The features I want for the Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch is one of my absolute favourite consoles. Its flexibility and outstanding software library have earned the small hybrid handheld a special place in my gamer heart. But it’s almost time to say goodbye. It’s more than likely that Nintendo will introduce and release the successor to the Switch this year. Various rumours and insider information say that it could happen in the autumn.

To get in the mood for the launch, I created a wish list for the Switch’s successor – completely independent of the previous rumours and leaks. I want the following features on the Switch 2.

Evolution, not revolution

With the Switch, Nintendo merged its handheld and console divisions and revolutionised the gaming market. The fact that I can play fully-fledged console versions of Zelda, Mario and the like on the go with a handheld was incredibly cool to me in the first few years of the Switch. What was even better was that I could continue playing these games seamlessly on my TV at home.

I’m no longer as fascinated with this hybrid concept. The Switch and its portability are part of everyday gaming for me. Nevertheless, I hope that Nintendo sticks to the concept with the Switch’s successor and perfects the console-handheld hybrid. I don’t want any revolutionary surprises. No completely new, crazy gimmick that turns everything on its head. Or, the worst case scenario, a flop. Hello, Wii U.

Hardware: comprehensively upgraded performance

It’s incredible how much Nintendo and other development studios have squeezed out of the meagre Switch hardware over the last seven years. The built-in Tegra X1 mobile chip was already outdated in 2017. The limitations have become increasingly clear in recent years, especially in games like Tears of the Kingdom. That’s why I’m looking forward to what will hopefully be a substantial performance upgrade for the Switch 2 and hope it can move closer to the current generation of consoles from Sony and Microsoft. The following points are particularly important to me.

Higher resolution

Switch games look blurry on my 77-inch TV. When I go from playing on the PS5 to the Switch, it takes me a while to get used to the low resolution again. I’d like a 4K output in the dock of its successor.

Faster loading times

Current-gen consoles, especially the PS5, you’re spoilt with ultra-fast loading times. The high-performance SSD can load save games in seconds, fast travel works without waiting and annoying loading screens are largely a thing of the past. I want that on the Switch 2 too! Not just for convenience. I’d love to see what new gameplay mechanics Nintendo thinks up with fast loading times. With Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on the PS5, Insomniac has already shown how a fast SSD can be used creatively on a design level. It’s hard to imagine what crazy ideas the creative minds behind Mario, Zelda and the like would put into practice.

Ray tracing etc.

I don’t really care whether Nintendo uses ray traced reflections or lighting in their next Mario game, but I’d like the Switch 2 to at least master the principles of ray tracing and other modern rendering techniques. Not least so that porting third-party games is easier and the console is supported by external studios for longer.

HDR and VRR

Thanks to HDMI 2.1, new TVs support features that are also exciting for gaming. With the PS5, I particularly learned to love the HDR support and the variable refresh rate – VRR for short. I’d also like the Switch 2 to have both.

With HDR, games have more contrast and look more saturated. I see more levels of detail in both dark and light areas. Bright image sections in particular blind me almost like they do in real life – for example when the sun shines into my cockpit during a round of Gran Turismo 7.

VRR is used to dynamically adjust a display’s refresh rate. This eliminates unsightly effects such as tearing or stuttering when frame rates fluctuate, ensuring a smoother gaming experience. The feature is comparable to Nvidia’s G-Sync or AMD’s FreeSync.

A more convenient and useful dock

I’ve never been a fan of the Switch dock. The display often scratches the plastic, and sometimes I don’t find the USB-C adapter cleanly. The console also takes up more space than necessary because you have to plug the Switch into the dock from above.

So, I’d like to see a fundamentally revised design for its successor, making it more space-saving and convenient. It’d also be exciting if the Switch 2 got a performance boost from additional hardware in the dock. Similar to what Asus does with the external GPU on their Rog Ally handheld.

Screen: once OLED, always OLED

Compared to the OLED model, the LCD screen on my 2017 launch Switch looks dark, washed out and lifeless. The rumours that Nintendo’s using an LCD screen again with the Switch 2 make me all the sadder. I don’t want to go back anymore! The Switch 2 needs an OLED screen. Or at least an additional OLED model, which I personally would be happy to pay more for.

Valve has introduced the almost perfect OLED screen for handhelds with the new Steam Deck model. It has a refresh rate of 90 Hertz as well as HDR support with a peak brightness of up to 1,000 nits. What a dream. The screen would be perfect for me if it also supported VRR, meaning that frame rate fluctuations can be compensated not only when docked, but also in handheld mode.

Size-wise, I don’t think Nintendo has to change anything. The 7-inch screen is large enough to play comfortably and small enough to keep the console portable. However, the resolution of the screen should jump from the current 720p to 1080p.

Controller: still detachable, but completely overhauled

I wish Nintendo would stick with the concept of detachable controllers. The little things are very practical – for example when you take them off in hand held mode and position the Switch on a table with the stand.

But the Joy-Cons are far from perfect. They’re way too small for my hands – especially when I use them horizontally in a game of Mario Kart. The mini controllers are also incredibly unergonomic. With the exception of the triggers, they’re completely flat. I can’t hold on to anything and easily tense up when playing in handheld mode. I’d like a curvier and larger design for the successor instead.

The current Joy-Cons have an even bigger problem: the analogue sticks are susceptible to stick drift. As the stick mechanism wears out, incorrect inputs are registered. This can cause the character to move on its own or make aiming impossible due to incorrectly registered movements. Nintendo definitely needs to get this problem under control.

The last item on my controller wish list is improved haptic feedback. The current Joy-Cons’ HD Rumble feature is nice, but not enough games use it. In addition, with the launch of the PS5 and the new DualSense controllers, Sony has surpassed Nintendo’s vibration motors with a new level of precision. The PS5 controller’s rumble motors are many times more precise and can even credibly simulate the impact of small raindrops. Anyone who has ever played Returnal or Astro’s Playroom knows what I mean. The Switch 2 should also offer this level of precision.

I’d find it even more exciting if Nintendo copied the adaptive triggers of the PS5 controller. In The Legend of Zelda, I want to feel Link drawing his bow and arrow. I want to feel the differences between the different weapons in Splatoon with different pressure points and resistance in the triggers. Or how about blocking my trigger in Mario Kart when I get hit by a red tank? I’m sure Nintendo could think of countless exciting applications for this technology.

Keep the stand please

Because I like to take the Joy-Cons off from time to time, I need a good stand in handheld mode. This is the only way I can put my Switch on a flat surface and sit back with my mini controllers. The launch Switch’s base was a disaster. The stand, which was far too small and unstable, often caused unpleasant crashes on trains or planes.

The stand on the OLED Switch, however, is perfect. It extends over the entire back of the console, making it very stable. You can also flexibly adjust the angle at which the Switch is placed on the table. Please, please, Nintendo, keep that stand.

I still want physical games

I’m not ready for a purely digital gaming future yet. I still buy games that I particularly value in physical form. If the world ends and I still want to play a round of Super Mario Odyssey, I don’t have to rely on an internet connection or the slow Nintendo eShop. I also like to give away the odd game. I hope I can continue this tradition with the Switch 2.

Backwards compatibility: a must-have

Unless Nintendo decides to completely reinvent the wheel with the Switch 2, 100% backwards compatibility is a must. This means that I want the Switch 2 to be able to play all the games from the Switch 1. Whether they’re physical or digital. In the best-case scenario, the Switch 1 games will automatically run in higher resolution or with higher frame rates on the Switch 2.

I also want my Nintendo e-Shop account to be seamlessly transferred to the new console. Just like with a new smartphone, I want to be able to easily log in and have immediate access to my entire game library. The Switch is by far my favourite platform for smaller indie gems, so my virtual library on the console is as extensive as you’d expect. If the Switch 2 is not fully backwards compatible, I won’t be buying third-party games from Nintendo’s store in the future.

Online mode: things can only get better

The Switch’s online subscription is…not optimal. Many familiar basic features from other platforms are still missing from Nintendo’s console. Voice chat? Only works via the separate mobile app. Inviting other players to a current session? Difficult to impossible. Cloud saves? Not possible for all games. Compared to PlayStation Plus, I also repeatedly experience annoying stutters and lags during online sessions with the Switch.

At least the range of retro games included in the subscription has improved a bit. With the more expensive expansion pack I have access to Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Advance games, among others. However, new games are still being released far too slowly.

Nintendo has to drastically revise its online subscription for the Switch 2. The online functionalities should be at least at the level of a PlayStation Plus subscription in order to justify the costs. The range of retro games should be updated much more often with real classics. When the Switch 2 launches, it’d be great if the Nintendo GameCube was added to the online range. The purple lunchbox is my second favourite Nintendo console of all time after the Switch and has some classics in its back catalogue that deserve a new lease of life.

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So those are my wishes, but reality is often different. The article below provides an overview of all the rumours and facts about the Switch 2 so far:

Header image: Domagoj Belancic