Nintendo Switch 2 Wishlist: Top 5 Upgrades That Would Make It A Repeat Hit

17 Jan 2025, 15:48 by Thiago Trevisan · HotHardware

After what seems like a decade (because It almost was...) Nintendo has finally officially revealed its Switch 2 console. It draws a lot of similarities with the original Switch, with a few physical changes such as a larger size. Nintendo knows it had a good thing with its original console, as the sales numbers will back them up.

There are at least five upgrades that the Switch 2 should have that will certainly bring it to smash hit status. While Nintendo has indeed shown us the console, we aren't privy to all of the details and specifications of what the console has to offer. The first public playing event will take place in early April, so there is still room for constructing an upgrade wishlist.

#1 The New Joy-Cons Need To Be A Big Upgrade

The current Joy-Con controllers on the Nintendo Switch are cute, but woefully inadequate for serious gaming. The first issue is they often get stick drift, which most controllers experience. While Nintendo has not officially said why, its release video did show a few Joy-Con Switch 2 controllers "drifting around."

This could hopefully mean that the new Jon-Cons will feature Hall effect or TMR sensors, which are much less likely to get stick drift than traditional potentiometer products. While most consumers buying a Switch 2 may never have heard of Hall effects, their wallets surely feel it when their kids' Joy-Cons get stick drift on the existing units.

It could also mean that these new Joy-Cons have some type of "mouse-like" utility, to be used to browsing the system or even some games that rely on a PC mouse interface. This type of upgrade could mean a wider variety of third party games on the Switch 2 will be more playable. It can also mean that Nintendo can think of ingenious ways to use the new devices in unexpected ways, something it has traditionally done with past hardware.

#2 Improve The Build Quality

The Nintendo Switch is mostly a well engineered system, but it has several flaws. Keep in mind that many kids will use this console, and its portable nature means it is likely to be thrashed about easily. The original Nintendo Switch could easily break its screen when dropped, so some type of strong guerilla-glass style screen would be a huge upgrade.

The Joy-Con connections were also flimsy and often failed, leading to connection issues when not properly slotted in. Nintendo revealed in its trailer that the Switch 2 has some type of magnetic Joy-Con mounting system, which looks like the answer. We'd like to see it high-quality and robust, however, able to deal with the constant use.

#3 Backwards Compatibility With More Enhancements

The Switch 2 should be notably more powerful than its aging original version, and that means older games should play even better. Nintendo has already confirmed the system is compatible with the games from the Switch (though not all games -- we'll have to wait and see which ones get omitted). The question here is if they will be enhanced in any way to take advantage of the more powerful hardware.

Games such as Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom are masterfully done and run on the original Switch well-enough. There is a lot of room for improvement and to minimize stuttering frame drops, however, and the new Switch 2 hardware should hopefully address these older titles with boosts.

#4 Upscaling For All Aames

Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro has specific games optimized for its new hardware, but it can also improve the resolution and upscaling of older games, including PS4 titles. NVIDIA is likely to provide a Tegra T239 chip with its Ampere architecture for the upcoming handheld. While this is behind the current Blackwell GPUs, it still means it will have some form of NVIDIA's excellent DLSS upscaling technology.

We expect new Switch 2 titles to be optimized of course, but it will be great to see older titles also have benefits.

#5 Exclusive Games And Franchise Sequels

One of the most important aspects of the Switch 2's success will not hinge on details like if the Joy-Cons have Hall effect or not. It will absolutely be based on the quality of the games that are released for the system. Nintendo has historically been very strong in this for past consoles, which meant gamers could forgive some of the hardware shortcomings.

With some new type of 3D Mario game, it could bring some significant franchises to the table. Zelda is likely one of the biggest titles that could benefit from a system upgrade, too. The open world of its impressive world would look and perform like never before on a Switch 2 console. This will give the many owners of the Switch a reason to upgrade, too.