Switch 2 Looks Like The Ultimate Nintendo System

Nintendo has developed a reputation for defying expectations--for bucking industry trends and charting a distinct path from its competitors with wildly inventive games and consoles--which is why the Switch 2 feels almost disappointingly conservative at first glance. Rather than reinvent the wheel yet again with its newest system, the company has opted to take a more conventional approach when developing the platform, beefing up specs and augmenting the hardware with a few additional (though not exactly groundbreaking) features. But though it may not seem as outwardly surprising or disruptive as previous Nintendo systems, the Switch 2 consolidates nearly every console feature Nintendo has pioneered into one package, making it the culmination of the company's hardware experiments.Every new feature the Switch 2 boasts can be traced back, in one form or another, to a previous Nintendo console. The system's built-in mic stands as a prime example. Nintendo has tinkered with adding microphones to its consoles since its earliest days as a game maker. The Famicom included a mic in one of its controllers; subsequent systems like the Nintendo 64 and GameCube received mic accessories for use with certain games; the DS and 3DS each had mics built right into their hardware; and the Wii U offered one through the GamePad. Most of these, however, were used primarily for gameplay purposes--such as barking commands in Nintendogs--rather than for communicating with other players.The Switch 2's mic serves a different function. Though some titles like Super Mario Party Jamboree still use it for minigames, the mic is primarily meant to facilitate GameChat, the system's touted group-chat function. This, of course, is hardly a novel feature for a game console in this day and age; other platforms have offered voice chat for years, and even the original Switch allowed it (albeit in a roundabout way through the separate Switch Online smartphone app). GameChat, however, is intended to be a communal experience--more of a social hangout than a way to coordinate with others who are playing the same game. Building the microphone directly into the system rather than offering it as a separate headset opens GameChat up to everyone in the room, fostering a more casual atmosphere than the traditional approach to voice chat.Continue Reading at GameSpot

May 20, 2025 - 01:00

Switch 2 Looks Like The Ultimate Nintendo System

Nintendo has developed a reputation for defying expectations--for bucking industry trends and charting a distinct path from its competitors with wildly inventive games and consoles--which is why the Switch 2 feels almost disappointingly conservative at first glance. Rather than reinvent the wheel yet again with its newest system, the company has opted to take a more conventional approach when developing the platform, beefing up specs and augmenting the hardware with a few additional (though not exactly groundbreaking) features. But though it may not seem as outwardly surprising or disruptive as previous Nintendo systems, the Switch 2 consolidates nearly every console feature Nintendo has pioneered into one package, making it the culmination of the company's hardware experiments.

Every new feature the Switch 2 boasts can be traced back, in one form or another, to a previous Nintendo console. The system's built-in mic stands as a prime example. Nintendo has tinkered with adding microphones to its consoles since its earliest days as a game maker. The Famicom included a mic in one of its controllers; subsequent systems like the Nintendo 64 and GameCube received mic accessories for use with certain games; the DS and 3DS each had mics built right into their hardware; and the Wii U offered one through the GamePad. Most of these, however, were used primarily for gameplay purposes--such as barking commands in Nintendogs--rather than for communicating with other players.

The Switch 2's mic serves a different function. Though some titles like Super Mario Party Jamboree still use it for minigames, the mic is primarily meant to facilitate GameChat, the system's touted group-chat function. This, of course, is hardly a novel feature for a game console in this day and age; other platforms have offered voice chat for years, and even the original Switch allowed it (albeit in a roundabout way through the separate Switch Online smartphone app). GameChat, however, is intended to be a communal experience--more of a social hangout than a way to coordinate with others who are playing the same game. Building the microphone directly into the system rather than offering it as a separate headset opens GameChat up to everyone in the room, fostering a more casual atmosphere than the traditional approach to voice chat.Continue Reading at GameSpot