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Nintendo Switch 2's main improvements over its predecessor come from its tech advancements rather than any hardware gimmicks akin to the Wii's motion controls or the DS' touch screen, and the console's director says it's because developers have changed.
In a new Ask the Developer blog, Switch 2's senior director Takuhiro Dohta explains that the console was made with developers in mind and what they'd want when making games. "In the past, Nintendo developed software that took advantage of unique hardware features, such as the Wii Remote and the Nintendo DS system's dual screens," he explained.
Dohta reckons things have changed since the OG Switch came out eight years ago, though, and "there's been a shift in how software developers create games." He said developers more often than not want to take advantage of "software technologies" rather than unique "hardware features."
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"My honest opinion as a software developer is that just because a new hardware feature is added, it doesn't necessarily mean that various problems will be solved or that new kinds of gameplay experiences will be created one after another," he continued. So, Nintendo chose to improve "processing speed in the hope that it'll become a dedicated game platform with a strong and solid foundation" instead of focusing on a game-changing innovation this time around.
It might be a slight bummer for anyone who loved wagging their wrists to double jump in Mario Galaxy or were wowed when their massive mug was projected onto the sky in the 3DS' Bravely Default, but Nintendo seems committed to doing weird stuff in their owns games, at least. Mario Party Jamboree's new Switch 2-exclusive minigames take advantage of the console's voice recognition, for example, so you can shout your way to first place as seen in yesterday's Nintendo Switch Direct.
Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.
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