Yesterday, Nintendo released all the details about its next console, the Nintendo Switch 2. Today, I got to be one of the first people to go hands-on with it in Paris, and there’s one key feature that truly surprised me.
That would be the option to turn the Joy-Cons on their sides and use them like a traditional computer mouse. When I saw this feature on the Direct live stream, it didn’t immediately jump out as something I’d get a lot of use out of.
But after playing the Switch 2 Editions of Super Mario Party Jamboree, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Drag X Drive, I’ve done a complete 180.
Hannah Cowton-Barnes/Foundry
I play Jamboree regularly at home with my pals (though that game certainly tests friendships), so I was familiar with the types of minigames on offer. Six demos that utilised the mouse were available to test. These included an Operation-style game, where you dragged a poor Toad through an electrified maze, and a virtual version of air hockey where the controller acted as the puck.
The controller is impressively responsive and glides smoothly. I used it on a mouse mat, which is something worth investing in if you’re planning on buying the Switch 2, though you may need to reconsider the setup of your console. A coffee table in front of your TV would be a good way to use the Joy-Cons to their full potential.
My demo guide also mentioned using them on my legs for the title Drag X Drive, which did work better than expected. However, a smooth, flat surface is the most optimal.
Hannah Cowton-Barnes/Foundry
This feature has truly given Jamboree a new lease of life, yet it feels like just the beginning. More minigames are coming to the game later, and some are quite frankly hilarious, even if they may invoke the wrath of your neighbours. One minigame encourages you to scream as loudly as you can – I thought someone was dying when I first heard it in my demo from across the room.
Plus, that camera costs extra (£49.99/$59.99), so not everyone will be able to take advantage of those specific modes. But that’s not the case for the mouse feature on the Joy-Cons for the Switch 2.
I also used the Joy-Con as a cursor on a new game, Drag X Drive, playing a game of wheelchair basketball and sliding each controller on the surface to control the wheel speed and turn. The final game I tested was Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, where I just utilised the right-hand Joy-Con to control the camera placement, and kept the left-handed one as normal.
Hannah Cowton-Barnes/Foundry
The Metroid experience makes me think that this could be the first Switch to sway some dedicated PC gamers over to the dark side. While computers will always be king when it comes to power, this new cursor element may appeal to players who previously didn’t consider the Switch to be for them.
Kouichi Kawamoto, a producer for Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning and Development Department, had a similar idea during his own testing process: “…when I was playing a PC game using a mouse, the idea struck me that maybe the Joy-Con controllers could also be used as mice.
“Switch 2 was originally designed to support a wider range of games by improving the system’s processing speed, so with that in mind, I thought it’d be better to be able to play interesting games that require a mouse. Implementing mouse control that’s widely used nowadays in the Joy-Con controllers isn’t that costly, and I think that’s exactly what “lateral thinking of withered technology” is all about.”
After playing the Switch 2 Editions of Super Mario Party Jamboree, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Drag X Drive, I’ve done a complete 180
The main question I have about this feature is, what other games could support it? As a die-hard Animal Crossing fan (I’m still holding out hope for a new instalment announcement in the next year), the mouse could save tons of time when it comes to building and custom designs. I’d also like to know whether any third-party titles will adopt this new style of play.
Ultimately, whether you like this feature or not comes down to the type of games you enjoy. But with a couple of very different titles using it later this year (Super Mario Party Jamboree and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond), those are already two unique groups of gamers that can take advantage of this unique feature.
And you’ll be able to try it out yourself later this year, when the Nintendo Switch 2 launches on 5 June 2025 for £395.99/$449.99.
With pre-orders live now, here’s where you can buy a Switch 2.
Nintendo hosted my trip to Paris. I accepted, as there were no alternative ways to get hands-on time with the Switch 2 at launch. There were no preconditions on what I write or how I evaluate the device.
