I remember being so underwhelmed by the first Switch console. Miis were gone, there was no themes or menu music, the eShop is a mess, and it didn’t seem to have that Nintendo charm that I grew up loving. I only really got a bit more into the Switch after I picked up a version 1 Switch and could customize it more to my liking.
I’m currently sitting waiting for the Switch 2 direct to start, ready to listen for how to pre-order it if it strikes my fancy. With possibly the best direct of the Switch’s life occurring last week, I have high hopes. Tomodachi Life 2 is coming (and hopefully will have queer marriage), a new Rhythm Heaven was announced, and we’re getting a new Metroid game (I don’t care much for Metroid, but I know people are excited about it). I’m really hoping that the Switch was just Nintendo figuring out what they wanted to do before the next bigger thing that they have in mind. I feel like the Wii U was a proof of concept for the Switch series of consoles. Nintendo saw what worked, and what didn’t, and they took those ideas to the Switch. Now, it’s time for them to see what worked and what didn’t with the Switch, and to keep that in mind for the Switch 2.
So, without further ado, here’s my thoughts and hopes for the Switch 2:
More powerful hardware is a given. It’s a miracle that some games ran on the Switch at all, like the Witcher 3. With better hardware, we could get even better, newer games. With this comes the addition of the C button. I’ve seen theories that it could be related to a voice call function, but I’m honestly hoping that this isn’t the case. I’d want to see something more similar to a Miiverse revival. Voice chat would be nice for the Switch, but we already have so many other external ways to voice chat. Plus, I honestly don’t trust Nintendo to not botch it like they did with online functionality for the Switch.
I’d love more personality. I feel like the Switch didn’t have much personality at all. Riding off the success of the Switch, I hope to see the Nintendo Selects series making a comeback in the future (permanently reducing the price of games). The Switch console and its games didn’t have a lot of sales throughout its lifetime. This honestly led me to consider other forms of entertainment, like other consoles and reading, rather than playing my Switch.
I also want more Mii integration, possibly pack-in titles, themes, and just that Nintendo charm that we all knew and loved. I still go back to my 3DS often, because it had a lot of charm, fun games, and it stood out against the competition. I don’t play Nintendo games expecting the next big innovation in graphics or gaming, I play Nintendo games for lighthearted fun. Getting more big, fancy games is a plus, but it isn’t why I’m watching the direct or possibly immediately pre-ordering it.
I hope the Switch 2 is a cumulative result of what I’ve been waiting for, for the last 10 years. I hope it has charm, and I hope it goes back to what made Nintendo stand out for me.
