading into its launch window.