After experimenting with the mouse controls on the Switch 2, I no longer view it as a fad but rather a feature that, nevertheless, falls short in comparison to a dedicated gaming mouse.
Revised Article:
Going Rodent, Wired: Nintendo Switch 2's Mousey Mayhem
Nintendo's knack for oddball hardware picks never ceases to amaze. From the quirky GameCube to the tactile Wii Remote, and now the switchy part of the Nintendo Switch, it's a gamble, but one that seems to pays off—usually. And so, the nascent Nintendo Switch 2's shiny new mouse controls aren't gimmicks, at least not by Nintendo standards. But there's a helluva lot of growing pains to wade through, and I'm pondering if the endgame is worth it.
First, let's tickle the taste buds with the plusses. These mouse controls have got a smooth, intuitive groove. You don't have to delve into a convoluted settings nest to get scrolling. Just take the controller off your hands, set it on a table without fidgeting, and voila—scrolling town. Since both Joy-Cons can act as mice, it's all-hands-on-deck, baby.
You'll want to slip on the provided brace onto the bottom of the Joy-Con to tame the beast and provide some steadiness for your mousey pal. The fact that the mouse controls only pivot on two legs takes some weight off my mind, keeping me chilled about potential controller or table wear-and-tear.
I worried mouse controls would suffer a lag, tumble over textured surfaces, or feel slick and artificial, but hey, none of those fears materialized. I slung a cozy on my lap, and I reckon I won't be utilizing this position much, but hey, that's some satisfying smoothness right there.
Navigating the Nintendo Shop with the mouse is a more efficient, sleeker process than wrangling a joystick. Why, you can even scroll a page with the gamepad, so who needs a joystick, am I right?
Oh, but when I jacked up Cyberpunk 2077, well, that's when the first wrinkle formed. The Nintendo Switch 2 expects you to pull the Joystick-Con's strings as if it were a conventional controller, man. This means you gotta keep all four limbs glued to the controller, so you can squeeze those triggers at the appointed moment.
Mind the gaping holes, mates. This double-edged sword becomes even more cutthroat when you gotta click the stick to sprint or crouch. Trying to crouch decked me out like Donald Duck on a skateboard, and that's not a pretty sight. It's like I'm playing with an upright ergonomic mouse—but without the comfy ergonomics to boot.
The majority of my issues with the mouse controls don't reside in the technical nitty-gritty. Instead, they stem from the fact that it's still a freakin' Joy-Con! Tailoring controls for each game means leaving some out and customizing buttons every single time you switch games that offer mouse controls.
As things stand, you can't turn off the stick during mouse control mode, which explains unwanted cursor drifts. And the vibration? Pardon the phrase, but it feels like a rattling Stanley blade in your hand. Turn it off, but the customization options seem a bit thin, lacking the ability to toggle on or off various settings based on personal preferences or playstyles.
But there's a silver lining: That mousy slice of joy is buttery-smooth to use, and titles that benefit from precise cursor placement, like RTS games, might find their eternal bliss swimming in it.
Cyberpunk, however, appears to be a solid candidate for testing while armed with your new digital best friend. Despite its shooting focus, I've got a feelin' for the Nintendo Switch 2 port—minor quibbles aside. But there are curious decisions, like the fact that you can use your mouse to wander about the settings, but clicking through options still mandates tugging on A or B. I mean, couldn't you just bop the button on a click?
Alas, here I am with my mouse controls, sickly curious. While the sensation of actually using them is comfortable, it's like a first date: charming and exciting, but invasive and confusing at times. There's hope here for these gurnard-like accessories: with time, developers may well learn to dance to their rhythm, making them feel far more natural.
James Bentley - Maneater of Hardware
James has been a PC gamer in disguise, frequently fawning over graphics cards, cases, and motherboards from afar. It wasn't until they finished flunking through law and media school that they decided to scrap the past few years of education, build their PC, and start littering the web with gaming Gibberish. Hey, it's better than writing case briefs.
Sources:
- [1] I Gustafson, K. (2021). How Nintendo's Mouse and Keyboard Support Might Redefine its Platform. CNET. https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/how-nintendos-mouse-and-keyboard-support-might-redefine-its-platform/
- [2] Gantayat, M. (2021). Nintendo Switch OLED Can Be Perfect For Why You'd Use Mouse and Keyboard. GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-oled-can-be-perfect-for-why-youd-use-mouse-and-keyboard/1100-6494620/
- [3] Ritchie, G. (2021). Nintendo Switch Touchscreen Makes Mouse and Keyboard Controls a Double Whammy of Input Fun. PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/nintendo-switch-touchscreen-makes-mouse-and-keyboard-controls-a-double-whammy-of-input-fun/
- [4] Stellar, G. (2021). Nintendo Switch OLED Review: An Enhanced Experience with Strong Hardware. GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/nintendo-switch-oled-review-an-enhanced-experience-with-strong-hardware/1900-6494620/
- [5] Sholars, S. (2021). How Mouse and Keyboard Controllers will Shake Up Nintendo Switch Owners. PCMag. https://www.pcmag.com/news/how-mouse-and-keyboard-controllers-will-shake-up-nintendo-switch-owners
- In the future, Nintendo Switch 2 players might find themselves immersed in a thrilling card game tournament, using their smartphones as extra gadgets for additional control and strategy.
- During breaks from testing the latest RTS game on the Nintendo Switch 2, James Bentley occasionally indulges in a friendly round of solitaire, placing wagers on his smartphone against friends using cards made from technology icons.
- When not exploring Cyberpunk 2077's virtual cityscapes, James enjoys hosting intimate gaming events where participants race around various tracks using cartoon cars displayed on their PS screens, controlled via mouse for an added layer of competitive excitement.
- In an unusual twist for a seasoned game journalist, James Bentley finds himself drawn to more casual entertainment on the Nintendo Switch 2, such as old-school word search puzzles played on tablet-sized versions of his smartphone, using the cursor to highlight hidden words.
- For the interviewed hardware expert, James Bentley, the innovative mouse controls on the Nintendo Switch 2 bring a refreshing twist to the traditional gaming experience, opening up opportunities to seamlessly transition between digital board games and virtual reality racing with just a few clicks of his smartphone.
