I recently visited the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in Melbourne. The highlight was playing the sassy femme cow in Mario Kart World, but taking the Switch 2 Joy-Cons for a spin came a close second.
The Joy-Cons have been my favourite feature since the OG Switch’s release. Customising that punchy pop of colour with various skins and combinations makes my artistic heart very happy. Though cute they may be, they’re not without their flaws. Whenever I’m handed a Joy-Con while playing Mario Kart at a friend’s house, it feels like I’ve been sentenced to last place. The pressure of playing with a controller made for ants makes me panic, because the buttons are incompatible with my uncoordinated, sausage fingers.
With the release of the Switch 2, Nintendo has listened to the complaints I never voiced. The design is much the same, but every component of the Joy-Cons is bigger (and by extension, better). The thumbsticks, the SR/SL buttons, and the Joy-Cons themselves are bigger to accommodate the 7.9-inch screen.
While the Joy-Cons are stripped of their characteristic pop of colour, there’s still a subtle nod to the flirty colours peeking out underneath the thumbsticks. It’s enough to feel fresh and true to the OG Joy-Cons, while committing to the timeless, matte design of the Switch 2.
The Joy-Cons have always felt like an extension of the Switch, so I don’t usually detach them unless Mario Party comes out at a get-together. However, I can see that changing with the introduction of new Joy-Con features. Namely, the mouse mode.
I put mouse mode to the test in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. I wasn’t expecting it to feel as comfortable as the typical mouse, but I was surprised at how natural it felt to aim and shoot. A steep learning curve was evident, though, as I failed to remember the Joy-Con exclusive features aside from point and shoot. Meanwhile, the mouse movement in Drag x Drive was geared toward understanding the functionality of the mouse mode. Even in a game that felt like a glorified tutorial, I flailed.
After half an hour of Mario Party Jamboree with other event-goers, I felt like I’d finally grasped the ins, outs, and quirks of the Switch 2 Joy-Cons. I’m keen to see how other games will integrate the mouse mode (all fingers and toes crossed for Katamari or Animal Crossing).
I’m disinclined to play an FPS on anything but a PC, however, the Switch 2 Joy-Cons might have just convinced me.
Nintendo have also streamlined the Joy-Cons’ HD Rumble vibration. The OG Joy-Cons’ rumble was loud, disruptive, and I’d typically keep it turned off because it didn’t bring value to any of the games I was playing. I don’t want a demoralising rumble when I get kicked off the side of Rainbow Road.
The humble rumble on the Switch 2 Joy-Cons is more than a loud, ineffectual buzz. It’s not as strong as the Sony DualSense, but it's bolder and deeper than the OG Joy-Cons. The haptic feedback on the Switch 2 Joy-Cons is purposeful, impactful and complex. You feel it more than you hear it. Which is exactly what I want when it comes to haptic feedback. A vibration that's clear and strong, but quiet enough that I can play in public and not attract the judgmental eyes of others.
The Switch 2 Joy-Cons are just built different. She’s the cooler sister who walks with a purpose. She’s strong, but quiet, and you won’t forget about her two weeks after launch. She’s bigger, better, and brings more to the conversation than a cheerful pop of colour.
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