Nintendo Switch 2: 5 features we want in the next-gen console

Rumors of a Nintendo Switch 2 (or Switch Pro) have been circulating for years. Rumors about Nintendo’s next-gen console started when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom It was first teased in 2019, gained steam when the Switch OLED launched in 2021, and is growing now that the standard Switch has been out for six years.

There’s no doubt that the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic console: it has a unique and impressive collection of games (with more games scheduled for this year), the number of features included in Nintendo Switch Online is constantly improving, and it remains our favorite. portable console, but it is not without its flaws. There’s enough room for improvement to warrant a new console in the near future. Nintendo recently announced that we won’t be seeing a Switch update in the next fiscal year, which means the earliest we’ll see a new Nintendo console is late 2024.

Looking at the lifespan of the Switch and the current gaming landscape, here’s what we think the Nintendo Switch 2 needs to bring to the table to be a worthwhile upgrade and compete with other platforms.

4K resolution and faster rendering

OLED Nintendo Switch

While the Switch certainly isn’t built to compete with Xbox Series X or PS5 in terms of raw power, it can feel woefully underpowered when running even Switch exclusives, let alone cross-platform titles. Advertisements for upcoming Nintendo titles are often met with “that looks great… for switch” and new releases don’t always turn out as well as fans hoped. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were unusually erratic at first, sonic frontiers couldn’t achieve high fps on switch and similar games hogwarts inheritance and The Lord of the Rings: Gollum coming to the Switch well after the initial release dates because those ports require additional work to fit the system. While the upcoming Legend of Zelda sequel looks great, we can’t help but dream about how well it would work on another console or PC.

Nintendo has certainly carved out its share of the non-gamer gaming market. need Improved graphics or processing power (do we really need high-res Kirby or Pikachu?), but the limitations of the Switch are certainly holding it back, and that problem will only get worse in the future.

The current Switch can go from 720p to 1080p and has a frame rate cap of 60fps. We’d love to experience full 4K gaming on the Switch 2 and boost that frame rate potential (so you’re at least consistently hitting 60fps). We won’t get into the nitty-gritty of processing power and preferred chipsets here, but we definitely need more power from Nintendo in the future.

Make OLED the new standard

OLED Nintendo SwitchNintendo

Nintendo Switch has always been full of bright and colorful gaming experiences compared to other consoles that focus on mature titles that tend to be darker (visually and in content), and its successor will need a display that reflects that content. When the Switch OLED model launched in 2021, the Switch’s standard LCD screen immediately seemed washed out by comparison. OLED displays are a step ahead of their counterparts, with improved black levels, brightness levels, and color accuracy, while consuming less power overall.

We’d be very disappointed if Nintendo scrapped such a great update and at least didn’t standardize on OLED display on its next console.

More built-in storage

Close up of SanDisk 128 GB microSDXC memory card for Nintendo Switch with the console in the background.

All long-time Switch owners have run into storage issues and have been forced to archive game data to make room for new games on a regular basis. The standard Switch and Switch Lite come with 32GB of internal storage, while the Switch OLED model bumps the storage up to 64GB. As new games become more demanding and need more space every year, the idea of ​​putting more than a few premium titles inside 64GB is ridiculous. Even some of that limited storage space is reserved for the system to use!

Switch users can easily expand the storage on any of these consoles by purchasing a large microSDHC or microSDXC card up to 2TB, but these are sold separately and can cost as much as a new game if you go big. This is an odd expense to pass on to gamers when it will be 100% necessary to maintain a decent digital game library.

Nintendo should move to an internal solid-state drive when the Switch 2 comes out. An SSD would allow for more internal storage and drastically improved load times compared to standard Switch flash memory or external SD card data transfer times. Today’s games would run better and faster, while developers would have a lot more work to do when developing new games. It is a victory for all.

Enhanced Joy-Con

Four Joy-Con controllers next to the switch.Shutterstock saksorn kumjit

Everyone loves the ability to rock the Switch back and forth on the dock and in manual mode. What better than handing out Joy-Cons to all your friends to play Mario Party Superstars either mario kart 8? The simplicity of the switch controller design works, we’re not looking for anything complex, but its quality just isn’t up to industry standards. The Joy-Cons feel cheap for their price, aren’t the most ergonomically shaped for long comfortable gaming sessions, and will inevitably suffer from scrolling issues. Then the Joy-Con will move without the player touching it, causing obvious problems in the game.

Joy-Con drift is a big problem here, as it’s been around since the console launched and Nintendo hasn’t really done anything about it with the newer models. The company has been fixing out-of-warranty Joy-Cons since 2019, but the process isn’t exactly straightforward, and Switch owners shouldn’t send in their very basic controllers due to design issues.

Color customization options

New model of Nintendo Switch OLED Splatoon 3.

Nintendo has launched some spectacular special edition Switch models for games like splatoon 3, Animal Crossing: New Horizonsand the legend of zelda: tears of the kingdom, but there aren’t many customization options other than buying a whole new console or a separate set of Joy-Cons that you might not need. There are several color schemes available for the Switch Lite and several different original Joy-Con colors, but beyond that, there are plenty of third-party accessories that may not meet Nintendo’s standards.

Obviously, there needs to be a color scheme for the base model, but wouldn’t it be great if you could order the Switch 2 online and choose your own styles for the console, base, and Joy-Cons? That level of customization could make the Switch’s successor feel a bit more special, giving gamers a good reason to upgrade. It would be great to see that energy spill over into its UI, bringing back the Nintendo 3DS themes and adding new ways to customize the Switch’s current basic menu screen.

And please, Nintendo, bring back the transparent controllers.

editor’s recommendations

Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn

Leave a Comment