A Switch 2 is inevitable at this point. Whether it’s called that or has a snappy new name is something else, but all we need is for Nintendo to actually confirm a new console and we’ll be golden. But what could possibly improve on the amazing handheld we already have? Well, quite a lot, actually.
Here, I’ve made a comprehensive list of what needs to be, what should be, and what we want to change about the Nintendo Switch when its successor releases. Now, this list could go on and on, but there are some key things that really need addressing with the release of Nintendo’s next – we assume – handheld console.
Firstly, and most importantly, the Switch needs hardware updates. Surely, we’ll get a better battery life and more internal storage with a new model – probably a physically larger and more expensive one. Maybe the Nintendo Switch 2 could go down the Steam Deck route and offer different storage tiers to purchase. Granted, you can play the Switch in docked mode, but I often find myself running out of power quite easily while away from a plug, then staring at a rapidly fading Switch with an hour of a boring bus journey left.
An update to the internal hardware could massively improve the performance of a lot of games in the Switch’s library. It’s no secret that we got a really mixed bag of releases last year, which, unfortunately, isn’t just down to the studios behind each game. The concept of the Switch has held up well, but it needs an update to continue selling well in the future.
Moving on to the aesthetics of the Switch, I want colors. I want themes. I want a bright pink dock, a customizable home menu, and snazzy thumb grips – that aren’t purchased from some shady Etsy store. I also do not trust myself to put stickers or a new casing on my Switch. It baffles me why Nintendo hasn’t pumped out tons of different colored Switch consoles. We’ve got a few options for Joy-Cons, sure, but they could be essentially printing money with some fancier consoles. Why there aren’t more official customization options for the Switch already? I’ll never know. Imagine if you could choose, say, a pink casing with white Joy-Cons, or a blue back with a pair of red Cons for a Mario feel?
I’m fairly sure we’ll get a white Switch 2, a black one, and one with red Joy-Cons to match Nintendo’s branding. We’ll also likely get themed consoles to celebrate big games, but I really want something more than a shiny outline of the next legendary Pokémon. I also would like the option to get a dock without buying an entirely new system.
Looking back, there were plenty of options for the DS family of consoles with different colors at release and official cover plates to slot onto your 3DS with Animal Crossing, Pokémon, and Mario mushrooms among the choices available.
It’s also strange that the Switch never got customizable themes for the home screen and menus when the DS and Wii before it did. The white or black options were very limiting. Please, Nintendo, let us at least change the color of the home screen. As much as I’d love to go full Myspace and customize every little bit, I’d be glad for just a nicer hue.
Somewhat related to this, I’d like to see an improved eShop experience. The eShop, on my Switch at least, has never been particularly quick to load and could really do with better search options. Nintendo could implement new sections for the aforementioned themes, as well as bring redeemable content with our collected points, instead of doing it all via the internet on a phone or PC.
Something I’ve seen echoed in the community is the addition of achievements. Personally, I’ve never been too fussed about achievements, but a lot of players wish they could earn trophies or titles while playing games on their Switch. Perhaps there could be game-specific rewards like the profile pictures you can get in the Nintendo Switch Online section or a showcase of certain achievements on a reworked profile page in the future. This feels like one of the less likely things to happen as Nintendo has never put achievements on any system.
The Switch 2 could see a renaissance of Nintendo’s sometimes silly, sometimes fantastic peripherals. Yes, we got a Ring-Con and leg strap with Ring Fit Adventure, but come on, that’s not very fun, is it?
Hori has made some excellent Switch controllers, like the Mario Kart Pro wheel and pedals and the amazing Dragon Quest slime-shaped controller, but it pales in comparison to the Wii’s wardrobe of paraphernalia. We should have gotten a golf club attachment for Nintendo Switch Sports. An official one, I mean – you can get tons of attachments on eBay and Amazon, but they’re not Nintendo official.
PDP recently announced a new guitar-shaped controller for Fortnite Festival and Rock Band, but it doesn’t work with the Switch. Why not? Why can’t we get a cool axe to grind on the festival stage? Gone are the days of waves of peripherals and controller supports.
Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, but we really feel the Switch 2 could benefit greatly from even one or two of these features. We’d all love an entire back catalog of virtual Wii, DS, 3DS, and GBA games, but that’s just a bit too much wishful thinking. Hopefully, whenever we do get a new console, it’ll be bigger, beefier, and have some better customization options, but for now, we need to sit tight and wait for the next Nintendo Direct.
Before we all jump ship to the next generation of Nintendo’s games, let’s look at when the next Splatoon 3 Splatfest is, whether we’re getting a Baldur’s Gate 3 Switch port, and what the best indie games are on the platform.