Nintendo Switch 2 needs these 5 features to be the perfect gaming handheld
After what feels like a year of waiting since the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 in January, we’re finally going to see some of the games we’ll be playing on the new console via a new Nintendo Direct on April 2.
The sequel to the immensely popular Nintendo Switch, the hybrid device launched in 2017 and has been as successful as the company’s previous consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS.
This time, the Nintendo Switch 2 looks to be building on what made the original console so popular, as well as potentially introducing some features that could open up new gaming possibilities, such as a rumored mouse feature for the new Joy-Con controllers.
While the upcoming Switch 2 Direct is expected to showcase a new Mario Kart and possibly a new 3D Mario game, we’re still in the dark about many of the console’s new features.
With this in mind, here are five features that could transform the Nintendo Switch 2 into the ultimate gaming handheld, particularly when used outside.
5 features Switch 2 must-have
Waterproofing
A standard in many of the best smartphones and tablets today. If you were to accidentally drop your iPhone 16 Pro Max in the bath, you’d still be able to use the handset, thanks to its IP67 resistance to liquid. However, if the same were to occur with a Switch, you’d have a paperweight.
And that’s not mentioning the weather in parts of the world, with rain and snow being common in certain countries. Since its release in March 2017, Nintendo has promoted the Switch as a play-anywhere console — but there’s a limit.
This is why water resistance could be huge for the Switch 2. Playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Tomb Raider Remastered in light rain while waiting for a train wouldn’t have to be a concern. If Apple has been able to implement this feature since the iPhone 7, surely Nintendo can do something similar for Switch 2.
Glowing Joy-Cons
In January’s announcement of the Switch 2, the new Joy-Cons made a big impression. Now bigger and able to attach magnetically to the new console, there are also minor design refinements. There’s already some color below the analog sticks, but what if Nintendo expanded on this?
Like Sony’s DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers, lights could help identify players and adapt to certain games. Having something similar for Switch 2’s Joy-Cons would be a great feature, as it could work with multiplayer games like Mario Party and Super Smash Bros., and illuminate when someone loses, wins, or collects a series of coins. These lights could further expand players’ immersion, especially when there are a bunch of multiplayer matches being fought locally.
Wireless charging
Although the first-generation Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, wireless charging was still in the early stages of being widely available. Nowadays, Qi charging and Apple’s proprietary MagSafe standard are everywhere, enabling your devices to be charged on pads the size of hockey pucks to give them a quick recharge.
If you’re a Nintendo Switch owner, you’ve likely encountered the ‘low battery’ notification as you’re immersed in games like Kirby and the Forgotten Land and the many Switch Online retro titles. This often means finding one of the best power banks or the nearest wall socket to charge it up again.
If the Switch 2 featured some kind of wireless charging, enabling players to continue their progress, it would remove a big annoyance for those moments when you feel like you’re so close to the end of a level.
Solar Power
But let’s not stop there with new ways to recharge the Switch 2. Sustainability matters more than ever in 2025. Companies are slowly moving to renewable sources to keep their factories and offices running without harming the planet, and consoles like Switch 2 should do the same.
Picture this: You’re on vacation, basking in the sun by the pool, playing the latest Legend of Zelda game on your Switch 2. The battery stands at 42%, but you’re not anxious about it yet; there’s not much left to complete this dungeon. Suddenly, you’re called away, and you put the Switch 2 on standby. As it shines in the sunlight, this translates into power, trickling into the console, with the battery percentage rising in single digits. By the time you’re back, the battery is now at 69%.
It’s situations like those where a solar-powered Switch 2 could be invaluable.
Street Pass 2
While Nintendo’s Wii U console and its 3DS handheld didn’t see success equal to the Wii or the Switch, players still remember some innovative features from that period, such as Nintendo Land.
Yet it was StreetPass on the 3DS that is still talked about today by its many fans. For those unfamiliar, this was a communication feature that mostly required no input from the player. If two people were to pass one another in the street, both carrying a 3DS, data would be transferred between devices. This included games like Mario Kart 7, exchanging ghost riders, or sharing battle data in Pokémon X & Y. There was also Street Pass Plaza, a built-in app for the 3DS where players could view who their handheld has interacted with.
With the rumored ‘C’ button on the Switch 2 Joy-Cons allegedly hinting towards some community features, it feels like a natural step for a new Street Pass to come to the upcoming console. Carrying the Switch in a backpack or a pocket is a common occurrence, and with the huge popularity the first console has brought, it seems as though Street Pass could be far bigger than how it was on the Nintendo 3DS.
To some, the Switch is already the ultimate handheld gaming device, and the Switch 2 doesn’t need to add any upgrades in this area. But nothing’s perfect — there are always improvements to be made that can better help some situations.
Nintendo said itself when it announced the Switch at the end of 2016 that the console is a culmination of its past consoles and handhelds. For example, the face buttons on the Joy-Cons reflect the Super Nintendo console and its motion controls are inspired by the Wii.
The Switch 2 should continue this narrative from its past handhelds, looking to bolster the community features that, admittedly, Nintendo has fallen behind on with the current Switch. Having a new take on Street Pass, as well as useful ways to keep the new console charged would make Nintendo Switch 2 among the best gaming handhelds.
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