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The Switch 2’s Joy-Cons can double as mouse-like controllers
Wii and PC ports might be a go.
Nintendo just dropped a boatload of Switch 2 news. We got the release date, which is June 5, and plenty of details. The company also pulled the lid off a mysterious Joy-Con feature. The rumors were right. They can double as mouse-like controllers.
One Joy-Con can be used as a traditional controller, held vertically, while the other slides along the table as a mouse. This could allow for near-perfect ports of Wii and Wii U games that relied on motion control, in addition to ports of PC titles. A Joy-Con will also combine with the gyroscope for unique gameplay experiences. Incidentally, this functionally will even work on pants.
The good use case here should be first-person shooters. Computer mouse controllers offer a level of precision that consoles have typically struggled to match, but this looks like an attempt to address this particular issue. It could even make the Switch 2 a powerhouse for franchises like Civilization. As a matter of fact, the company announced a port of Civilization VII.
The company revealed that a Switch 2 version of Metroid Prime 4 will use this feature. Nintendo might also release games that make special use of this functionality down the line. It also pulled the lid off a game called Drag x Drive that's controlled via mouse Joy-Con.
The company even showed off nifty-looking demos, but these look mostly like mini-games. I, for one, would very much like a new Mario Paint.
The company also revealed another tool for the Switch 2. This is the mysterious "C" button. The button calls up voice chat. Finally, a Nintendo console with easy voice chat.
Complete Switch 2 coverage: The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming on June 5 for $450. We've got our first hands-on impressions of the Switch 2, and we've played Mario Kart World, which is available the same day. Check out everything we know about the Switch 2 for complete details on Nintendo's new console.
