Summary
After a long tease, the Switch 2 had a big reveal event in April, but things were still left a bit mysterious. What games would be out at launch? What games would be backwards compatible? Would the new console be easy or challenging to get?
Now that the Switch 2 is here, fans are mostly happy with the console for a few reasons. The screen is bigger, things load faster, and there is a good amount of internal storage. That said, the Switch 2 still has a long way to go if it wants to become better than thePS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Here are some improvements the console can make with patches.
7The eShop Needs Music
Bring Back The Jams
A lack of tunes on the Switch did not kill anyone, but the last couple of generations have been a bit stale in terms of jingles or music. Nintendo had some great eShop music on the Wii and even the 3DS and Wii U. The time of digital storefronts getting music should return and Nintendo should lead the way. If they don’t want to do that, then Nintendo could at least allow players to add their own music to the Switch 2’s background. Nintendo could add theNintendo Music appto the Switch 2 to make this happen. This was a feature that the original Xbox set forth decades ago.
6Create A Demo Page
Let The Trials Begin
Finding demos on any of the digital storefronts is not that easy. On the original Switch, players could go into the search menu, and then, at the bottom, there wasa free demolink. This was fine enough, but players still had to search around.
On the Switch 2, the search functionality changed, adding a few more steps to get to demos involving filtering games and then going into a demo menu. On the main page, they added a list for favorited games, which is handy. Nintendo could do fans a solid and give them a demo page too. Also, it’s odd that Nintendo bars players from taking screenshots while on the eShop, which should be rectified.
Select All To Update Too
The PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the original Switch only let players download one game at a time. They can queue up multiple games, but only one will download. That is true for the Switch 2 as well. Technically, it makes sense for consoles to do this to save bandwidth for players, but systems like the Switch 2 should at least offer the option to download more. A separate download window would also be useful, similar to the one on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Finally, a way to highlight multiple games to update them instead of clicking on individual icons would save a lot of time.
4A Bigger Retro Library
And A Better Rotation Of Games
The Switch supported classic Nintendo consoles for players to engage with,including the NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, and N64 if they had an online subscription. Players even had a Sega console via the Sega Genesis. Now, the Switch 2 added GameCube support exclusively.
As great as it is to have all these systems, there are some changes Switch 2 owners probably want. One consolidated library would be convenient instead of having a folder full of them all. More Nintendo consoles would be a plus, like the Wii, DS, or even more Sega consoles like the Sega Game Gear or the Sega Saturn.
3Retro Upgrades
Fans Want More Than Just Games
Beyond getting a bigger library ofretro games from the Wiito the Sega Saturn, there are some features in these digital libraries that could make the games more enjoyable. For example, adding more borders to the games instead of having a bleak black background would be more inviting. The save states in all the digital libraries are great, but getting a fast-forward or rewind function would also be appreciated. Most emulators have this function installed, and even some Nintendo products have used rewind, including the Nintendo Classic Mini and the SNES Classic Edition, which makes the exclusion from these retro libraries odd.
2Switch 2 Themes
The World Is More Than Black And White
Beyond getting borders for retro games, the UI for the Switch 2 is drab. It’s clean, players can admit that, but it doesn’t instill the sense of excitement that one should get upon buying a new console. Like the original Switch, players can either have a white or black background as their theme and that’s it.
The PS3 and PS4 had some amazing themes, ranging fromFinal Fantasy 7toRatchet & Clank,which allowed players to customize their fandom experience. More companies should have followed this practice, and it’s about time Nintendo learned from one of their greatest rivals. How cool would it be to seegames likeMario Kart WorldorBravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remasterget a theme?
1Change Game Icons
Or Put Folders On The Home screen
Another way players could spice up their home screen on the Switch 2 is with the option to change game icons. No company has ever allowed players to do this ona Nintendo consolebefore, as it is probably impossible to do in digital libraries and most players probably don’t even care what their game launchers look like. If this is impossible, then Nintendo could allow players to bring things like folders to the home screen. Getting to them isn’t taxing, but any way Nintendo could help jazz up the home screen and the overall UI would be appreciated.
