We’re getting closer and closer to April and the next in-depth look at the Nintendo Switch 2 during the upcoming Direct presentation. Anticipation for the Switch successor has only grown as emails went out this week to notify fans on whether or not they’ve gained access to the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events soon to be held across the world. Yet, while everyone is gearing up with excitement for how the handheld feels in hand, I’m excited over the prospect of what Nintendo Switch 2 accessories might be on their way.
I still hold the Switch as one of the best gaming handhelds due to the amount of Nintendo Switch accessories and bizarre controllers that released alongside it. First-party games from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Super Smash Bros Ultimate did enough to make me fall in love with the Ninty hardware, but if it weren’t for the Pokeball Plus or the Ring Fit Adventure Ring-Con, it would be a different story.
Using the Pokeball Plus was such an integral part of my love for the Switch that it still sits at my desk within my line of sight so I can play with it at a moment's notice. The adorable official Pokemon controller came packaged with Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu back in 2018. The game allowed you to swing the Pokeball and use its onboard stick and buttons to catch your favorite Gen 1 Pokemon in what was essentially a remake of Yellow with Go mechanics. The controller could store the data of a single Pokemon and could shake and sound off its cries to add that extra layer of Poke-filled immersion.
The compact peripheral didn’t spontaneously enlarge like the real thing, but it was (and remains to be) the Pokemon accessory of my dreams. An upgraded version of it would feel right at home on the Switch 2. We haven't yet got any official confirmation of its launch lineup, but Pokemon Legends Z-A is on its way to "Nintendo Switch systems" this year, which could include the Switch successor. A straight-up Pokeball replica wouldn't have suited the previous Pokemon Legends game which explored the world's steampunk-like origins. But a new iteration of the Pokeball with a new look, updated features, and continued compatibility with Pokemon Go would carry on Ninty's hardware tradition of creating fun, immersive, and memorable experiences.
Nintendo has long since wanted to associate their consoles with ‘family fun’ and childlike wonder, and that’s exactly what I experienced playing through Let’s Go Pikachu. The controller not only brought out that feeling I had when the Pokemon craze first landed in the 90s but harkened back to previous Ninty generations, like the GameCube era, where Ninty's unique peripherals heightened my adoration of their first-party games.
Just like the Switch, the Gamecube had a strong library of games that keep it amongst my favorite consoles to date. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is still up there with my favorite horror titles, and I’m holding out hope the GameCube port of Skies of Arcadia Legends will see a remaster. But what instantly comes to mind when I think of Nintendo’s purple box is the barrel-shaped Donkey Kong Konga controllers and banging my life away along to Blink 182’s All the Small Things.
The Donkey Kong Kongas were released alongside the aptly named Donkey Konga, for the GameCube in 2003. I was, for some reason or another, the only one of my friends with the plastic kongas and so every weekend we’d flock to my run-down bedroom and take turns clapping and slapping the bizarre controller. The resounding noise didn’t go down well with my mom, but to this day they sit proudly amongst my many other bits of Nintendo hardware and are the main to this day, why I love the red-tie-wearing gorilla.
Not to be a gamer stereotype, but I’m not a huge fan of exercise. However, the Ring Fit Adventure Ring-Con remains one of my favorite gaming memories to conjure up in my head when thinking of the original Switch. Initially, I was blown away by the level of ingenuity involved, which included attaching the right Joy-Con to the ring’s high-sensitivity force sensor to detect pushing and pulling movements. When paired with the tech of the right Joy-Con, the controller’s built-in accelerometer, and gyroscope could also detect my clumsy Scottish body tilting and moving around, while the left Joy-Con slipped into the leg strap and measured when I ran, bent my knees, and moved around.
The tech didn’t feel especially advanced for 2019, but I was taken aback by how the Switch seamlessly registered my movements. From pretending to jog in my living room, to pushing in the ring with all my might, the on-screen version of myself matched my inputs perfectly. There's ample opportunity to continue these excruciatingly exhausting, but memorable experiences on the Switch 2. Especially with existing Switch franchises like the Fitness Boxing game series, releasing games as late as July last year with 'Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku'.
Clever and unique accessories could be instrumental in ensuring the Switch 2 stands out from the crowd. The first official look at the console confirmed that it's almost identical to the current Switch in design, with some key differences. While there may yet be a signifying gimmick that we're currently unaware of, having a lineup of stand-out first-party games, with interactive experiences exclusive to the coming generation could help further set it apart from its predecessor.
The handheld market has also changed dramatically in the eight years since the original Switch launched. It had the benefit of being unique for its time, as hybrid console handhelds weren't as commonplace as they are today. Now, there's a myriad of PC gaming handhelds, from the Steam Deck OLED to the Asus ROG Ally, which can be played portably or connected to a gaming monitor or smart TV. Other than Nintendo's exclusive games, establishing brand-new peripherals unique to the Switch 2 would help further separate it from the growing handheld market.
It's worked well for Nintendo in the past. The NES introduced the world to R.O.B the robot and even my mom still associates the console with using the NES Zapper to shoot down ducks in Duck Hunt in the 80s. It's been 19 years since the Nintendo Wii launched, and even with its iconic lineup of games, I still have old friends recounting memories of using the official Mario Kart Wheel with my Wiimote to race through Mario Kart Wii's Moo Moo Meadows.
Swinging a real-life Pokeball around to catch Pokemon, or using squats and sit-ups to attack monsters in an exercise-driven RPG brought back happy memories of Nintendo consoles of the past. From exhausting my body through non-stop sessions of Wii Bowling on the Nintendo Wii to getting the palms of my hands red raw from banging on the Donkey Kong Kongas, the accessories are integral to the Nintendo console experience.
The games will always be the main pull, of course. When I think 'Nintendo Switch' I don't just think Pokeball Plus. I think about my adventures with Mario and friends, and Link and the Princes in its many games the handheld bestowed upon me. But the long tradition of weird and wonderful accessories played a vital part in making some of those experiences cemented in my mind. I only hope this continues with the Nintendo Switch 2, and that come April, we have a future of bizarre but equally fun accessories to exhaust ourselves with.
Check our Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch 2 guide to see how the current handheld matches up to its brand-new rival, or find out everything we already know about Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders.
