Why the Nintendo Switch 2 needs to be quirky and not play it safe

As a lifelong Nintendo gamer, I’m eagerly anticipating the Switch’s successor. It’s been incredible to see Nintendo’s hybrid achieve its level of success and, in my opinion, it could be argued that it is the greatest console of all time.

While nothing is known beyond the rumour mill, when it comes to Nintendo’s next console, many analysts believe the Japanese manufacturer needs to play it safe with the next generation – stick to what works with the Switch and give it a little more power. I’ve been nodding along to this sentiment.

As a console gamer, the Switch gave me back my gaming life at an age in which kids’ TV shows rule the screen in our house. And the output has been phenomenal, with excellent additions to the Mario and Zelda franchises, as well as plenty of third party surprises. I never expected to be able to play Red Dead Redemption when the console first arrived in 2017. Not to mention The Witcher 3 and Bioshock!

Why take the risk? After all, the last time Nintendo departed somewhat from the previous generation, we wound up with the Wii U, which flopped commercially. It was also the first generation of Nintendo’s home console that I skipped since childhood, with no real killer app to justify the machine’s purchase.

As it happens, the Wii U’s greatest hits are almost all available for the Switch, rendering the previous generation of Nintendo somewhat null and void (I did have fun with Nintendo Land at a mate’s house, the few times we played it).

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The Switch, at first, seemed like a gimmick, with its handheld screen and TV-connected dock. A combination of the home consoles and handhelds that the Big N was famous for producing in tandem. But what’s emerged is a console that works well in both formats and possesses a solid software library. A new version boasting more of the same with better graphics and the ability to run PlayStation 4 era games would be day one purchase for myself and many others.

However, there’s a small part of me that would love to see Nintendo come out with something completely unexpected again. The most exciting technological developments, in my mind, have come when first faced with an image of the Wii remote rather than a typical gamepad or the Nintendo DS, which provided not one but two screens for double the fun. Oh, and the bottom one was a touchscreen to offer new ways to play. How innovative!

Whether it was a triple-pronged controller or a small purple box with a lunchbox handle on the back, Nintendo shines best when offering something quirky and unlike the rest of the competition. And with rumours of new portable/hybrid consoles on the horizon, now is surely not the time to be complacent when they’ve led the way this far.

When Nintendo unveils its next piece of hardware between now and next April, I’ll be pleased with an upgraded version of what we have now. But I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t be thrilled to see something that causes jaws to drop.

By reader James