Summary
Nintendo Switch 2owners who don’t own the official $55 camera peripheral device have another option available, as the new console will allow users to utilize the cameras on their smartphones for a similar effect. Players will need a couple of specific types of cables attached to theirNintendo Switch 2devices to get this trick to work, but as long as they already have a phone with a working camera, this option provides essentially the same effect while saving them some money.
The new console from Nintendo launched on June 5, and sales are reportedly going very well for the company. Alongside the console’s release, plenty of officialSwitch 2 accessorieswere made available on launch day, including Joy-Cons and their attachments, carrying cases, and the system’s new external camera.
With prices for the camera online ranging anywhere from $54 to $125, some thriftier Switch 2 owners may be delaying the purchase of peripherals, especially considering the console already comes with a $450 price tag. However, YouTube channel Will It Work? has provided a much less expensive solution that utilizes the camera on a smartphone to unlock essentially the samepotential features as the Switch 2 camera. This particular experiment used an iPhone, but through a connection with two different readily available cables, Android devices should be able to provide a similar experience.
How to Substitute a Smartphone for the Switch 2 Camera
In order to use a smartphone to provide the samefunctions as the Switch 2 camera, console owners will need to have a USB-C to HDMI cable, which attaches to the phone, and an HDMI capture cable, which attaches to the Switch 2. These two types of cables are easily searchable online and can be purchased together for a price of about $30, if Switch 2 users don’t already have them. The YouTube channel also suggests downloading a phone camera app that doesn’t show onscreen buttons, to prevent any visual interference. After connecting the two cables together, a demonstration shows that the player is shown on the Switch 2’s onboard screen, with only a slight lag present.
Of course, players looking for an even easier solution can try connecting a webcam to the console, as Nintendo has stated that the device is compatible with most USB-C webcams. Neither of these options carries the same Mario-centric aesthetic as the specialSwitch 2 Piranha Plant camera, but players looking to spend as few dollars as possible while still accessing the full features of the console’s camera may want to consider making use of them.
