After years of waiting, the time is nigh, and the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally upon us. As a die-hard Nintendo fanboy, this is a pretty big deal for me, but despite the much-anticipated launch, I'm still wanting more. In fact, there's one thing I want in particular. I want a second screen accessory for the Nintendo Switch 2.
The reason why I'm so eager for Nintendo to release a second screen accessory goes back to the reason why I'm such a big fan of the Japanese gaming giant in the first place: the Nintendo DS. I picked up a DS on its European launch day, March 11, 2005, and spent the following years glued to the iconic handheld. Eventually, I picked up the 3DS, too, and that was fine, but it was playing Super Mario 64 DS on one of the best handheld consoles of the era that truly transformed me into the big Nintendo nerd I am today.
Now, I know what you're thinking: what does my love for the DS have to do with the Nintendo Switch 2? Well, with the arrival of GameCube games on Nintendo Switch Online, it only makes sense to me that some of the best DS games will arrive at some point in the future. It's the next logical step, given that the DS arrived after the GameCube and before the Wii. Yes, I'd also like Wii Sports to arrive on the Switch 2 at some point, but the DS came first, so it'd make sense if that's the next platform to join the NSO ranks.
@pockettactics We got to check out the #NintendoSwitch2 ahead of its June release date, and this year's most-anticipated console is well worth the wait 🎮✨
Now, there's always a chance that Nintendo introduces some of the best DS games to the NSO catalog without a second screen accessory. However, the only sensible way of doing that involves using a menu or a pre-determined button to switch from the top-screen display to the bottom-screen display, and I'll be honest, that sounds horrible. The whole idea of the DS was to utilize both screens at the same time, and this approach would be Nintendo turning its back on that original ethos.
What I want is the authentic Nintendo DS experience, leveled up for 2025. The Switch 2 is already halfway there, given that it has a lovely big touchscreen that would be perfect for recapturing my lost youth playing games such as Pokémon Ranger and Animal Crossing: Wild World. To be clear, though, I don't need a stylus. I'm fine with the stylus being lost to time, which is fitting, as I don't think I ever had a DS stylus for more than about a week without losing it.
Admittedly, a second screen wouldn't make every great DS game viable for the Nintendo Switch 2. The smash-hit Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain forced you to use the DS on its side, and I can only imagine how uncomfortable it would be holding the Switch 2 plus a second screen attachment as you would a book as Dr. Kawashima tells you you've got the thinking skills of a 14-year-old. Not that I'm speaking from experience.
While I can admit that my wish for a second screen accessory for the Switch 2 is partly selfish, it also makes sense from a game preservation standpoint. There are so many classic DS games I'd love to play today, but they're either ridiculously expensive or hard to come by. I'm not just talking about first-party games, either. Long before I started playing more Candy Crush than any person should, Zoo Keeper was my match-three game of choice. Luckily, I still own a copy of that game that I can slot into my beat-up DS Lite, but if I didn't, I'd have no way of playing it.
It's worth pointing out that I'm not the only one ringing their bell in the digital town square, calling for a second screen. It's a pretty popular idea, even if Nintendo hasn't even hinted that it might become a reality, with some going as far as to create concept art of what the accessory might look like. In fact, the desire for a device that can properly emulate the DS is so great that before the big Switch 2 reveal in January 2025, some were hoping that it might be a dual-screen device. That was never going to happen, but it's proof that I'm not the only aging millennial shouting "take my money!" at a massive company in the name of nostalgia.
While Nintendo might not have alluded to the possibility of a second screen add-on for the Switch 2, I think there's a small chance it could be on the cards. I refuse to believe that the second USB-C slot on top of the console is just for the Switch 2 camera. Even the placement of the USB-C slot, slap bang in the middle of the display, suggests to me that an attachment could be on the cards, but this is purely speculation, and it could just be an aesthetic decision from Nintendo.
There you have it, my polite request to Nintendo to introduce a second screen accessory so I can relive the Nintendo DS glory days without having to spend over the odds on second tech from the mid-00s. If you'd rather roll back the clock with some authentically nostalgic hardware, you can check out our guide to the best retro handhelds while you're here. Or, if you're looking for something a little different, see our list of the best VR headsets.