Over at Pocket Tactics Towers, we’re manifesting a reveal of the next Nintendo console by thinking about which features we want on the Switch 2. I need to preface this by saying we don’t have an inside scoop here – while we all fully expect a new Nintendo console soon, we have no confirmation that it actually exists… but we all know it’s coming.
The original Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, which makes me feel very old to type, and now with the Lite and OLED models also on the market, we’re eagerly awaiting the big reveal of Nintendo’s next handheld beauty. Will it be the Switch but bigger and better? Most likely. Though we’d love another dual-screen (or even a folding screen) device, unfortunately, we don’t think it’s going to happen. So, here are some more feasible ideas that we really hope make it onto the spec sheet.
First off, better hardware overall would be the best improvement for the next Nintendo console. It’s no secret that the Switch struggles with some games – there’s a reason Mortal Kombat and My Time at Sandrock are on our list of bad games. So what could Nintendo do to improve specs and performance?
Let’s take a look at what the OLED Switch – the best Nintendo Switch console – has in terms of specs and hardware. The OLED currently has a refresh rate of 60, which pales in comparison to some of the best gaming phones currently on the market, let alone other handheld game consoles like the ASUS ROG Ally with 120hz. Bringing 120hz to the Switch 2 could give us up to 60 FPS, a much better benchmark, which would make so many games run smoother than butter.
The OLED also has a 7-inch screen, whereas the Lite has a 5.5-inch screen, and the original Switch falls in the middle with 6.2. For me, a bigger screen is always better, so I’d like a screen up to 8 inches. Any more may start to bring it back out of handheld territory, and for users with small hands, it may be cumbersome. But hey, the bigger the size – the bigger the internal storage, I hope. Yes, we can use micro SD cards, but the internal storage of the Switch borders on abysmal. It would be really swell if we could get more than 64GB storage on the new console so I can have more than one fairly large game at a time.
Moving away from the internals, a new leak suggests that the Switch 2 might have a USB-C port on top of the console, which is a very worthwhile change. Having it at the bottom makes sense for the docked position, but it makes everything else a hassle. I hope this comes true so I can charge my Switch while using it in handheld without fear of bending the cable and screwing up the port.
Another gripe from the original console comes from the controllers. Joy-Cons with less drift issues would be grand. I’m not sure how you make teeny tiny handheld items sturdier, but through my time of owning a Switch since May 2017, I’ve had two Joy-Cons drift. Considering I’ve only had three pairs including those that came with my two Switch consoles, this isn’t a great average and is especially annoying when trying to ink people in Splatoon.
Now, cast your mind back, if you will, to the days of the 3DS. Remember the customization options we had? There were so many themes to choose from to jazz up your menu screens, from different color options to Zelda, Mario, and Animal Crossing motifs. Then Nintendo released the Switch with nothing but a white and a grey option. Wow, such variety! While I don’t actually expect much more from a Switch 2, it would be great to have even a handful of different colors to choose from, or even a slider/color wheel. There are so many characters and items to pick for an avatar, so why not expand this to themes you can apply to the home screen? Please, Nintendo, I just want my console to match my aesthetic.
Another thing we truly need is a better eShop experience. This section could be its own feature entirely, so I’ll keep it somewhat brief: why is the current eShop so slow, clunky, and unfriendly to users? While I appreciate that you can narrow games down by price, the wishlist feature, and the redeem code box right at the front, there’s a lot of improvement needed. How come we can’t review games in the app, either?
Really, we need more tags. There are a lot of, uh, substandard games gumming up search results, so more options of game types would go a long way in helping us find new Switch games we want to play. Farm games, card games, racing games – you name it, there should be a tag or section for it. As my fellow Pocket Tactic-er suggested, even a ‘similar games’ section akin to Netflix’s recommendations would be great. Basically, Nintendo could learn a lot from Steam and its shopping experience.
Outside of the eShop, some other apps could do with a refresh – or a return. The Twitch app went bye-bye in January 2024, much to the sadness of a lot of fans. Granted, it didn’t run the best, but instead of trying to fix it, the app was removed instead. Other consoles have Spotify, Discord, and Netflix apps among others – what I wouldn’t do for these on Switch. Sure, we have Crunchyroll, but maybe I want to join a group chat on my Switch 2 instead of using a separate device.
Finally from me, as someone who frequently takes snazzy screenshots for reviews and guides, what I want above most other things is less compressed images or some way to choose the resolution before uploading them to my phone or computer. I can review a stunning game, but then screenshots come out crispy and don’t do the game justice.
Speaking of pictures, I would like an easier way to transfer images. Sure, you can plug your Switch into your PC with a USB-C cable, but I have specific beef with the internet transferral of pictures from Switch to mobile. It only seems to work 80% of the time and is really fiddly with the two QR codes. Just let us Bluetooth them across, please.
If the new Nintendo console is in fact a Switch 2, SwitchToo, or Swiitch, it’ll surely come with backward compatibility. If the screen size and shape remain similar, and there are Joy-Cons again, then it’s almost guaranteed that you could use Switch games on the sequel console. If not, players will riot – myself included. It would be a huge missed opportunity not to offer it.
That’s it for our small, sort of concise list of the biggest things we want to come to the new console. While you wait for official confirmation, we suggest you check out the best Switch games overall, best multiplayer Switch games to make use of those extra Joy-Cons, and these games like Animal Crossing for a cozy time.